CHICAGO, Aug. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) announced today the recipients of its annual awards program. The program recognizes individuals who have proven to be innovators and leaders in their local communities, the STEM community and the future generation of STEM. SWE award recipients include professionals and collegiates from influential businesses, corporations and universities across the globe who play an integral role in the support and advancement of women in engineering.

“The men and women recognized today have broken boundaries in their careers and personal lives,” said Penny Wirsing, president of SWE. “They are leaders paving the way to empower and inspire future women engineers across the globe.”

This year’s award recipients will be recognized at WE18, the world’s largest conference and career fair for women engineers, Oct. 18-20, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minn. The conference will gather more than 14,000 professional and collegiate men and women in engineering and technology for professional development, education and networking. The awards recipients will be formally recognized on a podium at the WE18 Awards Ceremony on Oct. 20, 2018.

The awards recipients are as follows:

Achievement Award – The highest award given by SWE, bestowed for an outstanding technical contribution for at least 20 years in the field of engineering.

  • Jacqueline Chen, Ph.D., Sandia National Laboratories

Advocating Women in Engineering Award – Honors individuals who have demonstrated professional excellence in their chosen STEM fields and have proven to be an advocate of women in engineering and SWE’s objectives.

  • Stacey DelVecchio, F.SWE, Caterpillar Inc.
  • Rose-Margaret Ekeng–Itua, Ph.D., Ohlone College
  • Mary Isaac, Ph.D., F.SWE, HEDGE Co.
  • QuynhGiao N. Nguyen, Ph.D., NASA
  • Kristin Robertson, The Boeing Company

Distinguished Engineering Educator Award – Presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the engineering profession through education.

  • Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Distinguished Service Award – Recognizes a SWE member or associate member who has made a significant contribution(s) to SWE for at least 20 years, especially at the local and regional levels or on Society-level committees.

  • Nora Lin, Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Linda M.S. Thomas, F.SWE, The Boeing Company

Emerging Leader Award – Honors individuals who have been actively engaged in an engineering or technology profession and have demonstrated outstanding technical excellence as an individual resulting in significant accomplishments.

  • Lynn Davenport, Medtronic
  • Rebekah Feist, Ph.D., The Dow Chemical Company
  • Dayna Johnson, P.E., LEED AP, GE Power
  • Maureen Masiulis, Ball Aerospace
  • Angel McMullen-Gunn, United Technologies Aerospace Systems
  • Ana Luisa Mendoza, Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Ana Paula Ribeiro Marimoto, Cummins
  • Eileen Vélez-Vega, P.E., Kimley-Horn Puerto Rico, LLC
  • Alexis Wasserman, Ph.D., Merck & Co., Inc.
  • Theresa Wesley, Booz Allen Hamilton

Fellow Grade – Honor conferred on SWE members in recognition of continuous service to the advancement of women in the engineering profession.

  • Elizabeth Bierman, Comcast 
  • Pamela Dingman, P.E., Lancaster County, Nebraska 
  • Cindy Hoover, Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
  • Gina Janke, Modine Manufacturing Company
  • Andrea Karalus, Pratt & Whitney
  • Mary Roybal, Ph.D., Raytheon Missile Systems
  • Alyse R. Stofer, Medtronic

Global Leadership Award – Honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of engineering and/or technical management in an international setting.

  • Mariana Karam, John Deere
  • Kimberly Pittel, Ford Motor Company
  • Gail Heck-Sweeney, Keysight Technologies

Global Team Leadership Award – Presented to a team with women in technical leadership roles that meet or exceed project objectives while demonstrating innovative thinking to overcome global challenges.

  • John Deere Tractor Embedded Architecture, Systems Engineering and Quality Team, led by Rekha Gore

Outstanding Collegiate Member Award – Bestowed upon SWE collegiate members who have made an outstanding contribution to SWE, the engineering community and their campus.

  • Saheba Bhatnagar, Rice University 
  • Carlisle DeJulius, Vanderbilt University
  • Cheryl Fichter, University of California, Davis
  • Bridget Hegarty, Yale University
  • Caitlyn Hines, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
  • Sarah Lobsenz, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Abby Pakeltis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Francine Reyes-Vega, University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus
  • Kelsey Riffle, ArcelorMittal
  • Catharine Rose Scoboria, Villanova University

Outstanding SWE Counselor Award – Bestowed upon a member who has made an outstanding contribution to a SWE collegiate section as a Counselor.

  • Ann Peedikayil, Caterpillar Inc.

Prism Award – Recognizes an individual who has charted her own path in the STEM fields by demonstrating a variety of outstanding career leadership activities in a technical field, as well as leadership in professional organizations and the community.

  • Kris Acosta, Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Vicki Dawkins, Emerson Hermetic Motor
  • Deena Disraelly, Ph.D., Institute for Defense Analyses
  • Anca Eisele, John Deere
  • Katie Thorp, Ph.D., Air Force Research Laboratory, posthumously

Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award – Celebrates the work of a man or company who has made a significant contribution to the acceptance and advancement of women in engineering.

  • Thomas A. Kennedy, Ph.D., Raytheon Company
  • Paul Sowerby, C.Eng., F.I., Mech.E., Cummins Inc.
  • Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division

Spark Award – Honors an individual who has contributed to the advancement of women by mentoring those around them.

  • Kerrie Greenfelder, P.E., Burns & McDonnell
  • Anne McLaren, Ph.D., Cummins Inc.
  • Vikki Mueller Espinosa, Intel Corporation
  • Gena Vitale, General Motors
  • Shen-Hui Wu, Northrop Grumman Corporation

Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award – Celebrating an individual’s rise to success and contribution to the decision-making process within their organization.

  • Cindy Wallis-Lage, Black & Veatch Corporation

SWE Distinguished New Engineer Award – Honors women engineers who have been actively engaged in engineering in the first 10 years of their careers.

  • Letia Blanco, Raytheon Company
  • Kaitlyn J. Bunker, Ph.D., P.E., Rocky Mountain Institute
  • Paola Chavira, SoCalGas
  • Stephanie Foege, Ambitech, a Zachary Group company
  • Natalie Miller, James G. Davis Construction Corporation
  • Amy Jo Moore, Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Rupali Patil, John Deere
  • Adriana Porter, P.E., Black & Veatch
  • Cathleen Saunders, P.E., Quible & Associates, P.C.
  • Cassandra Zook, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division

For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, visit www.swe.org . For more information about WE18, visit we18.swe.org. 

About SWE The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. The not-for-profit educational and service organization is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. To ensure SWE members reach their full potential as engineers and leaders, the Society offers unique opportunities to network, provides professional development, shapes public policy and provides recognition for the life-changing contributions and achievements of women engineers. As a champion of diversity, SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in their personal and professional lives. For more information about the Society, please visit  www.swe.org  or call 312.596.5223.

Media Contact: Jenny Balogh, David James Group, (630) 305-0003 x303,