Profile : Professor Sharon Davis

Having spent much of her career as the only woman in the room, Professor Sharon Davis is creating space and opportunities for other women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“It is really hard to be what you cannot see, so I hope my presence and achievements in the industry will encourage the next generation of leaders,” Sharon said.

Just as importantly, I can ensure more diverse perspectives and input are provided at the forums to which I contribute and use my voice to hold others to account when it comes to supporting gender equity.

The first female professor on the University of Melbourne’s Water, Environment and Agriculture team, Sharon works to build the team’s capacity and impact through more effective engagement with industry.

She is also the McPherson Family and Invergowrie Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships for Women program leader.

Established in 2018, the program supports outstanding Australian women in engineering by providing scholarships and opportunities for recipients to lead projects focused on the Mallee region through the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre.

“I am strongly personally committed to supporting gender diversity and equity in all forums,” Sharon said.

“I have spent my career working in the water area, which has traditionally been very male dominated. There has been change but it is very slow – that needs to change.

“There is much evidence to show it is not an inherently level playing field. We need to find ways to address that to support women at all stages of their career.

“The scholarship program provides a fantastic opportunity for our master, PhD and post-doctoral students to develop critical career skills and networks while learning about regional issues and making industry connections.”

Sharon said there is a fantastic network of women who are keen to support other women in STEM, but there is still a long way to go when it comes to equity and more women being promoted to senior levels in academia.

“I think it’s really important for us to challenge ourselves and ask questions about whether we’re doing all we can and should do to support gender equity. It can be hard, uncomfortable or confronting, but things won’t change unless we have those conversations,” she said.

“I strongly believe organisational culture is crucial to achieving change and we need everyone to be involved. We need our male colleges to be advocates, champions and role models of change.

“There are lots of people who are supportive but not quite sure how to take the steps to make change. As I start, I would encourage everyone to get curious about the issue of the difference in men’s and women’s experiences in the workplace and observe whose voices are heard, who is given space to speak, and how ideas are rewarded. I suspect some people will be surprised by the outcomes.”