The 28th annual Women in Technology Awards were recently held at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane, highlighting outstanding achievements among Queensland’s women in science, technology, engineering, and digital innovation.

Emphasizing Unity through ‘Stronger Together’

WiT Chair Iyari Cevallos spoke about this year’s theme, “Stronger Together,” which underscores the importance of collaboration among women within STEM fields.

“This year’s theme, ‘Stronger Together,’ reflects the power of collaboration, unity and shared purpose. When women support each other, we don’t just lift individuals – we strengthen entire industries and communities,” said Iyari Cevallos, WiT Chair.

Recognizing Groundbreaking Contributions

This year, the awards garnered over 270 nominations across ten categories, ultimately presenting 11 winners. They spanned disciplines such as biomedical research, public sector innovations, and digital health advancements.

Noteworthy winners included:

• Rennae Hopkins: First Nations Change Maker Award
• Alise Fox: Emerging Science Star Award
• Professor Rowena Barrett & Sarah Chapman: Joint recipients of the Raising the Regions Award
• QCase Project and Transition Teams: Public Sector Excellence Award
• Dr. Catherine Franklin: Lifting Communities Award
• Clarissa Yates from Ketim Technologies: Future Focused Business Achiever Award
• Dr. Jacqui McGovern & Professor Christine Anne Beveridge: Excellence in Research Award
• Dr. Lalehvash Moghadda: Excellence in Industry Leadership Award
• GHD: Employer of Change
• Dr. Aida Branković: Emerging Tech Star

Additional Highly Commended recognitions included Dr. Scarlett Raine, SPARQ-ed Students Performing Advanced Research Queensland, and Julie Spicer from The Connection Table.

Supporting Women in STEM

This prestigious awards program, supported by notable sponsors such as QUT and the University of Queensland, aims to address the persistent gender disparity in STEM fields.

Despite the growth in Australia’s digital technology sector, statistics reveal that women comprise only 29% of the STEM-skilled workforce. They continue to face challenges, including lower average earnings compared to men and underrepresentation in senior roles.

The core goal of the Women in Technology Awards is to bolster support for women entering these fields and facilitate their progression into leadership positions, ultimately aiming to reduce participation gaps over time.