The Women in STEM Steering Group was convened in October 2020 to develop the recommendations outlined in the Matrix 2018 Women in STEM Report.

What the Steering Group does

The group reports annually to the Department for the Economy on how its recommendations are being delivered.

Appointed members represent the broad interests of their sector in Northern Ireland while having an overriding desire to address all the issues facing women in STEM and committed to the mission of the NI WISE Hub.

The Steering Group has undertaken a series of activities with DfE this year to ensure that NI economic policy reflects the needs of girls and women who want to work in STEM careers.

Steering Group members

DfE has appointed key stakeholders from industry, education and the public sector, who provide advice and support for the NI WISE Hub.

Co-Chairs

Dr Bryan Keating CBE

Bio

Prof. Eileen Harkin-Jones OBE

Bio

Steering group panel

Mary McKenna MBE

Bio

John Healy
OBE

Bio

Emer Murnaghan OBE

Bio

Jacqui McKee

Bio

Gillian McColgan

Bio

Rose Mary Stalker

Bio

Renee O’Cleary

Bio

Nuala Murphy

Bio

Gillian Gregg

Bio

Fiona Longmuir

Bio

Mark Gillan

Bio

Rebecca Walsh

Bio

Steering Group Activities

The high-level aim is “To have more girls participating in STEM education and STEM employment and that more STEM employers are fully inclusive and representative of a diverse workforce. Furthermore that by 2030, 30% of all young people moving into STEM are girls”.

This will be underpinned through a series of processes supporting key tasks:

  1. Research capability to baseline and monitor STEM participation rates and assess the impact of interventions in NI
  2. Infrastructure to support collective impact
  3. A service to improve the visibility of young STEM role models from NI and to promote the breadth of STEM career opportunities available
  4. A network and framework to support STEM employers improve gender balance within their organisation

Women in STEM news

Northern Ireland astrophysicist Rosemary Coogan to join ESA as career astronaut

November 25th, 2022|Comments Off on Northern Ireland astrophysicist Rosemary Coogan to join ESA as career astronaut

Northern Ireland born astrophysicist Rosemary Coogan has been named as one of just five new European Space Agency career astronauts selected from a field of 22,500 applicants. The new class of 17 astronaut candidates, who [...]

Six months of Pulsar on TikTok – what do we know?

November 16th, 2022|Comments Off on Six months of Pulsar on TikTok – what do we know?

We are currently running three pilot programmes to help encourage young people in Northern Ireland into STEM careers - our most experimental (and challenging!) pilot is now at its halfway point so we wanted [...]

Diversity Mark accredited company Cubis Systems – Creating an inclusive culture is a win for employees and a win for the bottom line

November 16th, 2022|Comments Off on Diversity Mark accredited company Cubis Systems – Creating an inclusive culture is a win for employees and a win for the bottom line

Cubis Systems are manufacturers of underground systems for infrastructure, the organisation currently employs over 650 staff at several sites globally with their headquarters based in Lurgan. Cubis are currently bronze accredited and striving towards silver [...]