International Women's Day Q&A with environmental scientist

Scouting inspires girls and young women to choose career pathways in underrepresented industries such as STEM.

That is the belief of 1st Austinmer Rover Scout and environmental scientist Steph Cowling.

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, we had a chat with Steph about how Scouting influenced her career choices and what benefits she sees the program giving girls and young women today.

When did you join Scouts and why?

I joined in 2007 with 1st Shellharbour Cub Scout Unit, because I saw them at Woolworths doing Job Week and my dad used to do Scouts.

What did you enjoy most about Scouts as you were growing up?

I loved getting to do the things you normally don’t get to do – hiking, camping, canoeing. No one else my age got to go on adventures like this.

Did those interests change when you became a Rover Scout?

No, they stayed the exact same, however, I did learn to embrace the badgework and leadership side of Scouting a lot more.

Did being in Scouts influence your career decisions?

Absolutely! Being outside in nature as a Scout, participating in activities that helped our environment, is what led me to being curious and caring about it and going down the road of becoming an environmental scientist.

What is your job?

I work at ANSTO (Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation); my job is in Environmental Monitoring. Basically, I sample every type of environmental pathway from our facility and check to make sure that ANSTO isn’t having an impact on the local environment. We also participate in other types of projects that involve environmental radioactivity.

You sound passionate about the environment

Climate change is an issue that affects us all, but the majority of the impact will be felt by people within developing countries and our natural environment. We need our environment – not only is it beautiful, but it is necessary to sustain enriched lives. I care about bringing voices to the voiceless and I want to help preserve the most magnificent places we have on our Earth. I found the most effective way for me to do that is through science.

How has that passion influenced your time in Scouts?

I have assisted with as many environmental projects I could find within Scouting growing up. I tried to help with as many South Coast and Tablelands Environment Team events as possible. These were amazing camps run by Alex McCarthy who created excellent resources for youth members to understand environmental processes and our impacts.

In 2023 and 2024 I was the National Rover Environment and Sustainability Officer. This is the highlight of my Scouting career – I used this role to create awareness for sustainability and how we can minimise our impact as Scouts, either through the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Challenge, citizen science tools such as iNaturalist, and I created a set of event guidelines for major Rovering events.

Additionally, a lot of the activities I plan are outside and adventurous; I will never stop seeking to see more of our world. This includes my upcoming Baden-Powell Scout Award Adventurous Journey hike in New Zealand, which I am so excited for.

You mentioned the event guidelines for Rover events – tell me more about that

In 2024 I proposed to the NRC a set of guidelines for Rovering events with numbers over 75 attendees that would ensure sustainability and minimise environmental impact. The guidelines are inspired by WOSM’s (World Organization of the Scout Movement) Guidelines for Organising Sustainable Events.

The guidelines include signing a sustainability commitment; a checklist that covers event planning, venue, catering, waste, program and reporting – if you score extremely there are last-ditch options to increase the sustainability of an event – and provide an overall sustainability score that, in theory, could be used to market your event.

The NRC accepted the guidelines to be used on a trial; events such as Mudbash and Surfmoot in Victoria utilised it; and smaller Region moots have also used it.

Do you think it’s important for girls to be in Scouts?

Absolutely. It helps create independence, find your voice and what you are truly capable of and enjoy. In Scouting you will be thrust into situations where you have to take the lead and figure it out. You learn important skills for life that for women navigating this world are essential. There are so many opportunities in Scouting for women too, opportunities you won’t find elsewhere. This leads to inspiring young girls to choose career pathways in underrepresented industries such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

What do you think you got out of Scouts as a girl/young woman that you might not have been able to experience elsewhere?

Scouts took me to places I hadn’t been before. Mainly it helped me learn how to be okay being uncomfortable and how to stretch my boundaries. Scouts has given me leadership skills, the ability to keep calm in a crisis, confidence in who I am and what I know, empathy for others (you meet people from all walks of life and bond with them), and my passion for the environment.

School and other sports programs offered to young women just don’t provide this type of experience.

Scouting is just a great educational tool that lets women discover their own potential; there are no defined gendered boundaries in what you can be and do within Scouts and it helps us realise what we are really here for.