Mikaela Caldwell receives the 9th Women of STEM Scholarship
- Jeremy Crooks
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Mikaela Calwell has received the Women of STEM scholarship at the Darwin Big Day In Conference on May 15th, 2025. The Women of STEM Scholarship program, supported by industry donors, aims to increase the number and visibility of young women entering the STEM field. Mikaela is starting her studies in a Bachelor of Engineering at Charles Darwin University.
Mikaela was inspired by Meg Parry, her mentor from the Curious Minds program. She has been involved in rehabilitating Ranger uranium mine. Meg gave Mikaela a private tour of the mine and showed her the rehabilitation process. It was incredible to see the transformation of the tailing’s dams into revegetated land. In the future, Mikaela hopes to make a similarly positive and important contribution to her community and environment.
Read more about Mikaela's journey on the Women of STEM profile page.
In addition to Mikaela's presentation, the Big Day In Darwin allowed local Years 10-12 high school students to hear directly from leaders in Australia's technology sector. The topics for this years conference included:
‘How To Get A Job Making Video Games’ - Dylan Bennett, The Array
Born and bred Territorian Dylan Bennett has run a successful video game studio here in the
NT for a few years, releasing games on Apple, Google Play and PC such as The Finke
Desert Race Game.
‘STEM Careers In the Australian Defence Forces’ – Corporal Kristy Stevenson, Royal Australian Air Force
Kristy is an Aircraft Technician with the Royal Australian Air Force. Her career has extended
beyond maintaining & repairing fast jets to include working overseas, learning to speak Thai
fluently & flying a FA/18 Classic Hornet.
‘The Business of Innovation’ - Anna Goat, Rise Project Consulting
Rise Project Consulting (Rise) is an award-winning Territory business that started when a
carpenter brought a drone to do roof inspections. Rise now uses aerial, bathymetric and
underwater drones; scanners and cameras to create digital twins, 3D models and virtual tours
to help clients virtually visit or inspect remote buildings, infrastructure and water bodies from
anywhere in the world.
‘Opportunities & Pathways in Australia’s Oldest Intelligence Agency’ - Maxwell Clayton, Australian Signals Directorate
After eight years as a high school teacher & eight years as an imagery analyst, Max found his true home at ASD in 2011. Max’s love of languages means that he’s a good fit for an
organisation with a foreign intelligence purpose. Max loves bushwalking, puzzles & cricket.
‘From Game Jams to Global Stages: Turning Passion into a Career’ – Declan Smyth, game designer & software developer at Raindrop
From tinkering with games in high school to winning national awards, Declan Smyth has
followed a winding (& exciting!) path through the world of game development & software
engineering. After connecting with local game devs at CDU’s IT Code Fair & teaming up with Dylan Bennett (Larrikin Interactive) to help create Diets & Deities,
‘Innovation Territory’ - Martin Redhead, Director Business Innovation, Department of
Trade, Business & Asian Relations, Northern Territory Government
Ever wondered how your phone unlocks with just a glance, or how Netflix knows exactly what
you want to watch next? That’s innovation at work—turning clever ideas into real-world tech
that transforms how we live, connect, and create. Here in the Northern Territory, innovation is
more than just a buzzword—it’s a key part of building a strong, sustainable future.
‘Why Choose ICT? How Do You Make It Happen & What Happens When You Start
Working In An ICT Job?’ – Peta Hine & grads & interns from NEC
A panel session with NEC and some of our team members, to help people understand their
journeys & decisions of other young Territorians facilitated by Peta Hine
The ACS Foundation is pleased to support opportunities for Australia's upcoming STEM leaders whether that be through the BiG Day In or providing scholarships to help build the next generation.
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