Muneera Bano

Muneera Bano is an award-winning scholar and impassioned advocate for gender equity in the STEM fields. In 2019, she was awarded the title of ‘Most Influential Asian-Australian Under 40,’ an absolute honour and recognition of her exceptional work and remarkable achievements. As a 'Superstar of STEM' and member of the ‘Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’ committee for Science and Technology Australia, Muneera is dedicated to breaking down societal barriers and reshaping attitudes towards scientists from diverse backgrounds.

Muneera's leadership and commitment to promoting inclusion and diversity in STEM have been recognized globally. In 2021, she was honoured by the Government of Pakistan as an under-40 leader in science and innovation, including in the 'Foreign Minister's Honour List'. She is celebrated for her extraordinary contributions to science and innovation, and her pioneering efforts in advancing equity and inclusion in STEM in Australia. Muneera's deep-rooted commitment to diversity and inclusion has led her to champion women in STEM fields. She is a sought-after speaker, accomplished writer, and vocal advocate for #WomenInSTEM.

Throughout her career, Muneera has garnered numerous accolades for her work, including being a finalist for 'Google Australia’s prestigious Anita Borg Award for Women in Computer Science', Asia-Pacific 2015. She was also the recipient of Schlumberger’s esteemed Faculty For The Future (FFTF) Award for Women in STEM in 2014 and 2015. She earned the ‘Distinguished Research Paper Award’ at the International Requirements Engineering Conference in 2018 for her work in Educational Pedagogies for Requirement Engineering. In recognition of her contributions, Muneera was granted the Dr. John Yu Fellowship for ‘Cultural Diversity and Leadership’ at Sydney University in 2019, and the ‘Pathways to Politics’ leadership program by Melbourne University in 2021.

Muneera graduated with a PhD in Software Engineering from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in 2015. Since then, she has held positions as a post-doctoral researcher and ‘Learning and Teaching Adjunct’ at UTS. Her focus is on the intersection of computers and humans, specifically exploring ways to engineer technology to better serve people's needs. Muneera has authored nearly 50 articles in prestigious international journals and conferences within the software engineering field. Her passion and interest in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Diversity and Inclusion guide her research in socio-technical domains of software engineering that focus on human-centered technologies. Currently, she serves as a Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO's Data61, focusing on projects related to responsible AI and promoting diversity and inclusion within the AI field.