‘Outstanding’ young female engineers nominated for national award

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

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) announced the shortlist for its 2026 Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards on Ada Lovelace Day (13 October), celebrating the legacy of the trailblazing mathematician and computer programmer.

“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are also helping to challenge long-standing stereotypes by showcasing the diversity of the sector and breaking down outdated perceptions that the industry is predominantly male and defined by ‘hard hats and overalls’,” an IET announcement said.

The finalists are:

• Rachel Chiu, principal systems architecture engineer at Eutelsat. Chiu is a technical leader for OneWeb, one of the world’s largest low Earth orbit satellite constellations
• Dr Emma Findlay, deputy head of electronics, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Findlay is responsible for the technical oversight of the Mercedes F1 car’s electrical system
• Caitlin Harmer, EDAS apprentice at BAE Systems. Harmer leads the development of advanced simulation and a virtual reality-based unmanned aerial system training device
• Ellie Owens, reliability engineer at Sellafield Ltd. Owens develops and implements asset strategies to ensure the safe processing and handling of nuclear fuel
• Meriem Voinica, a former electronics development engineer apprentice. Voinica specialised in electronics systems development in Formula 1.  

The awards aim 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.

“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time like climate change, healthcare and the future of technology, but too many barriers still stand in the way, from outdated stereotypes and misconceptions about engineering to a lack of visible role models.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,” said Dr Laura Norton, head of equity, diversity and inclusion at the IET.

“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 at the organisation’s London headquarters on 3 December.

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