Hannover. The WoMenPower careers conference attracts over 1,400 participants and ranks as one of Europe's foremost platforms for innovative career and employment models and success strategies for women in business, industry and research. It is an annual fixture at HANNOVER MESSE and this year will be held on Friday, 28 April. One of the highlights of the conference is the presentation of the Engineer Powerwoman award nominees. This year, as always, the nominees were selected by an independent jury made up of members of the WoMenPower conference advisory committee. The ultimate aim of award, worth 5,000 euros in prize money, is to encourage companies to recognize and honor the achievements, commitment and dedication of female employees in STEM professions. The overall winner will be announced during the WoMenPower conference's opening ceremony. The nominees are: Maria Belén Aranda Colás (Robert Bosch GmbH), Claudia Gläser (Gläser GmbH) and Dr. Anna Schwarz (DANTO Invention GmbH & Co. KG).

María-Belén Aranda Colás has been a member of the senior management team at Robert Bosch GmbH since March 2017. Prior to that she served as Project Manager for Autonomous Driving in Robert Bosch's Chassis Systems Control unit. Colás, who holds a degree in electrical engineering, is a committed advocate of new technologies that improve traffic safety, and over the years has championed the cause of autonomous driving at numerous conferences and panel discussions and on joint working groups with lawmakers and regulators. She also mentors young girls and women university students, inspiring them with a passion for technology and encouraging them to consider careers in STEM areas.

Claudia Gläser, the managing partner and CEO of the engineering firm Gläser GmbH, is a trained industrial machinery mechanic and holds a degree in mechanical engineering. Gläser GmbH is an internationally focused family-owned business that specializes in the design, development and production of hydraulic control blocks and the design and construction of inspection and testing equipment for technical cleanliness. In addition to heading the company, Ms. Gläser contributes to the STEM working group of the German Association of Women Entrepreneurs (VdU) and is a member of the jury of Germany's "Jugend gründet" business plan and simulation competition for young people. She is one of 122 role models featured on the Baden-Württemberg region's "Spitzenfrauen" careers portal for women in top-level management and has also been selected as a role model for the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Industry's (BMWi) "FRAUEN unternehmen" women entrepreneurs initiative.

Anna Schwarz, a managing director of DANTO-Invention GmbH & Co. KG, holds a first degree in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in energy and power plant engineering. While undertaking her studies, she co-founded DANTO-Invention and developed a spring made of glass fiber reinforced plastics which is potentially a key enabling technology in the spring engineering sector. Dr. Schwarz has also developed a process that enables these springs to be manufactured very cost-effectively. The DANTO spring will be unveiled to the global market at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

WoMenPower

The WoMenPower conference comprises lectures, seminars and workshops, plus a supporting exhibition. This year, more than 50 participating companies, industry associations, business networks, organizations and trainers will be providing information on career opportunities, courses of study, coaching and mentoring offerings as well as a range of employment, industrial relations and labor-market topics. Participation is by online registration at www.womenpower-kongress.de. Ticket prices start at 129 euros. Students pay only 25 euros. The main sponsors of the conference are Audi, Continental, Harting, Deloitte, Robert Bosch, WAGO Kontakttechnik and the German Federal Defense Forces.