2024 SWE Awards Recipients Recognized for Driving Progress and Advancement in STEM

Celebrate the contributions and achievements of the 2024 Society of Women Engineers award recipients!
2024 SWE Awards Recipients
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Today the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) announced the recipients of its annual awards program, celebrating the trailblazers driving progress within the STEM community and championing the advancement of women in engineering. The 2024 SWE awards honorees include collegiates and professionals from leading companies, organizations, and academic institutions around the world.

“I’m so excited to be able to celebrate these phenomenal award winners this October in Chicago at WE24 where the theme is ‘Together We Rise,'” said Karen Roth, FY25 SWE president. “We received well over a thousand submissions, and this group of awardees showed us how they embody the mission of SWE and inspire others along the way across the global landscape. These truly are some of the best engineers and scientists in the world. Congratulations!”

This year’s award recipients will be recognized at WE24, the world’s largest conference and career fair for women engineers and technologists on Oct. 24-26 in Chicago. More than 18,000 professional and collegiate individuals in engineering and technology are expected to attend WE24 for professional development, networking opportunities, inspiration, and on-site job interviews.

You can find the full list of recipients below and on the SWE awards website.

Apex Awards: Achievement Award | Advocating Women in Engineering Award | Distinguished Engineering Educator Award | Distinguished Service Award | Fellow Grade | Resnik Challenger Medal Award | Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award | Spark Award | Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award

Ascent Awards: Catalyst Award | Distinguished Engineer Award | Distinguished New Engineer Award | Distinguished Global Leader Award | Emerging Advocate Award | Emerging Ally Award | Emerging Engineering Educator Award | Emerging Global Leader Award | Employer Champion Award | Engaged Advocate Award | Engaged Ally Award | Engineering Educator Award | Global Leader Award | Ignite Award | Outstanding Collegiate Member Award | Outstanding Counselor Award | Outstanding Graduate Student Member Award | Pathfinder Award | Prism Award | Rising Collegiate Star Award | Rising Technical Contributor Award | Trailblazer Award


In 2024, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) restructured its annual awards program to better reflect the organization’s key priorities, including global inclusivity, advocacy, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B). This restructuring led to the creation of two distinct programs that honor women and allies in STEM: the SWE Awards Program and the SWE Recognition Program.

The SWE Awards Program celebrates high levels of achievement among those who identify as women and allies at all career stages in engineering, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The new SWE Awards Program consists of two levels:

  • Apex Awards: Represents SWE’s highest level of awards, honoring individuals with 20+ years of professional experience.
  • Ascent Awards: Encompasses all other significant achievements. These awardees range from students to mid-career professionals and typically have less than 20 years of experience.

Separately, the SWE Recognition Program acknowledges additional achievements by SWE sections and affiliates, as well as those who identify as women and allies in engineering, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

Apex Awards

Achievement Award

As the highest award given by the Society of Women Engineers, this award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made significant and progressive technical contributions for at least 20 years in the fields of engineering, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Lori Zipes, Naval Sea Systems Command

 

Advocating Women in Engineering Award

This award honors an individual who has demonstrated professional excellence for at least 20 years in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering and has proven to be an advocate of women in engineering. The nominee must be in a position of influence within their current organization and/or community and have demonstrated passion in supporting women in engineering and SWE’s Mission.

  • Uma Bruegman, The Aerospace Corporation
  • Kenyatta Dial, Dow
  • Shawn Emerson Simmons, Ph.D., Exxon Mobil Corporation
  • Sara Rosner, Intel
  • Kristan Soto, Dow

 

Distinguished Engineering Educator Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made significant contributions for at least 20 years, with at least 10 years of instructional experiences in the fields of engineering, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Gretchen Hein, Ph.D., Michigan Technological University
  • Katy Kao, Ph.D., San José State University
  • Diane Peters, P.E., Ph.D., F.SWE, Kettering University

 

Distinguished Service Award

This award honors a SWE member with at least 20 years as a professional SWE member and experience in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering who has made significant contributions to the Society of Women Engineers at any level of the Society.

  • Jennifer Chen Morikawa, General Motors
  • Cecilia Craig, Ph.D., F.SWE
  • Vicki Johnson, Ph.D., F.SWE, Spirit AeroSystems (Retired)
  • Gail Mattson, P.E., F.SWE, Longeneker & Associates Inc.
  • Vivienne L. McKitrick, P.E., Quixote Enterprises

 

Fellow Grade

This award honors a SWE member with at least 20 years as a professional SWE member who has achieved professional excellence, while also making significant and long-term contributions towards advancing the mission, objectives, and goals of the Society. The nominee will have contributed significantly to the public’s awareness of engineering as a profession for women and informing employers, the profession, and the public of women’s contributions to the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Heather Doty, BAE Systems Inc.
  • Allison Goodman, Intel
  • Kerrie Greenfelder, P.E., Burns & McDonnell
  • Dayna Johnson, P.E., Ecolab
  • Sandra Mandawe Paglieroni, LGC Wireless (Retired)
  • Susan Schlett, Sikorsky Aircraft
  • Tuyet-Hanh Schnell, Lockheed Martin
  • Patricia Walker, Medtronic

 

Resnik Challenger Medal Award

This award was established in 1986 to honor SWE’s Dr. Judith A. Resnik, NASA mission specialist on the ill- fated Challenger space shuttle flight on Jan. 28, 1986. It is awarded only as merited for visionary contributions to space programs to an individual who identifies as a woman with at least 10 years of experience. This award acknowledges a specific engineering breakthrough or achievement that has expanded the horizons of human activities in space.

  • Julie Huffman, Ph.D., Lockheed Martin

 

Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award

This award is presented to an individual who identifies as a man and has contributed significantly for at least 20 years to the acceptance and advancement of women in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The nominee may have increased the recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention of women engineers or women engineering students. The nominee may also have encouraged, sponsored or developed professional training/development programs, and created a supportive environment for women engineers in the workplace or women engineering students in a college or university.

  • Michael Bzdak, Ph.D., Johnson & Johnson
  • Kelly Schmitz, Cummins Inc.
  • Chandramouli Vijjhala, John Deere

 

Spark Award

This award honors an individual who has contributed to the advancement of women by mentoring those around them. The nominee will have made a difference in the lives of many by affecting women at a variety of levels ranging from primary and secondary schools through more senior levels in relation to their position. The nominee must have at least 20 years of experience in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Claudia Callegari, IBM
  • Assaldra Oates, Lockheed Martin
  • Anna Prakash, Ph.D.
  • Lisa Underwood, HP Inc.
  • Jennifer Walck, Exxon Mobil Corporation

 

Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award Endowed by Northrop Grumman Corporation

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman, has made outstanding contributions for at least 20 years in the field of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, and/or science related to engineering, and has succeeded in rising within their organization to the level of, at a minimum, general manager or equivalent upper management position. The nominee has created a nurturing environment for other women in the workplace. Northrop Grumman Corporation has endowed this award.

  • Maria Demaree, Lockheed Martin

Ascent Awards

Catalyst Award

This award honors an individual who has contributed to the advancement of women by mentoring those around them. The nominee will have made a difference in the lives of many by affecting women at a variety of levels ranging from primary and secondary schools through more senior levels in relation to their position. The nominee must have less than 10 years of experience in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Avery Brooks
  • Kruthika Narendran, P.Eng, P.E, IBM
  • Nayleth Ramirez, RTX
  • Deepthi Patil Udaya Kumar Patil, The Boeing Company
  • Haley WolfBader, The Boeing Company

 

Distinguished Engineer Award

This award honors a SWE member with 10-20 years as a professional SWE member and has demonstrated professional excellence in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering, leadership in SWE, as well as professional organizations and/or the community.

  • Stephanie Chin, Intel
  • Julia Clarke, P.E., Raba Kistner Inc.
  • Sandra Kolvick, P.E., GE Vernova
  • Jennifer LaVine, Sikorsky Aircraft
  • Jennifer Lynch, IBM (Retired)
  • Ashley Pietz, BAE Systems Inc.
  • Lisa Woodward, P.E., Colorado School of Mines

 

Distinguished New Engineer Award

This award recognizes a SWE member with less than 10 years as a professional SWE member and has demonstrated professional excellence in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering, leadership in SWE, as well as professional organizations, and/or the community.

  • Aarti Agarwal, John Deere
  • Andrea Aragues Lima, John Deere
  • Dipti Bapat, Cummins Inc.
  • Sreyoshi Bhaduri, Ph.D., Amazon
  • Megan Bredehorst, Medtronic
  • Rachel Carter, The Boeing Company
  • Kaitlin Chapman, Medtronic
  • Ria Dash, HP Inc.
  • Elizabeth Gjini, Schneider Electric
  • Emily Hoffman, Ph.D., Ambit Inc.
  • Shela Joyce, Johnson Controls
  • Maya Makhlouf, Ford Motor Company
  • Liz Mathew, Caterpillar Inc.
  • Kaitlyn Mores, P.E., Burns & McDonnell
  • Ozioma Ozigbo, Wolfspeed
  • Sharayu Sonwalkar, P.E., John Deere
  • Tiffany Tang, Crane Aerospace & Electronics
  • Sneha Tewari, John Deere
  • Swetha Vinjimoor, Abbott
  • Sarah Wakumoto, P.E., Dow

 

Distinguished Global Leader Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made a significant contribution as a global leader for at least 15 years in their engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related engineering organization. The nominee has created a nurturing environment for women of different cultures in the workplace, as well as demonstrated leadership in professional organizations and the community.

    • Honorata Hencel, The Boeing Company
    • Ailie Jane MacAdam, Bechtel
    • Tonya Stockman, Ph.D., Dow

 

Emerging Advocate Award

This award honors an individual who has demonstrated professional excellence for less than 10 years in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering and has proven to be an advocate of women in engineering. The nominee must be in a position of influence within their current organization and/or community and have demonstrated passion in supporting women in engineering and SWE’s Mission.

  • Priya Dadd-Cannon, Whirlpool Corporation
  • Sylvie DeLaHunt, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
  • Joyanna Mazzone, Lockheed Martin
  • Erin Rasmussen, Intel
  • Breigh Renner, United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School

 

Emerging Ally Award

The award honors an individual who identifies as a man and has contributed significantly for less than 10 years to the acceptance and advancement of women in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The nominee may have increased the recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention of women engineers or women engineering students. The nominee may also have encouraged, sponsored or developed professional training/development programs, and created a supportive environment for women engineers in the workplace or women engineering students in a college or university.

  • Thomas Carey, Ph.D., United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School

 

Emerging Engineering Educator Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made contributions for five to 10 years, with at least three years of instructional experiences in the fields of engineering, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Joanna Tsenn, Ph.D., Texas A&M University

 

Emerging Global Leader Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made a significant contribution as a global leader for five to 10 years in their engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related engineering organization. The nominee has created a nurturing environment for women of different cultures in the workplace, as well as demonstrated leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Samantha Garrabrant, BD
  • Sarah Lima, Whirlpool Corporation
  • Geetika Purohit, John Deere
  • Loriane Tachon Parisot, Dow

 

Employer Champion Award

This award honors an employer that has contributed significantly to the acceptance and advancement of women in the fields of engineering, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The employer may have increased the recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention of women engineers or women engineering students. The employer may also have developed professional training/development programs and created a supportive environment for women engineers in the workplace or women engineering students in a college or university.

  • Abb
  • Wabtec Corporation

 

Engaged Advocate Award

This award honors an individual who has demonstrated professional excellence for 10-20 years in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering and has proven to be an advocate of women in engineering. The nominee must be in a position of influence within their current organization and/or community and have demonstrated passion in supporting women in engineering and SWE’s Mission.

  • Lennis Perez, Sulzer
  • Elisha Rios, Merck & Co. Inc.
  • Arlyne Simon, Ph.D., Intel
  • Jennifer Tullai, Wabtec Corporation
  • Erin Vogel, Ph.D., Dow

 

Engaged Ally Award

The award honors an individual who identifies as a man and has contributed significantly for 10-20 years to the acceptance and advancement of women in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The nominee may have increased the recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention of women engineers or women engineering students. The nominee may also have encouraged, sponsored or developed professional training/development programs, and created a supportive environment for women engineers in the workplace or women engineering students in a college or university.

    • Amit Sood, Whirlpool Corporation
    • Tanmay Vyas, Cummins Inc.
    • Timothy Weller Jr., Nestlé

 

Engineering Educator Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made significant contributions for 10-20 years, with at least five years of instructional experiences in the fields of engineering, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh, Springfield Technical Community College

 

Global Leader Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made a significant contribution as a global leader for 10-15 years in their engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related engineering organization in a global setting. The nominee has created a nurturing environment for women of different cultures in the workplace, as well as demonstrated leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Elma Avdic, Cummins Inc.
  • Gloria Moncada, Exxon Mobil Corporation
  • Mansi Shah, P.Eng, The Boeing Company

 

Ignite Award

This award honors an individual who has contributed to the advancement of women by mentoring those around them. The nominee will have made a difference in the lives of many by affecting women at a variety of levels ranging from primary and secondary schools through more senior levels in relation to their position. The nominee must have 10-20 years of experience in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering.

  • Elizabeth Benson, The Boeing Company
  • Janaki Gadiyaram, Wabtec Corporation
  • Michele Johnson, Whirlpool Corporation
  • Erica Redline, Ph.D., Sandia National Laboratories
  • Wei Zhu, Cummins Inc.

 

Outstanding Collegiate Member Award

This award is presented to an undergraduate SWE collegiate member with at least two years of SWE collegiate involvement and has made an outstanding contribution to SWE, other engineering organizations, the community, and their campus.

  • Abigail Ahn, University of Michigan
  • Anagha Atawale, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Allison Berkholz, University of Michigan
  • Skyler Brawley, Michigan Technological University
  • Amy Chen, University of Michigan
  • Jasmine Creswell, Clemson University
  • Hunter Grace Fairfax, The University of Alabama
  • Aditi Gurudutt, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Ella Hart, The University of Alabama
  • Vaishnavi Himakunthala, University of California, Santa Barbara
  • Allie Huszcza, Virginia Tech
  • Isabella Legovich, Rensseler Polytechnic Institute
  • Elizabeth Mentel, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
  • Isabelle Montilla, University of Michigan
  • Grace Peterson, Wichita State University
  • Siya Scindia, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Mallory Smith, The Ohio State University

 

Outstanding Counselor Award

This award honors a SWE member who has made an outstanding contribution to a SWE collegiate section or affiliate as a counselor and served as a link for the SWE collegiate section or affiliate to other SWE groups, such as local professional sections or affiliates, MALs, affinity groups, or society committees.

  • Abosede Adewole, Ph.D., Federal Housing Authority
  • Zaineb Ahmad, Collins Aerospace, an RTX Business

 

Outstanding Graduate Student Member Award

This award honors a SWE graduate student who has made an outstanding contribution to SWE, engineering societies, the community, and their campus.

  • Ivy Kwok, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Lucero Lopez, University of Michigan
  • Bukola Oni, Ph.D., Iowa State University
  • Jiachun Shi, Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Amanda Stone, Purdue University

 

Pathfinder Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has been actively engaged for 10-15 years in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The nominee must have demonstrated significant professional leadership in a technical field, as well as leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Aline Bartz Weschenfelder, John Deere
  • Carrie Bobier-Tiu, Ph.D., Woven by Toyota Inc.
  • Hayley Brown, Ph.D., Dow
  • Faezeh Gholami, Ph.D., IBM
  • Mrinal Karvir, Intel
  • Shweta Katakde, P.E., Cummins Inc.
  • Nelie Loufakis, Ph.D., Dow
  • Jordan Mahoney, Lockheed Martin
  • Meredith Mulder, Kautex, a Textron Company
  • Mandeep Phull, IBM
  • Amber Resa, Bell Textron Inc.
  • Harshada Thombare, Whirlpool Corporation
  • Elizabeth Walker, General Motors
  • Kayla Williams, Dow

 

Prism Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has made significant contributions for at least 15 years in engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The nominee must have demonstrated a variety of outstanding career leadership activities in a technical field, as well as leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Ana Paula Appel, Ph.D., IBM
  • Mythili Belle, Honeywell
  • Rajani Boddu, Wabtec Corporation
  • Khanjari Kumbhar, Burns & McDonnell
  • Kjersta Larson-Smith, Ph.D., The Boeing Company
  • Hang Loi, 3M (Retired)
  • Lotheronie Raby, Dow
  • Pratima Rao, Ph.D., Lam Research
  • Annapurna Vishwanathan, Cummins Inc.

 

Rising Collegiate Star Award

This award honors an undergraduate SWE collegiate member with less than two years of SWE collegiate involvement and has made an outstanding contribution to SWE, other engineering organizations, the community, and their campus.

  • Kat Basile, University of Michigan
  • Mia Eisenberg, The University of Alabama
  • Gabriella Gaston, The University of Alabama
  • Lucie Kovarik, University of Michigan
  • Ally Lewis, The Ohio State University
  • Nadia Ludwig, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Madalyn Nguyen, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Prabhleen Pawar, University of Michigan
  • Zahrah Qureshi, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Vyomini (Mona) Vakil, University of Michigan

 

Rising Technical Contributor Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has been actively engaged for less than five years in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering as a professional or graduate student. The nominee must have demonstrated outstanding technical performance and/or leadership in a technical field, as well as leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Sakshi Aher, John Deere
  • Shannon Amarello, General Dynamics
  • Haley Antoine Grantham, Toyota Motor North America Inc.
  • Kiyomi Arimitsu Takemoto, The Boeing Company
  • Claudia Berdugo-Díaz, Ph.D., Dow
  • Taycia Brandon, Medtronic
  • Courtney Cowger-Robles, RTX
  • Rosa Lizbeth Flores, John Deere
  • Leela Goel, Ph.D., Shockwave Medical
  • Sarah Jane Graham, Boston Scientific
  • Abby Kerber, Kansas City National Security Campus
  • Sora Lee, Ph.D., Intel
  • Katie Lenz, HP Inc.
  • Ruei-Ting Miau, HP Inc.
  • Meena Nagappan, RTX
  • Annaliza Perez Torres, Lockheed Martin
  • Julia Reilly, DuPont
  • Stephanie Tu, The Boeing Company

 

Trailblazer Award

This award honors an individual who identifies as a woman and has been actively engaged for five to 10 years in the fields of engineering, engineering management, engineering education, engineering technology, or science related to engineering. The nominee must have demonstrated outstanding technical performance and/or leadership in a technical field, as well as leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Mahi Agrawal, John Deere
  • Tara Baker, Spirit AeroSystems
  • Rashmi Daksh, John Deere
  • Rebecca Friesen, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
  • Garima Gautam, Intel
  • Pola Goldberg Oppenheimer, Ph.D., University of Birmingham
  • Nishigandha Kelkar, Stanford University
  • Anusha Kotha, Intel
  • Shradhdha Sarvaiya, Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation
  • Ayushi Shah, John Deere
  • Rebecca Siegelman, Ph.D., DuPont
  • Amanda Smies, United States Air Force
  • Nikita Tiwari, Intel

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