Mina Asadi, a Master of Information Technology graduate from the University of South Australia, is the first recipient of the Edith Dornwell Internship for Women in STEM, aimed at placing women graduates into STEM careers. The internship, which lasts three months, will take place at Santos and is designed to support women's transition from education to employment in STEM fields. The initiative highlights the importance of diversity in the workplace and aims to increase female participation in technical roles.

1. Minister Gail Gago
Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills
Minister for the Status of Women
www.premier.sa.gov.au Twitter: @sa_press_sec
Media contact: Tanalee Smith – 0408 377 584
News Release
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
UniSA graduate is inaugural recipient of internship for women in STEM
A Master of Information Technology graduate has been named the inaugural recipient of the
Edith Dornwell Internship for Women in STEM, which places female graduates into jobs in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
Status of Women Minister Gail Gago praised Mina Asadi for her educational achievements and
career aspirations.
Ms Asadi recently graduated with a Master of Information Technology from the University of
South Australia, adding to her Bachelor of Computer Science.
“Ms Asadi is an ideal candidate for the Edith Dornwell internship, as she has excelled in her
studies and has aspirations to become a data scientist.
“She obviously has ambition and intelligence and I look forward to following her career.
“The transition from study to employment is one of the key points where women sometimes
drop out of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, so this internship aims to
support and retain women in STEM careers,” Ms Gago said.
The internship – named for the first woman in Australia to graduate with a science degree –
will provide three women graduates with three-month paid placements to kick-start their
careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
Starting this month, Ms Asadi will work a three-month full-time internship at Santos.
“I am extremely honoured and grateful to receive the Edith Dornwell Scholarship.
“It gives me the opportunity to start my career path and inspires me to dream more, learn more
and do more to reach my goals,” Ms Asadi said.
Santos Chief Human Resources Officer Petrina Coventry said the company was proud to be
hosting the first scholarship recipient of the Edith Dornwell Internship for Women in STEM.
“We fundamentally believe that greater diversity in the workplace leads to increased
organisational performance and an improved culture,” she said.
“We remain focused on increasing female participation in technical roles across the business,
and advocating for greater opportunities for women in the oil and gas industry more broadly.”

2. www.premier.sa.gov.au Twitter: @sa_press_sec
Congratulating Ms Asadi, University of South Australia Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd
described the internship opportunity as priceless.
“We work hard to deliver graduates who not only have the technical expertise and knowledge
to start their careers, but also some experiential learning in their degree program, because
understanding how knowledge is applied is so important in education,” he said.
“This opportunity with Santos, an organisation which shares our commitment to supporting
women in STEM, will allow Ms Asadi to test her skills and transform her theoretical knowledge
to actual practice.”
The 2016 Internship will be offered to a graduating student from the University of Adelaide,
with applications opening in December 2015.
Edith Emily Dornwell was the first woman in Australia to graduate with a science degree, the
first woman to graduate from the University of Adelaide and the first person to graduate from
the University of Adelaide in 1885 with first class Honours in physics and physiology.
The internship initiative has been developed by the Office for Women within the Department
for Communities and Social Inclusion, with funding from the Department of State
Development’s Office of Science, Technology and Research.
For more information visit www.officeforwomen.sa.gov.au