Women in STEMM gallery

Our 2021 Women in STEMM gallery showcases 9 inspirational RMIT researchers achieving amazing things inside and outside the workplace.

We’re also proud to have some of Australia’s Superstars of STEM as leaders at RMIT. RMIT includes medicine as part of STEMM.  

Our Superstars of STEM aim to smash society’s gender assumptions about scientists and increase the public visibility of women in STEM. These female scientists and technologists are role models for young women and girls as well as working towards equal representation in the media of women and men working in all fields in STEM. 

Dr. Wenyue Zou 

Table Tennis lover and Research fellow, passionate about UV detection and protection, currently investigating sunscreen testing methods. 

Find out more about Wenyue  

Dr Zou is recognised as a Superstar of STEM 2021-2022.  

Dr. Gail Iles 

Fearless Aerobatic Pilot, Senior Lecturer and Space Physics Research Group Leader developing radiation shielding technology and scientific payloads for microgravity experimentation.   

Find out more about Gail  

Professor Flora Salim

Specialty coffee nerd, coffee bean collector and Researcher of human behaviour analytics, machine-learning with multimodal time-series, ubiquitous computing, urban computing and mobility. 

Find out more about Flora 

Associate Professor Leah Heiss 

Inspired by minerals and rocks, renowned Designer and Chair of Design for Eva and Marc Besen International Research* developing wearable technologies, services and experiences to improve or save life  

Find out more about Leah  

*Associate Professor Heiss has recently taken up a prestigious role with Monash University as the Eva and Marc Besen International Research Chair in Design. Heiss will stay on with RMIT as Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Design.  

Professor Ange Carbone 

Vegetable grower, gut health enthusiast and executive leader, leading the educational portfolio for STEM College and research in general field of STEM Education.  

Find out more about Ange  

Professor Catherine Itsiopoulus

Author, leading Mediterranean diet expert and executive leader in the health and biomedical disciplines, focused on growing health programs and embedding digital literacy in graduates.  

Find out more about Catherine 

Melissa Tinetti

Classic car enthusiast, basketballer and cluster leader of all things Building, Trades, Surveying, Design and Sustainability. 

Find out more about Melissa 

Dr Sophia Duan 

Ukelele player, yogi, leader and researcher in the area of human decisions and interactions with digital technologies. 

Find out more about Sophia  

Professor Karin Verspoor 

Language lover, executive leader and researcher focused on the use of artificial intelligence methods to enable biological discovery and clinical decision support. 

Find out more about Karin  

The 2020 Women in STEMM Gallery

Dr Tien Huynh

Lover of exotic flowers, botanist, passionate about environmental sustainability and medicinal plants. Dr Huhyn is recognised as a Superstar of STEM 2019-2020.

Professor Asha Rao

Sewing enthusiast and Associate Dean of Mathematics, School of Science, researching many aspects of cyber mathematics. Professor Rao is recognised as a Superstar of STEM 2019-2020.

Distinguished Professor Elena Ivanova

Nature lover and biochemist/biophysicist, researching nano biotechnology to combat the emerging global epidemic of “super-bugs”

Professor Sujeeva Setunge

Mother, passionate reader, traveller and Deputy Dean, Research and innovation in Engineering.  Civil engineer, focused on sustainable materials, predictive modelling and optimised management of infrastructure

Professor Olga Troynikov

Fitness enthusiast and human-centred engineer, focused on functional material systems and their interaction with the human body

Associate Professor Suelynn Choy

Wine and food lover, Discipline Leader Geospatial Science and Director Satellite Positioning of the Atmosphere, Climate and Environment (SPACE) Centre Research Centre. Expert in satellite navigation, high accuracy precise positioning, atmospheric remote sensing, and geodesy

Professor Kay Latham

Hillwalker, lover of the great outdoors and Deputy Dean Learning and Teaching, School of Science, passionate about crystal engineering

Professor Allison Kealy

Designer of creative solutions for driverless cars and drones and engineer, focused on satellite positioning, sensor fusion and geodesy

Associate Professor Kate Fox

AFL football player and Associate Dean, Higher Degree by Research in Engineering. Biomedical engineer, focused on implantable medical materials. Associate Professor Fox is recognised as a Superstar of STEM 2019-2020.

Dr Samantha Grover 

Writer, storyteller and soil scientist, focused on micrometeorology and climate change research. Dr Grover is recognised as a Superstar of STEM 2019-2020.

Professor Madhu Bhaskaran

World traveller and electronic engineer researching next generation sensors and micro-devices for smarter and healthier living

Associate Professor Charlotte Conn

Runner, nature lover and biophysical chemist, working on the delivery of protein and peptide-based drugs as part of the global fight against antibiotic resistance

Dr Gita Pendharkar

Badminton player and electrical, electronic and biomedical engineer

Distinguished Professor Irene Yarovsky

Pianist and leader of RMIT’s material modelling and simulation research group, studying the interface between biological systems and nanomaterials for biomedical applications 

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.