New 'ambassador' to encourage young women to pursue STEM careers

A new Women in Science ambassador will be introduced later this year to encourage Australian girls to pursue careers in science and technology.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and 2018 Australian of the Year Professor Michelle Simmons Source: AAP

Women already working in the so-called STEM industries -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- have welcomed the announcement.

But they say under-represented areas like engineering and computer science need to be a point of focus.