Connect with industry-leading women in STEM at our networking event and help us to #BreaktheBias.
You’re invited to attend Science Gallery Melbourne’s International Women’s Day Networking Event. Supported by Telstra, this event is a speed-meeting event where you’ll have the unique opportunity to connect with industry-leading women working in STEM in direct conversation.
The event will bring together women from research, major technology companies, engineering firms, media, and academia with young people from across Melbourne for intimate conversations on their careers.
This event is supported by Telstra.
COVID-19 Policy
Full vaccination is a requirement for anyone attending University of Melbourne campuses, including Science Gallery Melbourne, to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission or illness. Visitors aged 16 years and over must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a valid medical exemption in line with the Chief Health Officer’s Directions. Click here to read more on what to expect when you visit Science Gallery Melbourne. Click here to view the University of Melbourne's COVID-19 policy.
Meet the Mentors
Jen Martin (@scidocmartin) worked as a field ecologist before founding the University of Melbourne's Science Communication Teaching Program which teaches scientists across all disciplines to be engaging and effective communicators. She also practises what she preaches: she’s been talking about science weekly on 3RRR radio for more than 15 years, hosts podcasts (including @letstalkscicomm), MCs events, teaches as part of the Homeward Bound Faculty, writes for a variety of publications and was named the 2019 Unsung Hero of Australian Science Communication. Jen’s first book, ‘Why am I like this? The science behind your weirdest thoughts and habits’ will be published in 2022.
Elle Hassett is a senior leader with 20 years of broad strategic and commercial expertise grounded in strong financial acumen. Her strengths are in strategy development & execution, product development & management and driving commercial growth. She has a background as a Chartered Accountant with Big 4 consulting experience. She values a communication style that facilitates open, pragmatic and direct dialogue grounded in empathy and respect.
Emma Rijs is a communications professional with a passion for corporate storytelling. Emma has a decade of experience working in media communications roles in Australia and abroad. As the Corporate Affairs Manager for BASF Australia and NZ, Emma is responsible for stakeholder relations, reputation management, employee communication and community engagement. She holds a Bachelor of Professional Communication from RMIT University and a Masters in Intercultural Communication from Gothenburg University, Sweden.
Tilly Boleyn is the Head of Curatorial at Science Gallery Melbourne. Basically, she’s a massive nerd, curious about the world and everything in it. Her background is in museums, galleries, education, festivals, broadcasting and research. Originally a microbiologist, Tilly ran from the lab to the ABC, where she discovered a talent for science gossip – talking about other people’s science rather than doing her own. She is a collaborative creature who has curated exhibitions on health, medicine, experimentation, the voice, engineering, sustainability and different perspectives around mental health. Tilly is delighted by blurring the boundaries between STEAM, large-scale-batteries-powered-by-human-urine and doing things she's told aren't allowed.
Ruchitha Gummadi is currently working as a graduate network engineer at Telstra within the Mobility Products space. She studied a double degree comprising Electrical & Electronics Engineering and Business Management at RMIT. Ruchita has always been passionate about innovation and technology, which led her to pursue a career in engineering design. She was a Telstra summer intern and returned as a grad, assisting with designing mobility products. She’s worked with the wireless core team and been involved in critical business network changes while learning about the core infrastructure. Work aside, she likes exploring cultures and cuisines in addition to being a classic Melbourne coffee and brunch enthusiast.
Harriet Dawson is the lead for graduates and summer interns for all lines of business across Telstra's large N&IT function. Harriet is passionate about ensuring graduates and their teams have a really positive experience while on the program. She works closely with the business to identify great opportunities for graduates both on and off program, aligning their interests, studies and development objectives. Harriet loves watching the graduates on their journey with Telstra and witnessing the incredible growth in their confidence, knowledge and both technical and soft skills while working on some amazing projects! Harriet spends her weekends cheering on her children with her husband at their multiple sporting activities.
Erum Rahim is a Graduate Data Specialist within Telstra’s cyber group. Throughout this grad program, she has performed in roles across product management, business analysis, cyber security and data science. Erum spends her free time reading books and learning new skills or picking up new hobbies. She is passionate about sharing knowledge and learning from her peers for continuous improvement.
Mridula Gayatri Mathampalli (@mridulagayatrimathampalli) joined Telstra as a Graduate Network Engineering Specialist in 2021 and now works for the Emergency Communications team. She graduated from Swinburne University in 2020 with a Master’s Degree in Network Systems & Cybersecurity. Her passion for cutting-edge products and solutions helping people to stay connected has driven her to pursue a career in technology. When not keeping busy with work, she can be found playing the piano, journaling or vacation planning.
Misty Jenkins (@DrMistyJenkins) is a NHMRC fellow and laboratory head at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research, where she leads the immunotherapy program within the Brain Cancer Centre. Misty is dedicated to developing new treatments for brain cancer patients. A/Prof Jenkins was awarded the L’Oreal for Women in Science Fellowship (2013), Tall Poppy of the year (2015), the Westpac/Australian Financial Review Top100 Women of Influence award (2016) and was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2020. She is also a Board Director for Monash Health, Co-Chair of the Indigenous Health Medical Research Future Fund, and advises the Victorian Government on Health and Medical Research strategy.
Dr Emma Burrows is a neuroscientist exploring how environments can impact on our mental health and memory. Emma and her team study mice living in playful and positive environments and how this shapes a mouse’s motivation, mood, brain growth, ability to learn and pay attention. It is her hope that understanding some of the complex drivers of motivation and the way we interact with our world will pave the way for healthier and happier ways of living. Wheel is part of her first experiments with humans. She knows your motivations will be more complex than mice and is looking forward to seeing the results.
Megan Munsie is Professor of Emerging Technology (Stem Cells) at The University of Melbourne and Group Leader of Stem Cell Ethics & Policy at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Her research focuses on community attitudes and expectations in stem cell science and the development of policy and professional standards. She is a highly experienced interdisciplinary scholar and leads the preparedness program for the international Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine. Her research findings have influenced policy reforms at a national and international level and informed the design and delivery of educational resources for patients, healthcare professionals and the general public.
Vera Ignjatovic is a medical researcher at the forefront of paediatric thrombosis and haemostasis. Vera represented Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as a member of the Handball Team and credits her personal and professional successes on the value of teamwork. Vera’s contribution to and leadership in medical research and education has been recognised via her appointments as a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Vera has significant committee and board experience nationally and internationally, including the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Human Proteome Organisation, Australian Society for Medical Research and Women in Science Parkville Precinct.
Alice Endersbee was raised in Naarm/Melbourne and moved to moved to Aotearoa/New Zealand for university. She is passionate about the social and societal challenges that chemistry and chemical innovation can help solve; from sanitation and nutrition through to environmental remediation, waste management and sustainable energy. Emma uses the tools of chemistry and the problem-solving techniques of the scientific method to ask questions, and try to improve the quality of life for our society. She delivers this service through the vehicle of a business.
Jia-Yee Lee is the Enterprise Fellow for Medtech at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, in the University of Melbourne. She brings together leading medtech companies, hospitals and academia to develop personalised medical devices. Jia-Yee has spent close to twenty years in medical research, having led NHMRC funded projects at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory and Burnet Institute. Jia-Yee has an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and a PhD in virology from the University of Melbourne.
Vanessa Naidoo is an Environmental, Health and Safety Manager at BASF. She has a passion for the safety, environment and wellbeing of people, and takes a practical approach to delivering zero harm in the workplace. Using her background in Chemical Engineering and working exposure in high-risk industries provides the perfect recipe to apply some practical yet effective strategies using STEM. Vanessa recognises the challenges woman influencing at different levels in organizations face and her mantra is ‘don’t try to be someone you’re not’. Being yourself is the best way to highlight your strengths and identify the aspects that you require to develop further.
Julie Stevens has a breadth of global experience in creating value through innovation-driven partnerships across multiple industries including finance, technology, higher education, non-profit and government. Focus areas include the commercialisation of new solutions and technologies through start-up programming and enabling founders to navigate successful pathways through established ecosystem partnerships. Most recently she has joined the University of Melbourne to implement a new service offer to enable the identification and growth of strategic partnerships towards high impact research translations opportunities.
Jackie Coates is a corporate sustainability leader, passionate about the intersection of social innovation and digital technology. As Head of Telstra Foundation, Jackie leads Telstra’s philanthropic charity which has a focus on supporting digital skills for young people and community-led climate action. An advocate for the responsible and inclusive development of new and emerging technologies, Jackie also encourages young people to create with, not just consume, tech. Feminist, mother, tech optimist, and grant-maker, Jackie juggles many balls and tries hard not to drop the glass ones.
Kelly Hatton is an Early Careers Delivery Lead at Telstra, responsible for creating an amazing employee experience for Graduate and Summer Interns. Kelly sources rewarding work opportunities for grads and interns, coaching and supporting them through the early stages of their career. She has been in and out of Telstra for over 29 years and worked in many parts of the business through her time. Kelly is extremely passionate about diversity, inclusion and equality. Alongside supporting the future talent for Telstra, she is also raising her own tribe of 3 daughters.
Florienne Loder has a background in biomedical research and a passion for science storytelling. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science from Ballarat University and had first encounters in the world of science in the laboratories of the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology, Germany and the Florey Institute, Melbourne. She furthered her studies with a ‘Diplom’-degree in immunology at Freiburg University, Germany and a science film-making degree at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Ludwigsburg. In Melbourne, Florienne put her science knowledge and journalistic skills to work as a researcher with Genepool Productions on award-winning documentaries ‘Jabbed – Love, Fear and Vaccines’ and ‘Cracking COVID’.
Dr Onisha Patel (@dr_opatel) is a structural biologist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. She uses cutting-edge imaging technology to capture the inner beauty of molecules making up life at a nanoscale. Onisha's work uncovers the structure of proteins and contributes to a greater understanding of how they work, helping scientists to develop more targeted treatments. Her love for science began in art and she now combines her passions by illustrating her science through art exhibitions and collaboration with schools. Over the last two years, she has brought the #PDBArt project in Australia in collaboration with the Protein Databank Europe and a local Melbourne school.
Aarthi Sivakumar is a Graduate Network Engineering specialist at Telstra from India. First joining Telstra via the Summer Vacation Program, Aarthi comes from a background of Chemical engineering and International Business. She has completed 1 year of her graduate program in the Network Engineering pathway in Global Business Services. She worked in an operational role with primary focus on Business process transformation, workflow optimization and risk mitigation. She came to Melbourne to pursue her Post graduate studies and for her love for coffee. In her spare time, Aarthi likes to read books and paint. She loves exercising too.
Miel Balestrat (@mbalestrat) began as a Telstra summer intern in 2019 and returned as a graduate in 2021. Some of Miel’s projects at Telstra have included designing measures to prevent SMS phishing scams, building an authorisation service for the Google Home Smart Speaker, and developing Telstra’s unified WOMBAT IoT platform. Miel holds a B.Eng. (Hons) in Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering from Monash University, where she pursued a variety of interests including network reliability, RF, biomedical devices, and telemetry for a terrestrial Mars Rover. Miel enjoys producing and performing electronic music and is currently part of a representative committee and record label for Disabled performers in the arts.
Laura Finlay is an Experienced Talent Acquisition Leader and Project Manager with over 14 years of experience. Laura specialises in graduate recruitment, executive-level appointments, finance and technology. She has a Master of Arts (Hons) in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh and in her spare time, loves camping, hiking and all things outdoors with her dog Oscar.
Michelle Burns is a network engineer working at Telstra. She recently completed her Masters in Network Systems at Swinburne University, and holds a Bachelors degree and a Diploma in Electronics and Telecommunications from her home country of India. Michelle is a proud representative of her career in STEM and is continuing to grow and learn more in this industry.
Shreya Khosla began her career after completing her Master in Business Information Systems. She joined Telstra as a 2021 Graduate Data Specialist and works in the Digitisation team, helping with the planning and discovery of the company’s future initiatives. As much she enjoys data analysis, her day-to-day tasks include working on capability analysis and product management. Apart from work, she partakes in various activities, loves exploring new places and enjoys amazing food from Melbourne eateries.
Pooja Chandrashekhar is a Graduate Network Engineer at Telstra currently working in the Wireless Hardware team. She works in the engineering lab testing devices, doing patching work and getting practical experience in hardware. She loves binge watching Netflix, cooking different cuisines, going for hikes and spending time with family and friends.