Toowong local Fatimah Almathami has been named a finalist for the 2021 Women in Technology (WiT) Awards for her outstanding work in technology, gender studies, and gender equity in STEM.
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Almathami, a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at the University of Queensland, is vying for the WiT’s Emerging Achiever Technology Award following her selection from an impressive field of nearly 300 nominations across 14 categories.
Unearthing barriers to diversity and inclusion is at the core of Almathami’s research, with a particular focus on the barriers experienced by women in information technology (IT) and information systems (IS).
Her enrollment as a Doctoral candidate at the UQ is the next step in her mission to drive change by exploring ways to overcome barriers and enhance the participation of women in these critical industries. She said the nomination for a Women in Technology 2021 Award has opened the door for her to deeply explore her own academic ambitions and equally to examine how she can raise awareness for the rightful place of women in the field of technology.
“My work in community outreach service reinforces for me the importance of practical, manageable, immediate solutions to the barriers faced by women in the IT sector while working towards the bigger picture of gender equity and challenging traditional attitudes,” said Almathami.
About the WiT Awards
Women in Technology is one of Australia’s biggest communities supporting women in STEM and the champions of change who empower their success. The not-for-profit organisation aims to empower women from all branches of science and technology to achieve their dreams.
The WiT Awards highlight the outstanding talent of Queensland women in STEM and the important contribution they make to research, policy, economic and social development across a range of categories.
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This year’s theme is ‘What we Celebrate, Grows.’ Women in Technology President, Bec Langdon said the 2021 Awards theme fosters and celebrates women who are involved in extraordinary STEM work while encouraging generations to come.
Winners will be announced at the 2021 WiT Awards presentation and gala dinner on 21 October 2021. To see the full list of finalists, visit https://wit.org.au/.