Mikaela Caldwell

Women of STEM Scholarship Winner

Award Date:

2025

STEM Interests

Currently studying a Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Civil and Structural)

A Bit About Me

I grew up in Darwin, Northern Territory and am currently studying a Bachelor of Engineering at Charles Darwin University. Participating in extracurricular STEM programs showed me how varied and exciting a STEM career could be. This sparked my interest in engineering, by showing me how I could use my problem-solving and creative thinking skills to design solutions big and small. I enjoy volunteering for environmental projects and was an active member of the Students for Sustainability Group at Darwin High School where I helped introduce recycling initiatives, awareness campaigns and a Tiny Forest. My interests include dancing, reading, cycling, cooking, music, playing card games, walking in nature, playing with my pets and learning new things

Questions and Answers

Tell us about someone who inspires you and why

How did you become interested in STEM?

What are you most looking forward to about studying STEM at university?

How will the Women of STEM Scholarship assist you?

I am inspired by the work of materials scientist, engineer and inventor; Veena Sahajwalla. Her incredible work in the development of green manufacturing and steelmaking have paved the way towards creating a circular economy. Veena transforms waste products into new materials, which is critical to creating sustainable infrastructure.

I am also inspired by Meg Parry, my mentor from the Curious Minds program, who has been involved in rehabilitating Ranger uranium mine. Meg gave me a private tour of the mine and showed me the rehabilitation process. It was incredible to see the transformation of the tailing’s dams into revegetated land. In the future, I hope to make a similarly positive and important contribution to my community and environment.

I have always been curious about the world around me and understanding how it works. This has led me to many exciting moments of discovery and drives me to continue asking questions and seeking answers. Taking part in a range of science programs ignited my passion for the STEM field and enabled me to expand my knowledge, while connecting with like-minded people.
These programs included Curious Minds, National Youth Science Forum (NYSF), and Science and Engineering Challenges (state and national levels).

I am so excited to learn how to unite my passion for math and physics to solve real world problems. I have been dreaming of making a difference in the world since I was young, and I can’t wait to make that dream a reality. I am also keen to meet like-minded people who share similar passions and interests. I look forward to attending networking sessions to meet fellow students and professionals in the field to learn from their knowledge.

This scholarship will allow me to pursue my studies without worrying about being a financial burden on my family. It will enable me to independently fund my studies and support myself to attend conferences and programs, which extend my learning. In addition, receiving the ACS student membership and forging connections through the program’s networks and events will be highly valuable throughout my study and career progression.

What job do you hope to pursue after graduating from university?

I hope to become an environmental engineer who designs sustainable solutions that have a positive impact on the world. Climate change and global warming are huge challenges that require immediate action and I want to be part of the solution.