AWIS 2026
03 September 2026 - 04 September 2026
Region(s): Nationwide, Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, Otago
Type(s): conferences
Women are still under-represented in many areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), particularly at leadership levels. AWIS is dedicated to bettering the position of all women working in the sciences, to create a New Zealand where women are fairly represented throughout the science system.
Through AWIS 2026, women in the sciences will have the opportunity to learn skills to support their professional careers, gain more understanding about issues facing women in STEM and how these may be addressed, and meet new people to extend their professional network.
The 12th triennial AWIS conference will be taking place at venues across New Zealand, celebrating the 40th anniversary since AWIS was formed.
This will be a hybrid conference. Venues across New Zealand will host the conference, with a mixture of online and in-person sessions.
Venues
Auckland (University of Auckland)
Waikato (Bioeconomy Science Institute)
Wellington (Victoria University of Wellington)
Nelson (Bioeconomy Science Institute)
Christchurch (Lincoln University)
Dunedin (University of Otago)
For more information: www.awis.org.nz/awis2026.
Related content
Our series In Her Nature: New Zealand women changing the way we connect with the world around us explores New Zealand women working at the intersection of people and nature.
The article Working as a scientist provides a brief overview of some of the many scientists featured on the Hub. Use it to discover some of the reasons people choose a science-related career and some of the things you can do if you are curious to begin a career in science.
See our recorded PLD webinar Explore Women in STEM – Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics.
Activity ideas
The activity Scientist introduction encourages students to take a closer look at a scientist’s background and work. Ask students to choose a scientist of interest to them from this article. Students can find out more about the scientists and their work by typing their names in the Hub’s search function. Use the questions in the activity as a beginning framework to ‘introduce’ the scientists to the class.
Do some blue-sky thinking about how and where tamariki and rangatahi might see themselves in the space industry. Can I work in the space industry? uses videos, statements and personal dispositions to explore their space in this growing industry.
Like graphic novels? To be a scientist is a ready-to-use cross-curricular teaching resource. It uses the Connected graphic biography Betty Batham: Biologist. Betty was a ground-breaking female scientist ahead of her time.
Useful links
Use these Pinterest boards we created for more profiles of people working in science.
The New Zealand Association for Women in the Sciences (AWIS) encourages women to use and develop their scientific abilities and to achieve their full potential.
The Women in STEM website was originally created by two year 13 students and features videos from various inspiring women working in STEM in New Zealand.
See the United Nations' International Day of Women and Girls in Science.