Making space for women: Gender, diversity, and outer space
Posted on 14 March 2023
In a new article, Elise Stephenson, our Deputy Director, discusses the major gender gaps that exist everywhere from the space agencies themselves to space manufacturing, aerospace engineering, space force and space command workforces, the space industry, and women’s leadership across it all.
Elise writes: "Ensuring that our technological progress does not outpace our social values sets a major and important precedent in space. Whilst so much is still uncertain as to the direction and depth of human endeavours in space, we do know that inequalities tend to be systemic, institutionalized, and built up incrementally."
Read Elise's article here.
You may also like
A new partnership to advance diversity in the space sector
We’re proud to be part of The Australian Space Diversity Alliance (ASDA), a new industry-wide group dedicated to promoting diversity in the space sector.
How can we build capacity to advance gender equality in the space sector?
In November, we attended the 2023 Space4Women Expert Meeting in Montréal, Canada. The meeting was part of the Space4Women project, which aims to encourage women and girls to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and raise awareness about career opportunities and the importance of gender equality and empowerment in the space sector.
Getting diversity 'right' in Australia's nascent space industry matters
Dr Elise Stephenson, GIWL Research Fellow, has published an opinion piece about the importance of getting diversity 'right' in Australia's space industry. Given the centrality of diversity to promoting ethical international collaboration, extending national capabilities, and building diverse and talented future workforces, diversity, access and inclusion are not just nice to have – they are critical to the Australian space agenda. Read more here.