Of the many applicants, four women made it to the final. One of them will be honored with the Engineer Woman Award on Thursday, April 25. The initiative is designed to encourage companies to do more to recognize and promote the achievements and special commitment of their female employees in STEM professions.

The four women nominated for the Engineer Woman Award are (in alphabetical order):

Sheila Beladinejad completed her master's degree in industrial engineering at the University of Bordeaux, after which she worked in the telecommunications industry in North America. With over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, the AI expert provides guidance to investors, for example in the acquisition of start-ups. Sheila Beladinejad is also the founder and chairwoman of Women in AI and Robotics Germany e.V. (WAIR), a non-profit association based in Munich. To promote women's careers, it has initiated mentoring programs, educational workshops, a start-up accelerator, and hackathons. The organization now has 1,400 members worldwide, mainly in Germany and other EU countries, but also a strong presence in Canada. It is a registered partner of the United Nations, and has forged close links with industry and research institutions.

Dipl.- Ing. Yvonne Groth studied agricultural sciences and environmental protection at the University of Rostock. In 2006, she joined the IBS Group as a project engineer; in 2015, she was appointed its Managing Director. She has been Managing Director of Dornier Construction und Service GmbH since 2022. In addition to her professional activities, Yvonne Groth has volunteered her time for the advancement of women for many years. Among other activities, she is involved in the cross-mentoring program 'Aufstieg in Unternehmen – Mentoring für Frauen in der Wirtschaft in M-V2', aiming at career advancement and mentoring for women in companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. She is also a founder of the Welcome Center Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, a contact point not only for companies but also for women newly arriving in or returning to the Mecklenburg Lake District, with the aim of supporting recruitment, continuing employment, and retention of skilled workers. Furthermore, she arranges networking lunches for female executives in the corporate sector, and participates in a working group for academia/business collaboration.

After graduating from high school in Sousse, Tunisia, Dr.-Ing. Sabrine Khadhraoui completed her studies in International Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where she earned her doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. Since 2011, she has been employed as a research and development engineer in the SMS Group, a globally operating company specializing in metallurgical and rolling mill technology. Sabrine Khadhraoui has developed six patents for innovative processes and methods to improve recyclability, increase energy and material efficiency, and reduce the ecological footprint. She is also involved in the Diversity Committee of the SMS Group in Germany, which promotes diversity and intercultural awareness in the workplace. In addition to teaching at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Sabrine Khadhraoui also visits schools and universities to talk directly with female students and schoolgirls, aiming to dispel misconceptions about their suitability for STEM degree courses.

Dr.-Ing. Frauke Reinders studied chemical engineering at the Technical University Dortmund, and completed her doctorate in plastics engineering at Paderborn University. Frauke Reinders has been Head of Sustainability Management at Phoenix Contact Electronics GmbH since 2022. This includes the ESG area, Net Zero Factory, and ecological alternatives for product components. She focuses on gender equality. She is also a member of board of the ing'enious network for women in technical professions at Phoenix Contact, and plays an active role in diversity projects. Her activities also focus on promoting STEM subjects in schools and daycare centers. For example, Frauke Reinders and her project team are working on a guidance pack for kindergartens. It contains 50 experiments to get children interested in science and technology from an early age.

FEMWORX – Career Congress for Women in Industry

The 21st Careers Congress will take place as part of HANNOVER MESSE, and is being held over two days for the first time. On Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26, 2024, participants in the most successful networking and discussion event for female leadership in the STEM sector will be able to experience two days packed with inspiration and encouraging stories.

HANNOVER MESSE

HANNOVER MESSE is the world's leading trade fair for industry. Its lead theme of „Energizing a Sustainable Industry“ brings together exhibiting companies from the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and digital industries as well as the energy sector to present solutions for future production methods and the energy supply. Key topics include Industrie 4.0/Manufacturing-X, Energy for Industry, Digitization/Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Carbon-neutral Production, and Hydrogen and Fuel Cells. The program is complemented by a series of conferences and forums. The next edition of the event runs in Hannover, Germany, from 22 to 26 April 2024. Norway is the partner country.