Women's representation in some STEM disciplines has remained stubbornly low for too long. In 2016, the University of Melbourne decided it was time for more radical approaches to address this chronic underrepresentation. Their targeted recruitment strategy not only attracted more high-calibre talent than traditional recruitment, but also contributed to broader cultural change.

In this episode, Professor Marilys Guillemin, Professor Elaine Wong and Associate Professor Georgina Such discuss the rationale behind this approach, strategies for preventing backlash, and complementary actions to support the newly hired women—and indeed all staff—to thrive at work.

The Think Difference podcast is procued by SAGE – Science in Australia Gender Equity.