Executive director of SAGE appointed

Dr Wafa El-Adhami has been appointed the executive of Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE). Launched in September as an initiative of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), SAGE aims to address gender equity in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) sectors.

With a research background in molecular biology and microbiology, Dr El-Adhami has held a number of senior management positions in the Australian Government, including the Department of Health and Ageing, the Office of Chemical Safety and the Occupational Health and Safety Commission. More recently, she has worked internationally as a consultant specialising in health policy, regulation and clinical solutions.

“Dr El-Adhami’s project management skills and proven track record of delivering outcomes within a complex environment of government, community and industry stakeholders makes her an ideal appointment as the executive director of SAGE,” said Academy of Science President Professor Andrew Holmes.

SAGE serves as the first Australian trial of the UK Athena SWAN gender equity accreditation program, whose membership currently includes nearly every STEMM education and research institution in the UK. According to ATSE President Professor Peter Gray, Dr El-Adhami “brings a wealth of highly relevant expertise to the implementation of the SAGE Pilot of Athena SWAN in Australia, including well-developed skills in policy and regulatory reform, data and performance management, stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills, and governance”.

Dr El-Adhami spoke about her passion for science and said she was “delighted to have this opportunity to implement a program that can ensure that a higher proportion of women are retained and, importantly, advance to a higher level, in the Australian research sector”.

Pictured: SAGE Executive Director Dr Wafa El-Adhami.