Chemistry Australia is pleased to announce the winner of the 2024 Chemistry Australia CEW Woman Leader in STEM Scholarship, Dr Roya Khalil, Director of Research and Development at Incitec Pivot Fertilisers.

An accomplished business leader with more than 20 years’ experience in R&D and innovation management, Dr Khalil was awarded the scholarship for her deep experience in STEM across a number of organisations and passion for industry.

In her role as Director of Research and Development, Dr Khalil leads a multidisciplinary team focused on enhanced efficiency fertilisers, nutrient recycling, sustainability, greenhouse gas mitigation, and soil health technologies.

Dr Khalil collaborates with universities on cutting-edge research, serving as a Partner Investigator at the ARC Research Hub for Smart Fertilisers at the University of Melbourne and co-supervising PhD students across various institutions.

Dr Khalil also contributes to academia as an Advisory Board Member at The Australian Graduate School of Engineering at UNSW and had previously served in similar capacities at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Melbourne. Here, she contributes to align academic programs with industry requirements and technological advancements.

As the winner of the 2024 Woman Leader in STEM Scholarship, Dr Khalil will travel to the United Kingdom later this year to attend the Women Transforming Leadership Program at Oxford University.

The scholarship will give Dr Khalil the opportunity to advance her leadership skills, network with other inspiring leaders, and make a significant impact in her field.

Dr Khalil said the Women Transforming Leadership Program offers a unique opportunity to learn from world-class experts and connect with other inspiring leaders.

“I’m incredibly humbled and excited to be awarded this scholarship. It is an amazing opportunity to grow both personally and professionally,” said Dr Khalil.

“This experience will help equip me with the tools and insights I need to drive positive change in my organisation and beyond.”

“During my time at Oxford, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of effective leadership strategies, enhance my decision-making abilities, and develop a global perspective on leadership challenges and opportunities.”

Chemistry Australia CEO Samantha Read said the association was very pleased to award the 2024 scholarship to such an impressive STEM leader who generously shares her knowledge, expertise, and time to advance the interests of industry and the people around her.

“Roya has an outstanding leadership track record supporting other women in their careers,” said Ms Read.

“We are particularly impressed with the multiple pathways Roya employs to provide this support, through mentoring and sponsorship; by ensuring a diverse pool of candidates for jobs; and by creating a ‘best friend at work’ program to build a support network amongst her colleagues.”

“Roya is a great example of what women leaders can achieve in STEM-based industries and we look forward to seeing her implement all she learns from the Oxford Women Transforming Leadership program in her career and leadership journey.”

Find out more information about the Chemistry Australia CEW Woman Leader in STEM Scholarship.

About CEW
Since 1985, Chief Executive Women (CEW) has influenced and engaged all levels of Australian business and government to remove the barriers to women’s progression and ensure equal opportunity for prosperity. CEW’s 1,200 members represent Australia’s most senior and distinguished leaders across the country’s largest private and public organisations, collectively overseeing over 1.3 million employees and $749 billion in revenue. Through research, advocacy, leadership programs and scholarships, CEW works to realise its purpose of ‘women leaders empowering all women’ and the vision of a community where women and men have equal economic and social choices and responsibilities. cew.org.au