International Women’s Day 2018 – Launch of the ‘Wavemaker Stories’
Every year, International Women’s Day provides us with a global opportunity to come together and acknowledge the achievements and aspirations of the women amongst us. It’s a day to reflect on past struggles, and a day to realise how far we have to go. This year, it was the perfect day to launch the Wavemakers project, an initiative developed over the course of the past year by the WISE Task Force.
Wavemaker Stories celebrates the significant achievements of twelve outstanding women in the subsea industry. Their stories are told through the mobile exhibition on show throughout various locations in Perth. There is also a Wavemaker Stories website and a career comic book being developed. The comic book tells the professional story of the twelve Wavemakers, taking the reader through real problems solved by real heroes.
The evening was guested by two keynote speakers, Dr Anne Aly, the Member for Cowan, and Morgan Harland from Woodside’s subsea division, both of whom are accomplished leaders in their respective fields. It was a fantastic chance to hear some words of wisdom from two passionate speakers on diversity, equality and fairness, two speakers who practised what they spoke of.
Dr Anne Aly graced us with an inspiring call to arms, sharing her childhood memories and the course of her experiences through the classically patriarchal industries of academia and politics. With reference to the below average representation of women in STEM industries, Dr Anne Aly reminded us of the potential that all young women have, and gave her heartfelt encouragement for the supporting and nurturing of all aspiring women around the world.
Morgan Harland, General Manager of Subsea and Pipeline at Woodside shared with us his professional experiences, and described the companies demonstrated commitment to equality and diversity. Morgan tempered these achievements with some honest reflections on the barriers that women still face in and across the STEM industries, as well as the work that’s still to be done. It was a sincere appraisal of both what has been achieved in the name of diversity, and the opportunities that remain.
Complimenting the company and guest speakers was the talented musician Grace Armstrong who charmed us throughout the night with her guitar and beautiful voice. The evening was a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues over a glass of wine and celebrate all the achievements of women internationally, and especially the Wavemakers amongst us.
Congratulations, Wavemakers!
Guest author, Patrick Callaghan, interned for the Westerly Magazine @WesterlyMag, and studies Strategic Communications at the University of Western Australia.
