Top UK women in engineering make national awards final 

Five outstanding young women working across aerospace, nuclear decommissioning, satellite communications and Formula One racing have been named finalists in national awards which celebrate the rising stars of engineering and technology.

To mark Ada Lovelace Day (13 October), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has today unveiled the shortlist for its 2026 Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards.

These prestigious awards honour the very best early-career women working in modern engineering and technology. Finalists are also helping to challenge long-standing stereotypes by showcasing the diversity of the sector and breaking down outdated perceptions that the industry is predominantly male and defined by hard hats and overalls.

This year’s finalists are Rachel Chiu, Dr Emma Findlay, Caitlin Harmer, Ellie Owens and Meriem Voinica:

• Rachel Chiu, Principal Systems Architecture Engineer at Eutelsat, is a technical leader for OneWeb, one of the world’s largest low Earth orbit satellite constellations Her work delivers critical connectivity to businesses, governments, communities worldwide including in remote and underserved areas.
• Dr Emma Findlay, Deputy Head of Electronics, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, is responsible for the technical oversight of the Mercedes F1 car’s electrical system.
• Caitlin Harmer, EDAS Apprentice at BAE Systems, is leading the development of advanced simulation and a Virtual Reality-based Unmanned Aerial Systems training device. 
• Ellie Owens, Reliability Engineer at Sellafield Ltd, develops and implements asset strategies to ensure the safe processing and handling of nuclear fuel. 
• Meriem Voinica, a former Electronics Development Engineer Apprentice who has specialised in electronics systems development in Formula 1. 

By showcasing these role models, the IET hopes to spark curiosity and confidence in girls across the UK, helping them see that engineering is not only for them but better with them. 

As well as celebrating engineering excellence, the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards aims to find role models who can help tackle the UK’s ongoing science and engineering skills gap by inspiring more girls and young women to consider careers in STEM.

Despite progress, women remain significantly underrepresented, making up just 17% of the engineering and technology workforce, compared to 56% in other occupations (source: Engineering UK 2026).

Jennifer Barry, 2025 Young Woman Engineer of the Year, said: “Winning this award was a really special moment for me, and I’ve been surprised by how many opportunities it has opened up since. It’s introduced me to people I might never otherwise have met, including engineers working in completely different disciplines, and given me opportunities to share my experiences with a much wider audience, such as through speaking to various media outlets. For me, that’s one of the real strengths of an award like this. It creates a platform not only to recognise individual achievement, but to celebrate the breadth of talent and contribution that women are making across engineering. Recognition matters – both for the women being recognised and for those coming through the profession who can see what is possible. 
 
“I was also really pleased to be involved in interviewing this year’s shortlist and helping to select the finalists. The calibre of the women we spoke to was incredibly high, and hearing about their work, achievements and the impact they are having was genuinely inspiring. The finalists are a fantastic reflection of the many different ways women are making a difference through engineering. I’m really looking forward to seeing the winner announced in December and celebrating their achievements. Having experienced first-hand what winning this award can mean, I’m delighted to see another group of talented women being given the recognition they deserve.”

Dr Laura Norton, Head of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the IET, added: “Engineering is all about solving the biggest, most complex challenges of our time like climate change, healthcare, and the future of technology. 

“But too many barriers still stand in the way, from outdated stereotypes and misconceptions about engineering to a lack of visible role models. Together, they’re contributing to the persistent shortage of women in the profession. Girls and young women need to see that they belong here and that they can succeed. 

“That’s why our Awards are so important. By celebrating exceptional engineers and their achievements, we can challenge perceptions, inspire ambition, and encourage more young people to consider careers in engineering and technology.”

The winner will be announced at the IET’s Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards ceremony on 3 December 2026 at IET London: Savoy Place. Registration is now open for the awards – for more information and to register to attend, please visit TThe Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards.https://youngwomenengineer.theiet.org/.

This year’s YWE Awards are being sponsored by GCHQ, Leonardo, MBDA, the RAF, and Thales.

ENDS

About the IET

• We inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world. 
• We are a diverse home for engineering and technology intelligence throughout the world. This breadth and depth mean we are uniquely placed to help the sector progress society. 
• We want to build the profile of engineering and technology to change outdated perceptions and tackle the skills gap. 
  
  • This includes encouraging more women to become engineers and growing the number of engineering apprentices. Together with WISE, we also work to improve gender equity in STEM and help create a more diverse and inclusive engineering workforce.  
• Interview opportunities are available with our spokespeople from a range of engineering and technology disciplines including cyber-security, energy, engineering skills, innovation, manufacturing, technology, transport and diversity in engineering.
• For more information, visit www.theiet.org.
• Follow the IET on LinkedIn and Instagram via @TheIET / @InstitutionofEngineeringandTechnology.

For media enquiries:

Sarah Jenkins 
External Communications & PR Lead  
SarahJenkins@theiet.org