Skip to main content

Women in Research Australia

Women in Research Australia was established by Professor Sharon K. Parker, the Kathleen Fitzpatrick to support women in research and enhance gender equality in Australian institutions. ​The initiative aims to: 

  • Inspire and support female researchers by sharing stories and tips from senior researchers, providing guidance and tools as to how to navigate some of the challenges that women researchers face and building an on-line community.
  • Enhance the effective mentoring of women by creating a “one-stop-shop” for mentoring materials and resources and providing ready access to statistics, stories, and guidance.
  • Promote gender diversity in educational and research institutions by articulating the ‘business case’ for gender equity in research, enhancing awareness of the challenges women researchers face and providing evidence-based recommendations, supported as much as possible by research.

Women remain under-represented in many senior leadership roles across sectors, industries, and countries. This is the case for university leadership roles and in critical disciplines, such as science, engineering, and mathematics. Sharon K. Parker explores why we need change, details the statistics on women's representation, discusses the challenges for women in research and addresses the gender pay gap.  Explore the varied and expansive resources  Women in Research Australia offer from understanding resilience, managing working from home through to dealing with harassment, ethics and integrity and dealing with conflict, you are sure to find knowledge and expertise. 

Stories from Women

Explore interviews of female ARC Laureates and Centre Directors and hear their experiences, stories, thoughts and advice around managing others as well as yourself, building a career and gender equality. 

  • Listen to Joy Damousi's (ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellow and Professor of History) podcast interview with Sharon Parker. 
  • Listen to Jolanda Jetten's (ARC Laureate Fellow and Professor of Psychology) podcast interview with Sharon Parker.
  • Listen to Hilary Charleswoth's (ARC Laureate Fellow and Professor of Human Rights Law) podcast interview with Sharon Parker.

Small Wins Series

In this virtual series, Professor Sharon Parker, a leading scholar in organisational psychology and an ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellow, will draw on research, theory, and life experience to address crucial topics for women researchers’ well-being and productivity. Each virtual workshop will focus on one topic where Sharon will be joined by other ARC Laureates and esteemed guests to share their insights on the chosen topic. In each webinar, women will be encouraged to identify one “microstep”, or small change, to try. Our vision is to help women in research flourish through small wins.

2023

Webinar 18: From passive to productive: How to hold effective meetings, Register for Thursday 16 March 2023

2022

Webinar 13: Building A Higher Profile: How to Enhance Academic Impact

Webinar 14: Making a difference: How to enhance the impact of your research beyond academia

Webinar 15: Organisational strategies, policies and practices for supporting women in research

Webinar 16: Crafting your job for meaning and purpose

Webinar 17: Breaking through glass ceilings and glass walls

2021

Webinar 4: Saying No and Speaking Up

Webinar 5: Are your Collaborations Painful, Proficient or Pivotal?

Webinar 6: Mentors and Sponsors

Webinar 7: Be bold! How to embrace risk, be proactive and make things happen

Webinar 8: Effective Writing Strategies

Webinar 9: Influencing and Leading Others

Webinar 10: The Imposter Syndrome

Webinar 11: The Glass Cliff Phenomenon

Webinar 12: Networking for Everyone (including Introverts)

2020

Webinar 1: Managing Your Mental Health and Well-Being at Work

Webinar 2: Staying Sane Whilst Managing Home-Work Challenges

Webinar 3: Resilience in Research