Awards shine a light on those making a true impact in the STEM industry

The inaugural Women in STEM Awards in partnership with PepsiCo were held at the Round Room in the Mansion House, Dublin on Thursday, October 26.

Hosted by Jess Kelly, technology correspondent at Newstalk and Connected magazine columnist, the awards were launched this year following the success of the Women in STEM Summit held annually in March.

Attended by over 370 guests, the event celebrated the incredible achievements and innovations of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Ireland.

The 15 award categories showcase leading companies and organisations in Ireland that are creating diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces to foster a culture of innovation and creativity, and provide the necessary support for women in STEM to reach their full potential.

The awards provided a much-needed platform to shine a light on the amazing women who are breaking barriers, pushing boundaries and making a significant impact in their fields.

The awards were judged by a panel of industry experts including:

Anne-Marie Tierney Le-Roux, senior vice-president, Enterprise Technology, IDA Ireland

Colin Mac Hale, EMEA sales director

Gillian Harford, country executive, 30 Per Cent Club Ireland

Jean O’Donnell, board member, Women in Technology & Science (WITS)

Meabh Smith, director of communications, Construction Industry Federation

Peter Clifford, head of strategy, Science Foundation Ireland

Susan Treacy, chief executive, HealthTech Ireland

As well as the 15 nominated awards, the judging panel also awarded two special recognition awards to women worthy of distinct acknowledgement. The Judges’ Impact Award went to Tracey-Jane Cassidy, Founder and CEO of Junior Einsteins Science Club for her passion in creating a love of STEM and learning through children’s natural curiosity, creativity and imagination.

The Outstanding Achievement Award went to Dr. Eilish McLoughlin, Associate Professor and Head of the School of Physical Sciences and STEM Teacher Internship (STInt) Programme, Dublin City University. The programme provides students and early career STEM teachers with the opportunity of a paid-internship experience in STEM focused roles and careers in global corporate firms. The concept, vision and design of the programme is led by Dr. McLoughlin and the judges noted her passion for sharing her experiences and research with teachers, educators, business leaders and researchers across the globe not just as part of her day job, but as part of her life job

John Morrissy, chief information officer and chairman of STEM, PepsiCo Ireland, noted, “We are delighted to sponsor the Women in STEM Awards as we join together to celebrate the incredible achievements by all who are inspiring the next generation of female innovators and leaders in Ireland.”

Women in STEM Awards and Summit director Grace Aungier was pleased with how the awards ceremony had gone. She said: “The Business Post and iQuest are honoured to be facilitating an event that supports and acknowledges the incredible achievements of women in STEM in Ireland and will inspire the next generation.

“By highlighting their accomplishments, we can encourage young girls and women to pursue careers in STEM, overcome obstacles and make a difference in their fields. It is in this same vein that we will be holding the Women in STEM Summit in March 2024 to continue to drive the dialogue around innovation to create a more inclusive and equitable world for all.”

The event was organised by iQuest & the Business Post and sponsored by PepsiCo, Codex, Schneider Electric, BAM Ireland and Fidelity Investments Ireland.

Winners announced on the night included:

Women in STEM Award - Health Technology

Lorraine Smyth - HSE

Women in STEM Award - Engineering

Paula Sequeira- Workday

STEM Recruitment Campaign of the Year

Suzi McKeown - Energia Group

Male Champion of Change Award

John Keaney - SIRO

Women in STEM Award - Technology

Bríd Nolan - PepsiCo

STEM Mentor of the Year Award

Sheila Porter - SciFest CLG

Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year Award

STEM Passport for Inclusion - Dr. Katriona O'Sullivan

STEM Employer of the Year Award

Fidelity Investments Ireland

Women in STEM Award - Energy

Éadaoin McLoughlin - Energia Renewables

Role Model of the Year Award

Priscilla O’Regan - BT Ireland

Female STEM Graduate of the Year Award

Hazel Murray - Munster Technological University

Women in STEM Award - Science

Dr Abigail Ruth Freeman - Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

Rising Star of the Year Award

Jennifer McGarry - Alexandra College Junior School

STEM Woman of the Year Award

Louise Callanan - HSE

Outstanding Returner Award

Shyamly Suresh - AIB