STEAM Powered

Systems thinking allows you to see both the pain points and the potential of every situation. It's a skill that you can cultivate in yourself, and that you can help bring out in others. The key is to approach with curiosity and a mindset prepared to connect people and ideas. Ee Ting Choo is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of ConnectingDNA. Join us as Ee Ting shares her journey of technology...

Every person will have experiences with medical imaging at some point in their lives. For most, the first time will be with an ultrasound before you are born. But how much do we know about this field and the professionals who are a part of our extended care team in healthcare? Chaundria Singleton is a radiologic technologist, author, speaker, and host of the podcast A Couple of Rad Techs. Join us...

The justice system is part of community health with more overlap than one might expect. So just as we've done with healthcare, how can we shift our approach in justice settings to be more preventative and proactive rather than reactive? It starts with support. Not only for the justice-involved, but for those providing support on the front-line as well. Dr Hayley Passmore is a Lecturer in Criminolo...

There's a place for everyone in space. It's an extension of our planetary ecosystem and just as multidisciplinary as the world around us. The key is to identify your passions and transferable skills so you can shape your work and the value you can bring to your new environment. Asha Stabback is Translation and Impact Manager at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) at the U...

The world of musical and creative expression is continuously evolving, and there are more ways to create and engage with music, and audiences, than ever before. It all starts with an enquiring mind and a desire to explore new frontiers. Sally Coleman is a musician and creative director of the science fiction virtual band Big Sand. Join us as we speak with Sally about her journey to developing Big...

A lot about what it is to be human is understanding who we are and where we came from, whether that's genetically, geographically, or otherwise. But what if we zoomed out and approached it at a galaxy level? What  could  we learn about who we are, what we understand about the universe, and what humans are capable of achieving? Sabine Bellstedt is an astronomer working on the epidemiology...

We have to get past this stigma over talking about wee, poo, and other toileting activities. It's something that we have to do every day, and if you're not, you should really be speaking to someone about that. Because continence is something that we all should be proactive about no matter our age or gender. Sheena Lagat is a wee wee nurse. Specifically, a continence and urogynaecology clinical nur...

Cultures have an incredible impact on our society, and not just anthropologically. Cultures in a microbial context have an equally significant impact on the industries that allow us to live the lives that we want. Jayashree Srinivasan is a microbiologist specialising in biotechnology and microbial research. Join us as we speak about Jaya's journey to cultivating cultures, the intersectionality of...

Changes in career aren't a divergence from a path. The common thread is you, your experience, and how you can apply what you know in a difference space. Zaneta Mascarenhas is Member of the Australian House of Representatives for Swan. Join us as we speak about Zaneta's journey through engineering and resources, climate action, and politics -- and hear about how community and impact ties all of tha...

Having a penpal can be a life-changing experience. You can connect with someone over shared and unique experiences, and learn about a life or environment different from your own. It can even give you the opportunity to broaden your perspective about the world and your place in it. Jennifer Payne is a research scientist in the area of antimicrobial resistance and founder of STEMPals, an initiative...

Nurses don't get enough credit for what they do. Despite being an essential role in healthcare, it's still an often misunderstood and underrated field, but one that has immense scope for professional development and medical specialisation. Ellen Yeo is a Clinical Nurse Consultant specialising in Renal Medicine and Kidney Transplantation Clinical Trials. She's also a nursing education and career pa...

Not everyone has that pivotal moment where they realise what they want to do with their life, and that's okay. The important thing is to be open to ideas and opportunities even if they may take you a different direction. Rumee Singh is the CEO and co-founder of Rahat and a Tech Entrepreneur. Join us as Rumee shares the full-circle journey that brought her home, and building solutions that make an...

Humans are fascinating. We have this incredible capacity for creativity, resilience, and invention, and have been keen to dabble in technologies that improve our lives since we first started using tools. So, where is technology going to lead us in terms of what makes us human? Joanna Beveridge is a producer, writer, and director with a background in nuclear medicine. Join us as we speak about atti...

For many of my guests, the careers and fields that we're in now didn't exist or were just newly conceived when we were at university. So those indirect paths I often speak about were just a matter of course for us. Bec Nguyen is the director of Upbeat Digital and a specialist in UX in digital health. Join us as we speak about her winding path to User Experience Design and design thinking as it gre...

We've spoken about indirect career paths, but Professor Gretchen Benedix calls hers the pinball method, starting on a course that could change direction when she strikes something that she'd like to delve more into. This method has served Gretchen well and has given her opportunities to work with Dr Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, chase fireballs over the desert, hunt meteorites in...

A common misconception about veterinary sciences is that it’s all about puppies and kittens, but that’s not always the case. Like other care providers, vets can have it tough in the service of the community and there is a lot of active work being done to ensure the vet industry, its people, the community, and not just the animals, can thrive. Join us as we speak with Dr Lydia Pethick, veterinarian...

A common thread between the arts and the sciences is storytelling. In both scenarios you’re building worlds, and creating an understanding of the mechanisms that make the system work (or not work), and the relationships within that bubble. Eleonora Moratto is the Biology Ballerina. She is a freelance professional ballet dancer, and is currently completing her PhD in plant pathogen interactions. Jo...

Sustainability is more than just the environment. If you look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it's also about accessibility, equity, and inclusion in multiple areas of society, and covers things like the economy, infrastructure, community, and yes, climate and the environment. But they're the kinds of goals that bring everybody up so that no one is left behind. Join us in our conversation...

What is your personal worth? From an internal perspective, it's about having confidence in your sense of self and your values. But let's expand on that. Your worth can also be viewed in the connections you have made in your personal or professional communities, be it the kids' soccer parent who knows a job you'd be great for, or the ex-coworker whose passion project is your passion, too. It's also...

Architecture has always struck me as a multidisciplinary field. It draws knowledge from all areas of STEMM into creating the spaces in which we live and work. But that's not always how this profession is perceived and this reflects in the way the industry has and needs to evolve. Evelyn Lee is Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation at Slack Technologies, and Founder of Practice of Architecture....

It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. But for today's guest, it's about both. Laura Langdon is a developer advocate who has the pleasure of combining her explorations and experience in theatre, computer science, mathematics, education, and data science into a role that rolls all of that into one perfect package. Join us as we speak of about Laura's experience in education, and th...

We could all do with a little bit more compassion in our lives, and April Wensel is making sure that we can bring it to our work as well. April Wensel is the founder of Compassionate Coding, helping companies and tech professionals communicate more and effectively so that we can be better at what we do better to each other and better to ourselves. Join us as we speak about April's journey through...

Geographic information systems. There, I've lost a few of you already, but you're missing out because GIS is more than about where things are, but why they're there, and quite a few of those reasons are around why people do people things. Helen McKenzie is a cartographer, data visualiser, and geospatial advocate who is passionate about finding meaning in complex data and making information beautif...

You have to pivot or reinvent yourself to stay relevant. This idea gets bandied about a lot these days but there are going to be times in your life and in business where it has to happen. Lan Tran is a powerhouse in sales and marketing is no stranger to this concept. She has seen the decline of the paper business directory with the advent of Google ads, the challenges of returning to work after ra...

Ever thought about asking a member of Parliament how to become Prime Minister? Moira Clay, a leading research strategist, asked that very question, and she's now cultivated a career helping leaders in health and medical research make an impact in both research and the community. Join us as we speak with Moira about her journey in medical research, and developing a holistic and comprehensive approa...