"WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN THE PROBLEM AND BE BRAVE IN SOLVING IT TO SEE
REAL CHANGE."
DR FRANCESCA MACLEAN
ABOUT
THE FORTEM PROJECT
There’s a lot of talk about gender equity in STEM. The Fortem Project is here to help you take action.
Gender inequity in STEM is a complex problem and is often poorly understood – or at least, not understood in a way that doesn’t perpetuate problematic stereotypes or perceptions.
The Fortem Project will unravel this complexity to equip you with the knowledge to drive change in your teams, organisations, and even families. We will unpack gender equity basics and issues relevant to different ages and career stages, explore those insidious ‘little’ issues, and empower you to be an effective ally.
Created by gender equity champion Dr Francesca Maclean, The Fortem Project is the destination to help you better understand gender equity in STEM through lived experiences, best-practice research, and a critical yet thoughtful lens, always focussed on driving change.
We will publish new content on a regular basis, and constantly curate The Toolkit with recommended books, podcasts, articles and online campaigns to help you make STEM inclusive for all genders.
DEFINING THE BRAND
THE NAME
Fortem is Latin for brave, and if the movement of gender equity in STEM is missing anything, it is bravery.
We know it can be hard to say something and stand up for what’s right if you don’t have the confidence that you know what you’re talking about.
Our vision is to equip you with the knowledge to do just that: be brave, step up, say something, do something.
The standard we walk past is the standard we accept. Let’s be brave and make that standard inclusive, always.
THE LOGO
There are so many parts to gender equity in STEM. These parts vary in their size, impact, and what they look like in different situations and form different perspectives.
At The Fortem Project, we are piecing these parts together, which is represented by our polygon mesh background.
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ABOUT DR MACLEAN
ABOUT
Francesca is an Advisory Services Consultant at Arup, a multi-disciplinary engineering firm, owner of FM Talks, as well as Co-Founder and Strategic Director of ANU student organisation, Fifty50.
She's a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM, driven by her experiences in engineering and a love of understanding, communicating, and solving complex problems.
EDUCATION
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (ANU)
Doctor of Philosophy | Tissue engineering for brain repair
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) | Materials Engineering
Bachelor of Science | Chemistry
WORK
ARUP | SENIOR CONSULTANT
Francesca manages strategic Cities projects, and is passionate about designing inclusive and accessible cities for all. She is also the Australasian Diversity & Inclusion Executive Disability Leader, building Arup's capacity as a disability-confident organisation. Francesca was also a member of the Australian Academy of Science's Expert Working Group for the Women in STEM Decadal Plan.
SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY | ENGINEER IN RESIDENCE
In 2018 Francesca led the design of diversity and inclusion within the Engineering Practice Academy's first year teaching the Bachelor of Engineering Practice (Honours). This included the development of specialist diversity and inclusion course material for students as well as staff development.
FIFTY50 | CO-FOUNDER AND STRATEGIC DIRECTOR
In 2015 Francesca co-founded Fifty50 to promote gender equity in STEM at the ANU. Named Engineers Australia's Best Student Group in Gender Diversity, She works with current Executive Directors, determining strategy work towards an equitable STEM pipeline from university to industry or academia, inclusive of all genders.
AWARDS
2018
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Joan Kirner Young and Emerging Women Leaders Program
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ANU Postgraduate Student of the Year
2017
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Science&Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM
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ACT Young Woman of the Year
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ANU Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Tutoring
SPEAKING
In 2017 Francesca founded FM Talks where she publicly unravels the complex system of equity in STEM that affects all genders. Key speaking engagements include:
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Australian Embassy in Jakarta
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Male Champions of Change STEM National Press Club
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Digital Transformation Agency
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Defence Science and Technology Group
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Murdoch University
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YWCA Canberra
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Ruyton Girls' School
Francesca has been profiled by the Australian Financial Review BOSS Magazine for her work in promoting gender equity in STEM, and has multiple appearances on ABC News Breakfast and Radio.
Learn more at www.fmtalks.com.
