Our Impact

See how the Women’s Research Engineers Network has grown international collaboration between women research engineers and strengthened support for women in academia. This timeline highlights the milestones and initiatives that have shaped our progress and influence.

2020

December 2020

Australia–Brazil Engineering Women Researchers Network (WREN) Launched Through COALAR Partnership
The Women Researchers Engineers’ Network (WREN) was officially launched through a collaboration between The University of Wollongong (Australia) and the University of São Paulo (Brazil), supported by a COALAR grant. The initiative was established to strengthen research and teaching collaboration between women engineers and researchers across Australia and Brazil, facilitate knowledge exchange, and support post-COVID-19 economic recovery through innovation and international partnerships. The project delivered a series of online meetings, networking opportunities, and collaborative events, fostering long-term connections between researchers in both countries and laying the foundation for the ongoing growth of WREN. The project commenced on 26 April 2021 and concluded on 30 September 2021.

2022

May 2022

Website Launch & Virtual Networking Café
WREN hosted its first Virtual Networking Café, providing an informal online space for women researchers in engineering to connect, exchange ideas, and build international relationships. The event celebrated the launch of the WREN website, with a guided demonstration on how members could make the most of its features and resources. Participants were encouraged to bring their own coffee or tea, introduce themselves, and raise topics for discussion in a relaxed networking environment. The event marked the beginning of WREN’s ongoing virtual networking activities, strengthening the global community and fostering collaboration across institutions and countries. It established an inclusive platform for knowledge sharing, professional networking, and future research partnerships.

June 2022

International Women in Engineering Day 2022
WREN joined the University of Wollongong, iAccelerate, and Sicona to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day 2022. The event highlighted the achievements of women in engineering through inspiring talks, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. It promoted greater visibility of women in STEM, encouraged future generations of engineers, and strengthened connections between academia, industry, and the wider community.

August 2022

Received the UOW Vice-Chancellor’s EDI-Transformation Fund

October 2022

Academic Writing Workshop: Twelve Weeks to Publication
WREN hosted an online academic writing workshop led by Dr Hugh Kearns to help researchers turn works-in-progress into publishable journal articles. Participants developed a personalised 12-week writing plan, learned effective writing strategies, and identified practical steps to complete their manuscripts. The workshop supported researchers at all career stages and reinforced WREN’s commitment to building research capability and publication success.

November 2022

Forum: Hierarchical Segregation in Teaching and Research
WREN hosted an online forum exploring gender inequality in STEM through the concept of hierarchical segregation. Researchers and invited panellists presented evidence on gender disparities in academic careers, research productivity, and supervision, followed by discussions on strategies to reduce these gaps. The event encouraged researchers across STEM disciplines to share experiences and promote more equitable academic environments.

2023

March 2023

The First WREN Symposium: Collaborating for the Future, Working Towards the UN SDGs
WREN hosted an online forum exploring gender inequality in STEM through the concept of hierarchical segregation. Researchers and invited panellists presented evidence on gender disparities in academic careers, research productivity, and supervision, followed by discussions on strategies to reduce these gaps. The event encouraged researchers across STEM disciplines to share experiences and promote more equitable academic environments.

July 2023

Workshop: Promoting Yourself and Your Research
WREN hosted an interactive workshop led by Dr Hugh Kearns to help researchers communicate their work with confidence and build their professional profile. Participants learned practical strategies for networking, developing an effective research pitch, engaging with the media, and promoting their research to a wider audience. The workshop strengthened researchers’ communication skills and supported greater visibility and impact throughout their careers.

September 2023

Workshop: Twelve Weeks to Publication
WREN hosted a two-hour online workshop led by Dr Hugh Kearns to help researchers turn unfinished manuscripts into publishable papers. Participants created a personalised 12-week writing plan, learned practical writing strategies, and received guidance to overcome common barriers to publication. The interactive workshop also provided networking opportunities and supported researchers at all career stages in achieving their publication goals.

November 2023

Building Bridges: Fostering Healthier Relationships Between Supervisors and Postgraduate Candidates
WREN hosted an online event focused on building healthier and more supportive relationships between research supervisors and postgraduate candidates. The program featured a keynote presentation, expert panel discussion, and lived experiences from researchers in Australia and Brazil, highlighting strategies to improve communication, wellbeing, and productivity in postgraduate research.

2024

January 2024

Embedding Sustainable Development Goals in Curriculum
WREN hosted an online workshop exploring practical approaches to embedding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into higher education curricula. The event showcased strategies, case studies, and teaching practices that help educators integrate sustainability into learning and prepare students to address global challenges. It encouraged collaboration among academics to strengthen sustainability education across disciplines.

March 2024

Second WREN Symposium 2024: Collaborating Towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Building on the success of its inaugural symposium, WREN brought together researchers from around the world for its second international symposium focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The free online event featured keynote speakers, research presentations, networking opportunities, and indexed extended abstracts, creating a platform for sharing ideas and fostering international collaboration. Participants from diverse disciplines explored how research can contribute to a more sustainable future.

April 2024

Navigating the Glass Obstacle Course: Making Progress for Women in STEM
This in-person WREN event explored the barriers women continue to face throughout their STEM careers and the practical actions needed to accelerate gender equity. Equal employment opportunity consultant Kate Ramsay shared her expertise, followed by a networking session that connected students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. The event encouraged meaningful conversations and inspired participants to help create more inclusive workplaces and leadership pathways for women in STEM.

May 2024

Staying Well in Your Research Career
Recognising the pressures of academic life, WREN delivered an interactive workshop with Dr Hugh Kearns focused on researcher wellbeing. Participants explored practical strategies for managing workload, building resilience, maintaining motivation, and achieving a healthier balance between productivity and personal wellbeing. The session provided evidence-based tools to help researchers sustain successful and fulfilling research careers.

May 2024

Developing a Research Track Record
Designed for researchers looking to strengthen their academic profile, this WREN workshop explored practical ways to build a strong research track record, even with limited funding. Led by Dr Hugh Kearns, the session shared strategies for increasing research outputs through collaboration, student engagement, small funding opportunities, and effective publishing. Participants gained practical ideas to support career progression, funding success, and long-term research impact.

June 2024

WREN’s Researchers Tinder – BR Edition
To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, WREN introduced an innovative online networking event designed to connect women researchers with potential research collaborators. Through structured “research speed dating” sessions, participants explored shared interests, identified collaboration opportunities, and began forming partnerships for future publications, grant applications, and joint projects. A follow-up forum on writing and submitting research proposals further equipped participants with practical skills to turn these new connections into successful research collaborations.

July 2024

AI in Research: Shaping the Future
To mark Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day, WREN convened an international panel of AI researchers from Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia to discuss the growing role of AI in research. The session examined emerging innovations, real-world applications across disciplines, and the opportunities and challenges AI presents for future research. Participants also engaged directly with the panellists through an interactive Q&A and networking session, encouraging cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange.

October 2024

Coffee and Connections
Moving away from a traditional seminar format, WREN introduced Coffee Connections as a relaxed online networking session where researchers could meet, exchange ideas, and expand their professional networks. The informal gathering encouraged participants to share their research interests, discuss potential collaborations, and build meaningful connections across institutions and countries. The event reinforced WREN’s commitment to fostering a supportive and globally connected research community.

December 2024

Received TMIA – AAS fund
The Australian Academy of Science congratulates the grant recipients of the Theo Murphy Initiative (Australia) (TMIA) grant funding for the 2024–25 round.

2025

April 2025

Creating Your Roadmap to Career Success
Career development took centre stage in this WREN workshop led by Dr Shelda Debowski, offering researchers practical guidance on planning and managing their long-term careers. Participants explored strategies for identifying career goals, recognising opportunities, building professional networks, and making informed career decisions. The session empowered researchers to take a proactive approach to career planning and achieve sustainable professional growth.

May 2025

Third WREN Symposium 2025: Collaborating Towards the Sustainable Development Goals
WREN’s third international symposium welcomed researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world for two days of online presentations and discussion centred on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The free multidisciplinary event featured keynote speakers, research presentations, networking opportunities, and a published Book of Abstracts, providing a platform for knowledge exchange and international collaboration. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the symposium strengthened global partnerships and showcased research driving sustainable and inclusive innovation

June 2025

2025 International Women in Engineering Day (INWED): Together We Engineer – Building Better Careers and Workplaces
Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day, WREN hosted an engaging panel discussion that brought together leaders from academia and industry to share their career journeys and perspectives on creating more inclusive engineering workplaces. Conversations explored mentorship, career development, diversity, and overcoming challenges faced by women in engineering. The event concluded with a networking session, giving participants the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen professional relationships across the engineering community.

September 2025

Staying Well in Your Research Career with Hugh Kearns
Recognising that a successful research career depends on both productivity and wellbeing, WREN welcomed internationally renowned researcher developer Hugh Kearns for an interactive online workshop. Participants explored practical strategies for managing stress, maintaining mental wellbeing, balancing productivity with self-care, and building long-term resilience in academia. The session provided evidence-based tools to help researchers thrive while navigating the challenges of publishing, funding, and career progression.

October 2025

WREN’s Researchers Tinder – International Edition 2025: Connecting Women in Research
Building on the success of previous networking events, WREN brought together women researchers from around the world to spark new research collaborations through a structured online “research speed networking” format. Participants shared their research interests, discovered complementary expertise, and explored opportunities for joint publications, grant applications, and future projects. The event created a welcoming environment for meaningful international connections and strengthened WREN’s global research community.

November 2025

Academic Writing Workshop with Dr Hugh Kearns
WREN hosted an interactive academic writing workshop led by internationally recognised researcher developer Dr Hugh Kearns, based on his renowned 12 Weeks to Publication program. The session introduced practical techniques to overcome procrastination, establish effective writing habits, and develop a structured plan for completing manuscripts. Participants left with actionable strategies to transform unfinished drafts into publication-ready papers and build confidence in their academic writing journey.

2026

April 2026

Staying Well in Your Research Career with Hugh Kearns
Returning by popular demand, WREN once again partnered with internationally recognised researcher developer Dr Hugh Kearns to deliver an engaging workshop on maintaining wellbeing throughout a research career. Participants explored practical approaches to managing stress, balancing productivity with self-care, building resilience, and sustaining motivation in academia. The interactive session equipped researchers with evidence-based strategies to support both their personal wellbeing and long-term research success.

May 2026

4th WREN Symposium 2026: Collaborating Towards the Sustainable Development Goals
The fourth WREN Symposium brought together researchers, educators, industry professionals, and community leaders from across the globe for a free, fully online international conference focused on advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants shared research, exchanged ideas across disciplines, and explored innovative solutions to global challenges through presentations, keynote sessions, and networking opportunities. Eligible extended abstracts were published in the official WREN Book of Abstracts, reinforcing the symposium’s commitment to research excellence and international collaboration.

May 2026

Academic Writing Workshop with Dr Hugh Kearns
WREN partnered with the University of Sydney to deliver another practical academic writing workshop led by internationally recognised researcher developer Dr Hugh Kearns. Based on his acclaimed 12 Weeks to Publication program, the workshop helped participants overcome procrastination, establish consistent writing habits, and develop realistic plans to complete and submit manuscripts. Researchers left with practical tools to transform unfinished drafts into publication-ready papers and boost their writing productivity.