FROM KALAHANDI TO MELBOURNE: CHASING A DREAM

Making dreams a reality takes work; something that CSIRO’s Dr Suneeti Purohit knows more than most. Here, Dr Purohit shares the barriers she overcame as she followed her ambitions halfway around the world to where she is now – working for Australia’s national science organisation and the winner of the 2023 Exceptional Woman in Victorian Resources award.

When asked to pinpoint where her interest in science came from, Dr Purohit can trace back to a conversation she had when she was nine years old.

“One morning I was looking at my reflection in a spoon while eating my breakfast. My father noticed and pointed me towards a rock. He said that the shiny spoon I was eating with was made from a rock like that.

“As a child I was very surprised and interested to know how they made it. That moment drove me to study science.”

She wasn’t, however, entirely sure which path she would pursue in the future, with her aspirations shifting from wanting to be a scientist, to occasionally desiring a career as a teacher, and even dreaming of becoming an astronaut.

“But one thing was certain, I wanted to study at top institutes of India,” she said.

From childhood passion to reality

Dr Purohit was born and raised in a rural village of India, named Kaudola, in the district of Kalahandi, and it was in that village where she completed her primary and high school education.

“My father – being a teacher – understood the importance of education and constantly encouraged me to study and participate in all types of academic competitions like debate, essay writing and even painting.”

It was when she started winning prizes in these competitions that her confidence was boosted and she became even more eager to learn.

“It ignited a strong desire in me to keep expanding my knowledge and continue my education.”

After graduating high school at the age of 15, Dr Purohit enrolled in a local college. She found, however, the education quality there to be poor and so sought to study at a better school outside her district.

“In those years, my family was not financially sound enough to afford the tuition and hostel fees. After about two months, my father managed to get a bank loan to support my decision, and I got admission to a private women's college.”

This experience was Dr Purohit’s first time living away from home and the first months were tough, especially with the language difficulties.

“Until high school, I had mostly spoken our local dialect, which is different from Odia. While I could read and write in Odia and English, I wasn't fluent in speaking. With time, I improved my skills and got better at studying. Eventually I became the bestperforming student at the women’s college in the state board examination in 2007,” Dr Purohit said.

The idea of studying metallurgy came to her during a visit from the women’s college Chairman while she was completing her higher-secondary education. The Chairman mentioned his background in metallurgy and Dr Purohit pinpoints that moment as the first time she considered studying metallurgy for her higher education.

In that same year, she qualified for the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination and started an undergraduate course in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at a prestigious state government institute, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology.

Following the undergraduate course, she wanted to pursue her master’s at one of India’s top-tier institutions, clearing the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering examination in her first attempt and securing admission into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur.

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) scholarship and conducted my master’s research work at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.”

Purohit worked for three years in the academic profession in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. In 2016, after deciding to pursue a PhD, Dr Purohit was given the opportunity to research on her topic of interest at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology and has been working at CSIRO in the same field since the completion of her PhD.

Working in her chosen field

Dr Purohit is currently a member of CSIRO's Mineral Resources business unit, specifically working within the green-steel group.

“My past and current research work is primarily related to lowering the carbon footprint from the steelmaking value chain. I completed my PhD from Swinburne University of Technology, during which I developed an innovative low-temperature iron ore agglomeration technology, called Lime Magnetite Pellet (LMP) Process.”

Dr Purohit explained that the process has the potential to lower emissions from the predominant ironmaking method – the blast furnace – by up to 18 per cent without the use of expensive fuels like hydrogen gas. Additionally, the process works at lower temperatures, which could facilitate the effective use of renewable energy sources like solar power or green-H2 gas in the future.

“This process can use Australia’s vastly under-utilised magnetite reserves as well as lower-grade Pilbara-type iron ores. Australia, being one of the world's largest exporters of iron ore, could greatly benefit from this technology by exporting high-quality LMPs while also reducing emissions.”

“I have also worked on a project that explores using concentrated solar energy for high-temperature processing of iron ores, like iron ore agglomeration and ironmaking. This research is important for Australia because the country has an abundance of sunshine directly on the iron ore mining sites.”

Dr Purohit has also been part of projects with various iron ore and steelmaking industries – the Heavy Industry Lowcarbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre as well as the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER). In these projects she focused on modelling emissions to assess the overall carbon dioxide emissions in the steelmaking process and evaluating the impact of lower-quality iron ore on future hydrogen-based steelmaking processes.

Breaking gender barriers in the industry

“Before choosing to study Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, I had an inkling that there wouldn't be many female students pursuing this course because none of my friends were considering it as an option,” Dr Purohit said.

There were eight female students during her undergraduate studies, and during her master's program, there were a total of four female students among approximately 30 students. Despite being fewer in numbers, Dr Purohit said female students – including herself – never encountered obstacles or mistreatment based on their gender, and in fact were actively encouraged by professors to participate in industry tours, seminars and conferences.

“The first time I encountered obstacles as a female metallurgist was when I was seeking employment in the steel industry. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I appeared for an interview for three Indian steel companies, and faced rejection.”

“In one interview, I was told to be underweight and therefore deemed unsuitable for working in the production line.

“Among my entire batch, only two female students were chosen for industry jobs, while most male students secured positions right after finishing their undergraduate studies.”

Seeking employment after completing her master’s degree exposed another challenge. While she was studying in Germany Dr Purohit missed out on the campus placement opportunities and had to resort to applying for jobs through online platforms.

While she wasn’t hearing back from the industry, she found that academic institutions consistently responded to her applications. This led Dr Purohit to pursue a career in academia.

“Over the course of my career, spanning from 2014 to the present, I have had the opportunity to work in a total of five academic institutions and research organisations in both India and Australia. Throughout this journey, I am grateful to say that I have never encountered any form of bias or criticism solely because I am a woman.

“In each of these professional environments, I have been treated with respect and fairness, regardless of my gender. I have received tremendous support and guidance from my male colleagues which has advanced my career and inspired me to push my limits.

“I consider myself very fortunate to have met and worked with such wonderful people.”

Academic to award winner

“Winning the Exceptional Woman in Victorian Resources award holds great significance to me. It is an incredible honour and validation to my hard work and contributions in the resources industry.”

Receiving an award and the recognition that comes with it is not something Dr Purohit ever expected or sought throughout her career in metallurgy. The journey she embarked on in her chosen field was driven by passion and curiosity and receiving honours is incredibly humbling for her.

“This award serves as a reminder of the challenges I faced and the assistance I received throughout my journey from Kalahandi to Melbourne. It signifies not only my personal achievement but also the success of my parents, teachers, and all those who believed in me. Moreover, it serves as inspiration for young girls who look up to me.

“As I reflect on my journey from a rural village in India to one of the most liveable cities in the world, I am reminded of the invaluable lessons it has taught me. Along this journey, I have experienced both triumphs and setbacks. There have been moments of pure joy, where I felt invincible and accomplished, as well as moments of demotivation with self-doubts and obstacles hindering my progress. I am incredibly grateful for the support of my family and teachers, who have guided me towards success.”

Dr Purohit’s goal is to extend this support to other young women who may need guidance, and inspire them to embrace their passions and view obstacles as opportunities for personal growth.

“I want to encourage them to pursue careers and fields of study that may traditionally be seen as male-dominated,” Dr Purohit said.

Using her new platform she plans to share her story in the hopes that it resonates with other young women.

“I want to convey the message that our backgrounds should not define our destinies. We can break barriers and carve our own path to success. Many remarkable women have dedicated their lives to challenging stereotypes and making it easier for us to pursue careers in male-dominated industries. Let us not be held back by small obstacles, but instead fearlessly pursue our aspirations.”

“Growing up in a rural village, I found inspiration in the stories of renowned Indian women who had achieved great success. Their accomplishments motivated me to pursue my studies and aspire to make a positive impact in my community.”

Whenever Dr Purohit visits her village in India, she takes the opportunity to visit local schools and colleges to interact with the students, in the hopes that sharing her journey and experiences will ignite a similar sense of determination and ambition in them.

“I firmly believe that my success story, rooted in a similar background, holds the power to influence and inspire other girls, motivating their parents to invest in higher education.”

Dr Purohit, alongside her husband, established a Facebook and Instagram page to share the stories of scientific discoveries in Hindi, with an aim to make science more accessible to young students of India.

Looking ahead

Diversity and inclusion have gained significant recognition around the world in recent years which has led to changes in workforce dynamics, resulting in a growing trend of events and celebrations that promote the participation of women and underrepresented minority groups in the workforce.

“It is important to acknowledge that these positive changes were not easily achieved. It required people to speak up and advocate for their rights, and organisations adapting their policies to foster inclusivity.

“I think continuing this momentum is crucial in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace throughout all organisations.

“In my experience, I have encountered countless talented individuals who have not achieved the success they deserve due to limited opportunities. One prominent issue I have noticed is the heavy reliance on references during the hiring process, which disadvantages those without influential connections, particularly individuals from minority groups.”

Dr Purohit said it is important for organisations to recognise these biases and work towards creating a more inclusive and fair hiring process, as well as prioritising the sustainable retention of their diverse workforce.

“By fostering a culture that values and embraces diversity, where all voices are heard and respected, employees can feel a sense of belonging and contribute to their fullest potential.”