Appointing peer STEM ambassadors in regional high schools

One of the reasons identified for the lack of low socioeconomic status (SES) students choosing to participate in a STEM course in higher education is that they lack exposure to role-models from the STEM professions. Parents and teachers of low SES students are also frequently reported to have a lack of awareness of STEM careers, causing reduced participation of low SES students in STEM courses as parents and teachers are among the most influential factors on student subject choices. We aimed to establish Peer STEM Ambassadors and study their achievements as part of creating the CQUniversity Youth STEM Academy (CYSA). There is some evidence that Peer STEM Ambassadors may be more successful in engaging their classmates in STEM and that this may have beneficial effects for the Ambassadors themselves