HDRs and early career staff with a passion for communication, outreach and leadership are invited to apply for the 2026 UNSW STEMM Champions Program.
Since 2018, the UNSW STEMM Champions Program has played a pivotal role in shaping the careers and leadership capabilities of UNSW researchers and professional staff. In 2026, the program enters an exciting new chapter, expanding its reach, sharpening its focus, and welcoming a broader community of participants from across the faculties of Science, Engineering, Medicine & Health and Business at UNSW.
A new era for STEMM Champions
This year’s program introduces several important changes designed to strengthen its impact and better reflect the evolving STEMM landscape.
A key shift is a renewed emphasis on STEMM communication and inclusive outreach. Participants will be supported to craft compelling narratives, translate complex STEMM concepts into accessible ideas and engage meaningfully with diverse audiences. This new scope builds on robust data from previous cohorts that consistently identified the development of participants’ communication skills and engagement with outreach activities as the program’s greatest strengths.
For many alumni of the program, the impact extends far beyond skill-building.
As one 2025 STEMM Champion participant said, “I highly recommend this program to anyone pursuing science. It not only helps improve scientific skills but also teaches how to make a positive impact on other’s lives through networking, volunteering, and inspiring young girls to pursue science by breaking stigmas and providing guidance and encouragement. For international PhD students like me, coming from different cultures, languages and societies, the program has been especially valuable in rebuilding confidence and using these differences as strengths.”
For the first time, the program is also open to all HDR candidates and early career academic and professional staff across participating faculties. While the program has previously focused on women and gender-diverse participants, this expanded eligibility aims to cultivate a cohort that reflects the full diversity of future STEMM leaders.
The program’s continued growth is also marked by the inclusion of the UNSW Business School. This expansion recognises the critical role of STEM skills in business contexts and opens new interdisciplinary pathways for participants.
What can participants expect?
This five-month program will develop participants’ communication, outreach and networking skills to support emerging STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) leaders and advocates. Across three workshops, participants will learn to tailor communication for diverse audiences, design and evaluate inclusive outreach activities and apply best-practice engagement principles. The program also fosters collaboration and networking with like-minded Champions across four faculties through a welcome event, coffee catch-ups and related activities.
Successful participants will receive:
- comprehensive training in inclusive STEMM communication and outreach skills
- extensive networking opportunities within a supportive and collaborative cohort
- support in sourcing outreach opportunities
- professional headshots to use across platforms like LinkedIn.
Who should apply?
The program is open to:
- HDRs: individuals enrolled in a PhD or Masters by Research at UNSW Science, UNSW Engineering, UNSW Medicine & Health or UNSW Business School.
- Early Career Academic or Professional Staff: staff who are 0–7 years post-PhD or undergraduate degree and have a strong interest in facilitating STEMM communication and outreach. Applicants must currently hold an academic or professional position in UNSW Science, UNSW Engineering, UNSW Medicine & Health or UNSW Business School.
Applicants must be currently studying or working at UNSW (full-time or part-time). Casual staff are not eligible. All applicants should demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional growth, and a genuine interest in contributing as a UNSW STEMM Champion.
Applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, from a culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) background and LGBTQIA+ people are strongly encouraged to apply.
Key dates
- late April 2026 – applications open
- 31 May 2026 – applications close
- mid-June 2026 – offers released
- 28 July 2026 – program commences.
For more information, please contact STEMMChampions@unsw.edu.au or visit the UNSW STEMM Champions Program website.
Interested? Apply now.
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