University of Tasmania, Australia

The “Interests and Recruitment in Science (IRIS)” Project has recently released its "Starting Out in STEM" report which was prepared for Australia’s Chief Scientist. This is a study focusing on young men and women in first year STEM courses at Australian Universities.

Some of the key recommendations for action at the school level include:

1. “Develop and/or support effective outreach programs educating Year 9 -12 girls about the opportunities available in STEM fields with traditionally low female representation.”
2. “Establish a comprehensive online resource for Careers Advisors, parents and students providing useful, reliable, and current advice on STEM courses and careers.”
3. “Developers of the Australian Curriculum, subsequent state/territory syllabuses and associated teaching resources in science, mathematics and IT should ensure these documents reflect the pre-eminence of personal interest and practical application among the many influences on students’ decisions to choose university STEM courses.” 
4. “Teachers should appreciate that they often have a greater impact than they imagine on students’ decisions about choosing STEM courses and careers.”
5. “Increase the number of opportunities for Work Experience placements for prospective STEM students.”