Biomechanics Research & Innovation Challenge:
100 Girls, 100 Stories, 100 Days

A 100-day Biomechanics Research and Innovation Challenge (BRInC), funded by the Federal Government’s AusIndustry Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship – Round 3 grant program, aims to raise awareness and participation of high school girls in biomedical engineering, through focusing on the exciting field of biomechanics. Additionally, it aims at growing the leadership capacity of current early career female biomechanics by giving them access to a professional training and support to develop their expertise as STEM mentors and future leaders in biomechanics.

 

Over a period of 100 days, during term 2 and 3 in 2022, the girls will conduct a biomechanics project with the support and guidance of the mentors and attend a series of immersive workshops and masterclasses to build key STEM and life skills. The hands-on program will expose girls to the creative, applied field of biomechanics and increase their awareness of associated entrepreneurial opportunities.

 

The project is led by Dr Celeste Coltman from the University of Canberra together with seven other early career female researchers and ANZSB members across Australia - Taylor Dick (UQ), Michelle Hall (UniMelb), Crystal Kean (CQUni), Karen Mickle (University of Newcastle), Laura Diamond (Griffith), Martina Barzan (Griffith) and Jayishni Maharaj (Griffith). The project is in collaboration with BrainSTEM, an industry partner with extensive experience in STEM based mentoring programs.

 

The program will be delivered Australia wide with a range of university and industry partners, including regional and metropolitan institutions. We aim to recruit a geographically diverse range of Australian based mentors from varied backgrounds and fields of biomechanics, to showcase this highly applied area of science. Year 9 and 10 girls from regional and remote locations, culturally diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and girls with a disability are encouraged to participate as program mentees.

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If you are a female early or mid-career biomechanist who would like to inspire young girls to study STEM subjects, please email us to express your interest of becoming a mentor.

 

For more information, please visit https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/faculties/health/brinc. If you would like to get in touch with us, please email us at brinc@canberra.edu.au or follow us on social media:

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