Significantly, women make up only about a third (37 per cent) of university STEM enrolments and just 15 per cent of STEM-qualified jobs, indicating a need for further efforts to promote STEM education and careers for women.
Girls make up only a quarter of Year 12 enrolments in information technology, physics and engineering subjects, and the Government's 2023–24 Youth in STEM survey shows no improvement in girls’ ratings of the importance of STEM knowledge for their employment in future.
Role models are a powerful means of inspiring and engaging potential young women into engineering and dam engineer, Nasim Nazari is a wonderful example of how hard work, ambition and talent have transformed her life and positively impacted so many around her.
Originally from Iran, Nasim works within Southern Rural Water's dam safety team and is passionate about inspiring other bright and curious girls and young women to pursue STEM careers.
With World Women in Engineering Day being celebrated on June 23, Nasim has a few tips for secondary STEM teachers on how they can be more supportive and encouraging of their bright and curious female students into these careers.
EducationHQ: In terms of STEM education in schools, what are we doing well, and what can we do better?
Nasim: I think we’ve made great progress in encouraging girls and women to explore STEM subjects, especially through increased visibility of female role models, supportive school programs, and initiatives that showcase the exciting and diverse careers STEM can offer. Many schools and organisations are doing important work to break down stereotypes and create more inclusive learning environments. However, there’s still more to do.
We need to ensure support continues beyond the classroom, into university, apprenticeships, and the workplace. Providing mentorship, creating networks where women can share experiences, and actively promoting flexible and family-friendly work environments are key steps. The goal is to build a culture where girls not only start STEM journeys but feel confident and supported to stay and lead.
Nasim Nazarri, pictured above, says she hopes teachers encourage curiosity and that they celebrate effort as much as achievement. “Be mindful of unconscious biases and make sure to highlight diverse role models and examples of women succeeding in STEM,” she says.
What would you say to secondary STEM teachers in terms of encouraging them to be more supportive of their female students into these careers?
I would say: your role is incredibly important, not just in teaching the subjects, but in helping shape who these young people become. Creating a classroom environment where all students feel equally valued, capable, and inspired can make a huge difference.
Encourage curiosity and celebrate effort as much as achievement. Be mindful of unconscious biases and make sure to highlight diverse role models and examples of women succeeding in STEM.
Providing hands-on experiences, collaborative projects, and real-world problem solving isn’t just about learning skills, it’s about empowering students to believe they belong in these fields. Your encouragement and belief can ignite a spark in girls that grows into a lifelong passion and confidence to lead in STEM. You aren’t just teaching subjects, you are shaping future engineers, scientists, and leaders who will change the world.
What did you like about STEM at school and were you encouraged by your teachers to study STEM-related subjects?
I've always enjoyed learning, especially subjects like maths, physics, and chemistry, they just made sense to me and were satisfying to work through. Growing up in Iran, education was highly valued. My parents encouraged me to pursue higher education, and society placed a strong emphasis on academic achievement, although often less attention was given to alternative pathways.
The encouragement I received from teachers, combined with this broader cultural emphasis on education, gave me the confidence to go after a career in STEM, even in a field that’s usually dominated by men. I didn’t have just one role model, but I was fortunate to be surrounded by supportive school and university teachers, as well as workplace mentors who lifted me up. Their support played a big part in helping me continue to a Masters degree in Geomatics Engineering.
What would you say to a young secondary student with a real interest or ability in STEM subjects?
If you’re a curious, bright thinker who enjoys solving problems and wondering how things work, then a future in STEM could be an incredible fit for you. There are so many exciting paths in science, maths, technology, and engineering, and they all need people with fresh ideas and different perspectives.
You don’t need to have all the answers right now, just keep following what sparks your interest, ask questions, and keep exploring what excites you. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, they’re just part of learning and growing. And don’t be afraid of barriers either; push through them even harder because you’re stronger and cleverer than you think.
Briefly, what does Southern Rural Water do?
Southern Rural Water is a state-owned water corporation. We supply water to irrigators, power generators and urban water corporations, and we work with the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) alongside catchment management authorities and Melbourne Water to manage the release of environmental flows and service the environment.
We service customers across 88,000 square kilometres, or 37 percent of the state, stretching from the South Australian border to the New South Wales border, and from the Great Dividing Range to the Victorian coastline.
We operate seven major dams, eight diversion weirs and three irrigation districts, and we manage take and use licences for waterways, licences relating to catchment dams, and farm dam registration.
Our services support a food and fibre sector that contributes more than $14.2 billion to the economy each year.
What does your role largely involve?
As one of the dam safety engineers, I’m involved in continuously monitoring and managing our dams and diversion weirs. This is done in close partnership with our headworks staff and dam operators to ensure smooth and safe operations.
These monitoring and safety activities form part of a broader, collaborative effort across the organisation to meet the standards set by the Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) and comply with regulatory requirements overseen by DEECA. Our strong teamwork and dedication ensure the safety and reliability of these critical water infrastructure assets.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced to become a dam engineer?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was entering a highly technical and traditionally male-dominated field where role models were few. It took persistence, confidence, and the support of mentors to find my place and feel comfortable speaking up and contributing meaningfully.
Each challenge has motivated me even more to encourage other women to see engineering as a space where they can thrive, lead, and make a real impact, especially in roles that protect communities and shape the future of infrastructure.
I’m a proud mum of two wonderful children, my 17-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. Balancing life as a working engineer, a mother, and an immigrant without extended family support hasn’t always been easy, but every challenge has shaped the person I am today.
I’m proud of how far I’ve come, grateful for the support I’ve received along the way, and thankful for the life we’ve built in this beautiful country.
What do you love about your role?
What I love most about my role is the sense of purpose and the tangible impact we have on people’s lives. Knowing that the work we do helps keep communities safe and supports access to water for rural households, farms, and industries is incredibly rewarding.
I enjoy problem solving and the technical challenges of dam engineering, but even more, I appreciate the collaboration within our team, everyone brings different expertise, and we learn from one another every day.
There’s also something uniquely satisfying about working with infrastructure that spans generations, caring for these dams means protecting the past while preparing for the future.
