Katherine Woodthorpe

Katherine Lesley Woodthorpe is an Australian chair and company director, and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has also been chair of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Bushfire and Natural Hazards, chair of Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC, as well as Chair of National Climate Science Advisory Committee.

Early life and career Woodthorpe was born in Malaysia and grew up in Hong Kong. She obtained a honours degree in chemistry, at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, then a PhD in chemistry from the University of Leicester. She has one son.

In 2022 she became the first woman appointed President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

Gender equity Upon being awarded the Order of Australia, Woodthorpe commented on the role of women in STEM in Australia,

"I hope [receiving this honor] encourages more nominations of women in science and business worlds as there are so many more important contributions going unrecognized".

She has argued that more women are required to be appointed to leadership roles, and specifically, chairing roles, which will allow diverse thinking 'otherwise group think sets in'

Woodthorpe has a syndicate within the organisation "Women in Boards" named after her. She has also been a panelist on an event discussing gender within science, addressing the chronic under-representation and loss of female talent in the scientific workforce, on 'Gender Balance in Science", hosted at ANU.

Media Woodthorpe has been active on both radio and print media.

Woodthorpe has discussed the need for evidence and decisions based on facts, and evidence, particularly in relation to vaccines. She discussed the cuts to funding for science research, arguing that the science cuts will hold back the Australian economy.

Prizes honours and awards 2011 – Honorary PhD, UTS. 2013 – Australian Financial Review's 100 women of influence. 2017 – Officer of the Order of Australia. 2021 – National Press Club, Ralph Slatyer Address on Science and Technology.