In an era of instant photographic gratification, it may seem a little odd for a digital portrait exhibition to take months to come together, but Otago Museum’s exhibition 100 women, 100 words… infinite possibilities is more than just a collection of Insta-worthy snaps. Far more. 

Designed with the intent to help improve the gender gap that persists in many areas of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) study and careers, this exhibition challenges unconscious biases about who or what a scientist or engineer looks like: someone in a white coat, but also in a ball gown, or gumboots, or in a jersey they knitted themselves. 

This exhibition shows girls, boys, and society in general that science is everywhere, and scientists can be anyone.

“Many other initiatives focus mainly on reaching young girls, to inspire them to pursue a career in STEM,” project coordinator Jessa Barder says, “and while we definitely want young girls to see all that is available to them, the latest research shows we need to go farther and show not only young girls but all young people that women are role models in STEM.”

The women and girls featured in this exhibition were nominated for the honour through a crowd-sourcing campaign throughout Southland and Otago that took place in May of 2020.  

Despite the country being in COVID-19 lockdown at that time, the response was overwhelming, with over three hundred women and girls nominated.  

Of these, 100 participants were eventually chosen by the selection committee to feature in the exhibition: one hundred women and girls who cut a swathe through society: little girls, senior academics, punk rock engineers and stay-at-home mums, all of whom had inspired their communities to engage with STEM.


“I want to make it clear that we realize this exhibition is only scratching the surface,” Jessa continues. 

“There are so many amazing role models for young people in our communities - and they’ve all taken different paths, had different challenges… I can guarantee there is someone featured in this exhibition whose story you can relate to and be inspired by.” 

Each portrait is accompanied by one hundred of the subject’s own words responding to the prompt: “What has been most surprising or unexpected about your specific experience in your STEM field?”

“Without a doubt, that has been the thing participants have said was the hardest part of being in the exhibition,” Jessa says, “But the range of answers we got confirms it was the right question to ask. 

“They really speak to the diversity of motivations, pathways and stories encountered on their journeys ” 

The exhibition is part of the larger Full STE(a)M Ahead project, for which Otago Museum received funding from MBIE’s Unlocking Curious Minds fund as well as support from the Dodd-Walls Centre and the MacDiarmid Institute. 

It has been on display in the Museum since opening on 05 December but the time, Jessa states, had come to take it on the road.

“Right from the start, we planned on touring it around Otago and Southland,” Jessa says, “to take it back to the communities that these women came from or live in, and Central Stories was a natural choice for a venue that attracts families as well as individuals.” 

Jessa says she is also looking forward to offering an afternoon event on Sunday, 28 March, for local young people to hear more from some of the local women in the exhibition.

The exhibition runs at Central Stories, Alexandra, through until Sunday 28 March.

Advertisement