Dr Kathryn McKenna and Vicky Newman have been named as finalists in the WISE Covid Unsung Hero Awards for their work promoting STEM careers to Northern Ireland women and girls.
They have been shortlisted for the Diversity & Inclusion Award, which celebrates women who found innovative ways of working to ensure Diversity & Inclusion targets were met and who performed exceptionally to ensure their employer’s D&I targets were met during the pandemic. The judges assessed the support and training established by the nominees and examined evidence of effectiveness in terms of meeting targets and impacting women within a group or organisation.
WISE announced the finalists yesterday, and every one of the women featured is a great role model for women and girls considering a career in STEM. WISE hopes that these COVID Unsung Heroes Awards will bring recognition to women who are making a positive difference through STEM. By spotlighting STEM roles that have been essential to our society during the pandemic, the awards will recognise the importance of STEM and the women who are making a real impact through their work.
In the judges’ comments, Kathryn and Vicky are described as “worthy finalists, who despite facing extremely stretched resources put together a cohesive plan to inspire women in STEM from early career upwards. Their work involved embracing social channels like TikTok and Twitter to connect with the relevant audiences and inspire future generations. They were able to look past the challenges of the pandemic and maintain their focus: to create a strong pipeline that would encourage more women into STEM professions.”
Kathryn & Vicky will travel to London next week to attend the awards ceremony, which will include high-level endorsement from leaders in the STEM industry and will conclude with an exclusive VIP drinks reception for finalists, sponsors and prominent members of the WISE network.