Top 50 list to be unveiled for International Women in Engineering Day 2018

The list of the Top 50 women in engineering 2018 (WE50) will be published on Sunday 24 June 2018 as part of the weekend of celebrations for International Women in Engineering Day (INWED). This year’s theme highlights the achievements of women who have been returners and transferrers into the field.

The WE50 list, compiled by the Telegraph in collaboration with the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), will feature the UK’s top returners and transferrers into engineering and allied sectors and were chosen from nearly 200 high-quality nominations. The WE50 list will be published in the Sunday Telegraph. 

Kirsten Bodley, chief executive of WES, the organisation that founded International Women in Engineering Day, said: “The nominations this year demonstrated the talent and determination of many inspirational women working in the engineering and allied sectors. It is wonderful to see how their skills support such a wide range of roles, career stages and routes. Congratulations to all who were nominated and to our winners.” 

Benita Mehra, president of WES, commented: “As a returner and a transferrer, I thought my experiences were unique. I am sure there are many of us who operate in this sphere, just get on with it and have been successful in our own right. It is so good to see successful women returners and transferrers recognised. This is a fantastic tribute to worthy women who have often had to overcome hurdles along the way.”

The candidates on the WE50 list represent the very broad range of routes it is possible to follow into a career in engineering. Sectors in which the winning women are employed include structural and electronic engineering, health, environment and academia. Those listed are all at very different stages in their lives, varying from early career engineers to senior leadership. The WE50 winners will be awarded their trophies at an International Women in Engineering Day afternoon tea event held by Women’s Engineering Society on 26 June.

WE50 is one of the key events taking place for International Women in Engineering Day 2018. Hundreds of other exciting INWED18 events have already taken place to celebrate female engineers and raise the profile of engineering to women and girls, with more events still planned on 23 June and over the coming weeks. Hundreds of events have been registered in the UK and across the world, from Canada and the USA to Spain, Panama, Pakistan, Tanzania, Nepal and Cameroon. They range from talks, tours, open days and debates to innovative hands on art works, competitions, networking events, site visits, videos, webinars and campaigns. 

The events can be explored at www.inwed.org.uk