AUCKLAND has secured the five-day International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists for 2023 after working on the bid with two of New Zealand’s science and engineering associations.
More than 450 delegates from across the world are expected to attend the conference to discuss the importance of diversity and growth of women within the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Auckland Convention Bureau, a division of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development, helped secure the successful bid for New Zealand, working in partnership with the Association for Women in the Sciences (AWIS) and Engineering New Zealand.
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Officials say he event is expected to deliver a NZ$881,000 (about US$619,200) economic contribution to Auckland and almost 2,600 visitor nights to support the region’s accommodation sector.
It will be the first time the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists has been held in New Zealand in its 56-year history.
New Zealand is home to 12,550 engineering professionals. About 5,100 natural and physical science professionals are also based in Auckland and nearly half of these are female.
Emma Timewell, national convenor of the Association for Women in the Sciences, said: “We’re really excited about being able to showcase the expertise of women in STEM from across Aotearoa New Zealand with the rest of the world.
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“We have a strong history of women in STEM, with some of the most prominent positions in the science system being held by women currently. This conference will provide us with the opportunity to share how our small and geographically isolated nation excels on the STEM world stage,” said Timewell.
Anna Hayward, head of Auckland Convention Bureau, said: “This is a great result for our New Zealand science and engineering community and will only further enhance our reputation as a destination of choice for STEM conferences.
“Auckland has an incredible pedigree when it comes to science and engineering and by hosting business events like these in our region it provides valuable opportunities for job creation, talent attraction and investment,” said Hayward.
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The win comes after a successful month for the bureau after also securing the International Association of Women in Police conference for Auckland in 2023.
Lisa Gardiner, Tourism New Zealand’s global manager for business events, said the events would “give a much-needed boost to our business events sector just knowing that we’ve got great events like this down the pipeline”.
“The sector contributes so much to New Zealand, not just in economic terms. With a number of key conferences choosing New Zealand that focus on women, it is a huge opportunity to share knowledge that will bring long lasting benefits to Kiwis.”
