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Francesca Maclean named one of Australia’s 30 female Superstars of STEM

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Australasia Press Office
10 July 2017

Congratulations to Francesca Maclean, named one of Australia’s 30 female Superstars of STEM by Science and Technology Australia.

Francesca, based in the Canberra office, was the only person from an engineering and advisory firm. Having joined Arup earlier this year she is currently working in the Advisory team across of a range of projects including with the Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development and the water sector.

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Francesca’s passion for STEM, mentoring and encouraging greater diversity in our industry is an attribute we admire and encourage. Her contribution to the ANU, and Canberra more broadly, have been profound and we look forward to her bringing this enthusiasm to Arup. We are excited to have her on board and that she has chosen Arup as the place to further her career. ”

Francesca Maclean Francesca Maclean

Francesca recently finished her PhD in Engineering at the Australian National University (ANU)

Francesca is a passionate advocate for gender equity in STEM, and in 2015 co-founded Fifty50, a student-run gender equity movement. Francesca led a team of 30 undergraduate students to promote gender equity through a strengths-based approach, and is now a Strategic Director.

She has spoken about her engineering research and gender equity in STEM at Science in ACTion for National Science Week, Women in ICT, and Pint of Science Canberra, ANU STEM Teaching and Learning Colloquium, and in the Inspiring Speaker series at the Defence Science and Technology Group. Francesca is an active mentor in her community including through formal programs such as the Fifty50 First Year Mentoring Program, Peer Support Program, and MSI's Curious Minds Program.

In 2017 Francesca was awarded ACT Young Woman of the Year for her contributions to improving the lives of women and girls in the ACT, and recently received a YWCA Great Ydeas grant to bring industry, academia, and government together to increase the pace of change for gender equity in STEM.