Background
There is growing demand for a STEMM-qualified workforce and health services need contemporary strategies to break down barriers to attraction, development and retention of their critical workforce. The public health sector is a major generator and consumer of health and medical research. However, Australia lacks systematic evidence about gender equality dynamics of researchers within hospital and health service contexts. This has significant implications for individual research careers, future health practices and the development of Australian STEMM intellectual capital.
This project investigates gender diversity and explores potential inequalities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) workforces. The project will result in pragmatic strategies that enable health service organisations to detect and respond to diversity challenges, and evolve the workforce to meet the changing nature of healthcare. The research advances inclusive and effective STEMM workforces and world-leading health research practice in Australia.
Project Aims
- To investigate the extent and nature of gendered experiences of doing research in hospital and health
service environments. - To build comprehensive explanations of the organisational processes implicated in gender (in)equalities.
- To develop pragmatic strategies that enable health service organisations to detect and redress gender
inequalities in STEMM workforces. - To inform policy to harnesses benefits of gender equality for best STEMM research outcomes.
Expected Benefit and Impact
The project will contribute to gender equality knowledge with benefit for Metro North and the 15 additional Queensland Hospital and Health Services. Collection and interpretation of significant empirical evidence will inform national science and gender policy. The project will benefit the broader, public sector agenda to advance gender diversity. The project provides opportunities to create dialogues with industry practitioners and organisations in globally based health contexts and puts Australia in a leadership position to spearhead regulation and public policy developments to address gender and other diversity issues in health sector research environments.
Funding and Partners
This project is funded by the Australian Research Council, Metro North Hospital and Health Service and Queensland Health.