Marching Forward: Innovation, Impact, and Inspiration

Published on 31 March 2025

Welcome to Innovate Elevate, your monthly dose of innovation, tech and career growth!

It was a big month to celebrate International Women's Day and Climate Action Week in Sydney! Additionally, I won an award, spoke on a panel, and my **Emerging Tech Unpacked** podcast turned ONE and became an official partner with the United Nations! WHEW, it was a HUGE month!!

Here are my highlights for the month:

Celebrating STEM Education Excellence
Career Corner: Leadership Wisdom
Emerging Tech Spotlight: Generative AI Design
Climate Action Week Sydney Highlights
Impactful Partnerships: Emerging Tech Unpacked Podcast + United Nations Association of Australia (NSW)

Let's get started!

**\+ Follow Lucy Lin on LinkedIn**

Celebrating STEM Education Excellence

It's a proud moment in STEM advocacy! I won the Women of Western Sydney Award in the STEM category, highlighting the importance of representation for girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

11.2 million people will need to be reskilled/upskilled from tech changes
Addressing the challenges that only 15% of jobs are currently held by women in STEM, and the $27,000 salary gap between men and women. Encouraging women to overcome barriers in STEM careers is essential to fixing the "leaky pipeline".
The award coincides with the first anniversary of the **_Emerging Tech Unpacked_** podcast, which was launched to inspire gender equality and career pathways in STEM and innovation industries.

This milestone serves as a reminder that representation matters—and get strapped in, as it's just the beginning! 🚀

--\> **Watch the video about my award win and speech**

Marching Forward: Innovation, Impact, and Inspiration

Career Corner: Leadership Wisdom

In celebration of International Women's Day this month, I am often asked about navigating careers and reaching leadership. Here are my three pearls of wisdom 🦪:

Build confidence: Own your strengths, step out of your comfort zone and persist through challenges.
Balance priorities: Set clear priorities and boundaries to protect your time. Use time-blocking for productivity while staying adaptable to life's unpredictability.
Women in leadership: Women bring empathy, collaboration, and innovation to leadership, essential qualities for today’s fast-changing workplace. To step into leadership roles, seek mentors for guidance, build a strong support network of cheerleaders, and invest in personal growth to develop the skills and experience you need to thrive.

What advice has shaped your career?

--\> **Watch the video**

--\> **Read** **Information Age** **: 10 insights tech leaders want every woman to know**

Emerging Tech Spotlight: Generative AI Design

Generative AI is transforming the creative world! I interviewed **Christina (CJ) Jones**, Head of Design for Generative AI at **Canva**, who shared key insights on the **Emerging Tech Unpacked** podcast about the future of creativity, design and gen AI.

AI as a collaborator: It's not replacing creativity but enhancing personalisation and innovation, tailored to our unique needs.
Curiosity is key: Critical thinking and lifelong learning are essential to thrive in tech-driven environments. We need to question, explore, and keep learning.
Creativity through boredom: Disconnecting and letting your mind wander can spark groundbreaking ideas. Take those walks, disconnect, and let your mind wander.

Catch the full interview on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts and join the conversation about AI's role in creativity.

--\> **Visit the website to learn more**

--\> You can also catch us on **YouTube \|** **Apple Podcast \|** **Spotify**

Generative AI Design Unpacked: Creativity in the AI age - YouTube

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Generative AI Design Unpacked: Creativity in the AI age Emerging Tech Unpacked

Emerging Tech Unpacked1.1K subscribers

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Climate Action Week Highlights

Sydney's Climate Action Week showcased groundbreaking innovations across sustainability ecosystems. From cleantech startups and circular economy research projects to corporate net-zero commitments, there’s something for everyone to contribute to climate action.

I especially enjoyed learning more about:

**Sunswift Racing** : Solar-powered vehicles redefining sustainable mobility.
**GOTERRA** : Using robotics and insects to convert food waste into sustainable protein and fertilizer.
Green Tech Revolution Panel: I spoke on this panel and had a fantastic discussion on AI energy consumption, the need for more climate-related education in schools, why fast fashion is bad for the environment, and the policy changes needed to drive impactful change.

--\> **Watch the highlight video**

Impactful Partnerships: Podcast + UNAA NSW

The **_Emerging Tech Unpacked_** podcast has partnered with the **United Nations Association of Australia (NSW Division)** to align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) like Quality Education (SDG #4), Gender Equality (SDG #5), and Decent Work & Economic Growth (SDG #8).

Upcoming initiatives will focus on education, employment, and equality — stay tuned for future announcements! If you’re passionate about impact-driven collaborations, please reach out and let’s connect!

--\> **Learn more about the partnership**

Join the Conversation

What inspired you this month? Whether it’s AI innovation, leadership advice, gender equality or climate action breakthroughs, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

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