A delegation from the UNSW Faculty of Engineering attended the Asian Deans’ Forum (ADF) Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop 2025, held at National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taipei from 16–18 November 2025.
Now in its sixth edition, the Rising Stars workshop is an annual initiative of the Asian Deans’ Forum and rotates host countries each year. The 2025 workshop was hosted by NTU, bringing together early‑career women researchers and senior academic leaders from leading engineering schools across Asia.
The Asian Deans’ Forum comprises engineering faculties from seven partner institutions: NTU, The University of Tokyo, Seoul National University, Tsinghua University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, National University of Singapore and UNSW Sydney. Together, the Forum works to strengthen collaboration and leadership development across the region.
The Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop is designed to support final‑year PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers and early‑career academics who are interested in exploring and advancing academic careers. Participants are selected through a competitive process and represent a wide range of engineering disciplines and institutions.
The 2025 program featured keynote lectures, panel discussions, research presentations and structured mentoring sessions, led by senior academics from across Asia. Topics included academic career pathways, research leadership, mentoring and supervision, and the broader societal impact of engineering research.
The UNSW delegation of Rising Stars and academics was led by Dean of Engineering Professor Julien Epps. UNSW Engineering Deputy Dean (Societal Impact and Translation) Professor Rita Henderson presented a keynote on the theme ‘Transforming Engineering Education: Cultivating Inclusive Leadership and Global Citizenship for the Next Generation’; Associate Dean Research Professor Megan Lord joined a panel on the theme ‘Bridging Academia, Industry, and Society’; and as mentor for the attendees, Dr Shukla Poddar—who previously attended Rising Stars—joined a mentoring panel session.
Shukla Poddar said, “Mentoring the Rising Stars was deeply moving. Seeing the enthusiasm, confidence, and drive of the participants and speakers reaffirmed how profoundly representation, encouragement, and shared journeys shape the next generation of women engineers”.
The Rising Stars workshop also provided opportunities for participants to present their research to an interdisciplinary audience, receive feedback from senior academics, and build regional and international networks with peers at similar career stages.
PhD Candidate from School of Biomedical Engineering Moqaddaseh Afzali Naniz said that it was a great place to meet women in engineering from different parts of the world.
“It was great to hear their stories and find people who think the way you do. Experiences like this often spark ideas or connections that show their impact over time."
"I really enjoyed hearing everyone’s academic journeys, and honestly the small conversations in between sessions were just as special. Those chats over lunch or coffee were where the real connections happened."
Associate Lecturer from School of Chemical Engineering Yasemin Fadil said, “The Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop in Taiwan was truly inspiring and empowering. It created a welcoming and supportive space for emerging women engineers to share ideas, build confidence, and connect across disciplines and cultures. I feel very honoured to be part of such an uplifting and amazing community”.
Through ongoing participation in the Asian Deans’ Forum and Rising Stars program, UNSW Engineering continues to support the development of women academic leaders, strengthen international partnerships, and contribute to a more inclusive and globally connected engineering research community.