Homeward Bound has been chosen as the recipient of the IV Malaspina Award in recognition its global work advancing the leadership capability of women in STEMM.
The Malaspina Award is an honour bestowed by the Embassy of Spain in Canberra and the Association of Spanish Researchers in Australia-Pacific (SRAP). It is awarded yearly to individuals and organisations that have, through their work, made a significant contribution to scientific or cultural relations between Australia and Spain.
Homeward Bound dreamer and founder Fabian Dattner said she was delighted to share this recognition with the global network of over 500 alumnae and participants in the Homeward Bound initiative.
“This network of incredibly generous, collaborative and legacy-mined women with STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine) backgrounds represent the sort of leadership our world needs to build a more sustainable planet. I am so proud the potential of this initiative has been recognised in this way,” said Ms Dattner.
Homeward Bound was nominated for the award by its major sponsor, ACCIONA, a leader in sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy, who have supported the initiative’s Antarctic Voyages and online programs since 2018.
Ms Dattner acknowledged the hard work of the ACCIONA team and Generacion Code, the Spanish agency which manages the major sponsor relationship between Homeward Bound and ACCIONA.
“Their imagination, determination and consistent care to elevate the Spanish and Latina women of each Homeward Bound cohort has built a strong and resilient relationship between ACCIONA and Homeward Bound that has continued despite the challenges of a global pandemic,” she said.
“I also congratulate our Spanish and Latin American participants, and especially the women of Homeward Bound 2, Dr Alicia Perez-Porro, Uxua Lopez, Alexandra Dubini and Ana Payo Payo, who were instrumental in brokering the initial sponsorship agreement, and who continue to support and advocate for the Homeward Bound community and for women leaders with backgrounds in STEMM.
“We are incredibly proud of their initiative and the leadership they continue to show in their careers and within the Homeward Bound community,” said Ms Dattner.
Homeward Bound has completed four global programs, which included a 12-month online leadership, visibility, science, and strategy training, and
culminated in a three-week intensive voyage to Antarctica. Two cohorts are in the final stages of their online program, waiting for a global meetup
when international travel is again equitable and safe. A seventh cohort is due to begin their leadership training in March 2022.
In 2020 Homeward Bound registered as a not-for-profit, and this year appointed its first full time CEO, Pamela Sutton-Legaud.
Mrs Sutton-Legaud acknowledged the effort that has gone into building a close relationship between Homeward Bound, ACCIONA and Spanish participants and thanked all who had participated in sharing their science and their leadership stories within the collaboration now and in the future.
The Homeward Bound vision is, by 2036, to have supported and engaged a globally diverse leadership network of 10,000 STEMM women who are ensuring the sustainability of our planet.