Alissa Van Soest
2024 WOMAN OF GOLD
My grandma used to say “listen to everyone's advice, then do what you want”.
So I ran away and joined the circus, a science circus! My year in the circus combined dual passions of travel and igniting the spark of curiosity for kids. Wanting to continue to explore and inspire, I spent 3.5 years living out of a backpack and driving across Australia, Ireland and the UK teaching forensic science.
Finally ready to settle (at least for a while) I was on the hunt for a place that reflected my values and discovered Discovery! With a vision to 'Inspire and Nurture Curiosity' and the mission to 'Break down barriers to STEM education' I had found my place. Discovery runs many programs to break down barriers to STEM but the one that holds a special place in my heart is ‘Girls in STEM’. ‘Girls in STEM’ works with grade 6 girls to build resilience, confidence, to be curious, creative, critical thinkers, to build networks and to become leaders and role models in their communities.
Though I've found my home, my passion for travel persists. As a lifelong solo female traveller, I've learned to trust my instincts, plan (with adaptability), communicate with kindness, and stay endlessly curious.
“Curiosity knows no gender.”
- Alissa Van Soest
2024 WOMEN OF GOLD ARTISTS
Women of Gold is a multimedia project celebrating the stories and contributions of women in the City of Greater Bendigo. Increasing the representation of women across different sectors and inspiring industry to innovate and meet the needs of our community as a whole.
