Year 10 and 11 girls from NSW public schools in Sydney and Wollongong gained a different perspective on their science studies – and their career possibilities – during a series of seminars held last term featuring the state’s most prominent young female scientists.

NSW Women in Science seminars, a joint initiative of the Tall Poppies Campaign and the education department, were held in Wollongong, Parramatta and Lindfield, drawing students from schools in the surrounding areas.

Glen Sawle, CEO of the education department’s science unit in the curriculum directorate, said young women in particular are in need of encouragement to study science because boys outnumber them at a ratio of about four to one in key areas such as physics.

“Physics is what we call an ‘enabling science’, a subject which provides students with a foundational skills set that supports them to take up tertiary courses and careers in science,” Mr Sawle said.

“While we are very pleased that science enrolments in our state are improving in a number of subject areas, we want to build on this trend and encourage young women into science-based areas of study and careers.”

Scientists taking part in the seminars were all recipients of Young Tall Poppy Awards by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science.

At the Lindfield seminar, Vanessa Hayes, Kate Jolliffe and Emma Johnston outlined their career paths and specialty areas of cancer genetics, organic chemistry and marine ecology.

Dr Hayes discussed her ongoing research into cancer genetics and how it can influence an individual’s risk to and development of cancer, as well as their response to cancer therapies.

Students discussed with Dr Hayes her current project, sequencing the genome of the Tasmanian devil to help combat “the facial tumour threatening the animals with extinction”.

Dr Jolliffe’s overview of her “adventures of an organic chemist” helped students relate their current chemistry classes to practical applications such as developing molecules that sense and indicate (and can be used to screen for) the presence of other types of molecules.

Great interest was also generated by Dr Johnston, whose research into the impact of human activities on marine life has taken her on diving expeditions to the Great Barrier Reef and Antarctica.

Each of the scientists encouraged the girls to keep their career options open by studying maths, physics and chemistry. Dr Johnston also stressed the need for girls to “suspend disbelief in yourself”.

“If you have an interest in something, don’t think, ‘Can I do it?’ Just do it because it interests you; be active not passive and don’t be afraid to ask questions,” Dr Johnston said.

North Sydney Girls High School Year 10 student, Anjali Prakash, said the seminar had opened her eyes to the possibility of science as a career.

“In school we’ve learned about DNA but when I heard Dr Hayes speak I realised how we can apply this in life and how using what we are learning could make a difference in the world.”

Tall Poppy Campaign acting director Nikki Sullings said the extraordinary scientists who presented at this year’s seminars were excellent role models and had generated a positive response from students and teachers.

“We get very good feedback from schools about our education program; we believe the presenters really make a difference to young people’s understanding of the exciting career possibilities in science and the pathway they might take to get there too,” Ms Sullings said.