Australia’s future scientific breakthroughs depend on attracting talented people into STEM from every community. That means ensuring a young person’s opportunity to explore STEM is not determined by where they live, but by their curiosity, ambition and potential.

Yet for many young women in regional and rural communities, opportunities to engage directly with researchers and experience science firsthand can be harder to access.

The Rural Women in STEM Mentoring Program is one example of how schools, universities and research organisations are working together to address that challenge.

Developed by Dr Louise Puslednik, Science Education Researcher at the University of Southern Queensland, the program connects regional secondary school women with researchers over an extended period, giving them the opportunity to explore scientific questions, work with real data and experience the research process firsthand.

The impact of this approach is already becoming clear. In just two years, the program has engaged 50 young women, with 94% reporting growth in scientific inquiry skills and more than 80% expressing interest in pursuing STEM careers.

For QUBIC, whose research sits at the intersection of quantum science, biology and engineering, supporting the next generation of STEM talent is about ensuring that talented young women can see a place for themselves in science.

The young women participating in this program may one day become the researchers, innovators and problem-solvers tackling some of Australia’s biggest challenges. That’s why, for the second year running, QUBIC has been proud to mentor students and connect them with researchers from across the broader research community, helping them discover where their curiosity and talents could take them.

From learning about science to doing science 

Six months ago, Year 10 students from The Glennie School met with researchers from QUBIC, Plant Success and AMTAR to discuss what life in science really looks like, from the excitement and challenges of research to the many different paths into a STEM career.

Over the months that followed, those conversations evolved into active participation.

Working alongside researchers, students developed research questions, analysed data and prepared presentations on topics spanning ecology, genetics, medical imaging, mental health and mass photometry.

That shift is what makes Rural Women in STEM such a valuable program.

Their projects explored questions ranging from the recovery of the Lord Howe Island woodhen population and biological markers associated with depression, to gene expression and the use of mass photometry to study individual molecules.

The presentations highlighted not only the breadth of the students’ research topics, but the depth of their engagement with them.

Each team tackled a challenging scientific question, worked with real research data and communicated their findings with confidence and clarity. Students demonstrated a strong understanding of their data, thoughtfully discussed the limitations of their analyses and responded confidently to questions from the audience.

Six months earlier, the students were meeting researchers for the first time. In October, they stood in front of university academics and presented research of their own.

Ongoing impact 

The program’s impact has also been recognised beyond the classroom. In September, Dr Louise Puslednik was highly commended in the Raising the Regions category at the 2026 Women in Technology Awards for the Rural Women in STEM Mentoring Program.

QUBIC is proud to support the program and grateful to Louise for creating opportunities that connect young women with researchers and real-world scientific challenges.

For QUBIC, that’s an investment in the future of Australian science.