Swinburne Women’s Academic Network celebrates 10 years

This year marks a significant milestone for the Swinburne Women’s Academic Network (SWAN), as it celebrates 10 years of empowering women and gender diverse academics through mentoring, support and career development.

What began as a grassroots initiative has grown into a powerful network for change at Swinburne. Over the past decade, SWAN has championed equity, inspired leadership, and built a strong community which is paving the way for greater representation of women and gender diverse staff in senior academic and professional roles.

"SWAN is practical, it's strategic, it's courageous, and it pays-it-forward", says Jacqui Olney, Swinburne’s Manager, Diversity and Inclusion.

The SWAN ecosystem of support is comprised of the Peer Promotions program, Career Development, Academic Carer’s Financial Assistance, and Women ATTaining LEadership (WATTLE) program. Each component is built around five key ideas: women supporting each other; creating a safe space to share feelings; focusing on results while considering all the different roles women have; being social, organised, and fun; and helping women build lasting connections across different fields.

“It showed me the university had belief in my capacity and would invest in my development”, says Professor Christine Thong, co-Chair of SWAN. 

Looking ahead, Professor Thong, alongside co-Chair Associate Professor Tatiana Kameneva, will continue the grassroots legacy of SWAN, emphasising collaboration and  connections. 

“We must help people define what success means for them, thrive in their careers, and tackle emerging gender and diversity challenges head-on.”

SWAN’s Founders  

In 2015, Professor Helena Scheepers, who specialises in information systems, Professor Virginia Kilborn, a radio astronomer, and Professor Birgit Loch, a mathematician, came together to create the Swinburne Women’s Academic Network (SWAN). 

They were motivated by their shared experiences serving on promotion panels and a strong commitment to addressing gender imbalances. 

Their friendship and determination laid the groundwork for a movement that continues to promote the advancement of women at Swinburne and beyond.

SWAN founding members Professor Virginia Kilborn and Professor Helana Scheepers.

Celebrating a Decade of SWAN

The 10-year celebration united the SWAN community to reflect on the network’s achievements and reimagine the decade ahead.

Attendees reconnected with colleagues and heard the stories of transformation and progress that have defined SWAN’s journey. 

“Marking 10 years of SWAN has shown just how much we can achieve when we come together.  The celebration, with over 100 attendees, brought together past and present members, allies, and supporters to celebrate and reflect on the incredible impact SWAN has made on advancing equity and inclusion at Swinburne and beyond.  I’m inspired by the significant achievements by a group of ‘can do’ female leaders, and excited to see what SWAN and Swinburne achieve in the next decade”, says Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Karen Hapgood. 
 
The celebration featured guest speakers including Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pascale Quester, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Karen Hapgood, Diversity and Inclusion Manager Jacqui Olney, Vice President of Innovation and Enterprise Dr Werner van der Merwe, past SWAN participant Professor Monica Thielking, and SWAN founding members Professor Helana Scheepers and Professor Virginia Kilborn.

To continue the celebration, SWAN is showcasing an exhibition of 10 impact stories through posters on Level 6 of the AMDC. Be sure to stop by and explore these inspiring narratives over the next few weeks.