A QUT aeronautical engineering graduate is among the winners of the third Indigenous STEM Awards, announced this month at a ceremony in Areyonga in the Northern Territory.
A partnership between the BHP Foundation and CSIRO, the Indigenous STEM Awards recognise the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander STEM professionals and students as well as schools, teachers and mentors working in Indigenous STEM education.
Taylah Griffin, winner of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Student STEM Achievement Award, is a proud Gangalu woman who grew up in Gordonvale in Far North Queensland.
She recently graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Electrical and Aerospace Engineering (Honours) and works for Boeing Defence Australia as a graduate systems engineer.
“My love for both my culture, and for STEM, are my motivations,” Ms Griffin said.
“I’m the first Indigenous person to graduate with honours in electrical and aerospace engineering.
“The future job market will be led by STEM and currently, less than one per cent of Indigenous students are studying STEM at university.
“If we don’t put a spotlight on Indigenous excellence and promote STEM to young Indigenous Australians, then the gap will continue to grow.”
Other Indigenous STEM Awards winners included a remote school in the Northern Territory and a virtual reality designer (also featured in video above). The full list of winners can be found here.
The Indigenous STEM Award program is part of the Indigenous STEM Education Project, managed by CSIRO and funded by BHP Foundation. The project aims to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Media contact: media@qut.edu.au
