IET announces the finalists for the Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards

13 November 2006

Following a record number of entries, and a rigorous round of interviews, Europe’s largest professional engineering society, the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology), has today announced the finalists for the 2006 Young Woman Engineer of the Year awards.

The five selected candidates, who range in age from 24 to 28, have been chosen, not only for their exceptional academic and technical experience, but also for their active involvement in raising the profile of engineering to young people and pushing the boundaries of what is expected of them.

The Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award is the most prestigious award of its kind and rewards the very best female engineers in the UK, highlighting the achievements of women in the profession. The awards also help to highlight that engineering provides an exciting career option for women which is both well paid and provides the opportunity to make a difference to people's lives.

The award attracts prominent supporters and sponsors including BT and Cosmopolitan magazine, who share with the IET a concern that only eight per cent of the UK’s engineers are women. The finalists will attend a national award ceremony at the BT Centre, in London on the 25January 2007, where the winner will be announced. The finalists are (in alphabetical order):

Katy Linforth, 26, from Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire. Katy is an Electrical Engineer for Kirklees Metropolitan Council. Katy has successfully implemented a variety of renewable energy projects, for which she has received other award nominations. She regularly shares her enthusiasm for engineering by speaking to students at local secondary schools and is also an active scout leader.

Stephanie McBader, 27, from Southampton. Stephanie currently works for Semtech Ltd as IC Design Engineer. Stephanie speaks several languages, has worked on high profile engineering projects both in the UK and overseas and has spent time as a lecturer in engineering.

Maire McLoone, 28, from Belfast. Maire is a Lecturer and RAEng Research Fellow for ECIT Research Institute at the University of Belfast. Her achievements include leading a research team, building international relations and securing funding for her research projects and also giving talks to other young women about the profession.

Suzanne Stamford, 24, from Eaton Socon in Cambridgeshire. Suzanne works as electronics platoon commander for the 3 Battalion REME, HM Forces and is currently serving in Iraq. Suzanne leads a platoon of 35 men, controlling the productive resources and making critical engineering decisions in a variety of areas.

Claire Williams, 27, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Claire currently works as Area Engineer for Huntsman Tioxide, a pigment manufacturer. Clare helps to encourage young people in her local area into engineering and regularly visits local schools to tell students about what she does. She has also spent two years with the VSO, rebuilding science facilities for students in remote Tanzania.

Dr Alf Roberts, chief executive of the IET said: “We have had an excellent response for this year’s awards and the standard of entries has been particularly high. I would like to congratulate all the finalists who have achieved many great things in their careers to date. All of the finalists are fantastic role models for other young women who may be considering a career in engineering.  The Institution is committed to raising the profile of engineering to young people and we hope that the awards will help to address the shortage of women within the profession.”

The winner of the Young Woman Engineer of the Year award will receive a cheque for £1,000 and an engraved trophy.  The runner-up will receive the WES prize of £500 (WES – Women’s Engineering Society). In addition to this, The Mary George Memorial Prize will be presented to a candidate who has completed her academic studies and shows great promise and potential within the profession.

IET is also launching a new award this year to acknowledge the achievements of women on apprenticeship schemes. Sponsored by the James Dyson Foundation the Dyson Young Woman Apprentice Award credits the importance of on-the-job training within the profession. The winner of this award will receive £750 from the James Dyson Foundation.

Jenny Bond
T: 020 7344 5445
E: jennybond@theiet.org

Photography is available upon request.