Abstract for presentation at Combined 5th Trans Tasman Survey Conference and 2nd Queensland Spatial Industry Conference 2006

In November 2005, analysis of statistics of membership to the Spatial Sciences Institute indicated that 8.5% of the membership were female. This initial analysis showed that the majority of female members were classed as Young Professionals (under 35 years of age)with a large percentage of those in the 30-35 year age group. One third of the members were from Victoria and two thirds of the female membership belong to the Spatial Information Commission. The question was then asked, is this indicative of the participation of women in the spatial profession as a whole. An initiative (Women in Spatial) to further examine the gender balance issue in the spatial profession was instigated through the Spatial Sciences Institute resulting in a series of workshops being held across Australia and New Zealand. The aim of these workshops was to obtain detailed information through surveys both at the workshops and through on-line mechanisms on education pathways, entry to the profession, wages, etc and to identify barriers to women in the spatial profession and ways in overcoming these. In addition, recruitment statistics of females in spatial science courses and subjects at the tertiary level were examined. The results of the Women in Spatial Inititiative will be summarised in this paper.