Every year at the Hannover Messe, Deutsche Messe presents the Engineer Woman Award to female experts who have rendered outstanding services in the scientific and technical disciplines.

Of the numerous applications, four women have made it to the final. One of them will be honored with the Engineer Woman Award on Thursday, April 25. The initiative is intended to encourage companies to honor and promote the performance and special commitment of their female employees in STEM professions even more.

The four nominees for the Engineer Woman Award are:

Sheila Beladinejad completed her master's degree in industrial engineering at the University of Bordeaux and then worked in the telecommunications industry in North America. The AI expert has been active in the tech industry for more than 20 years and advises investors, for example on the acquisition of start-ups. Sheila Beladinejad is also the founder and chairwoman of Women in AI & Robotics Germany e. V. (WAIR), a non-profit association based in Munich. She has launched mentoring programs, educational workshops, a startup accelerator and hackathons to promote the careers of women. The organization now has 1,400 members worldwide, mainly in Germany and the EU, but also has a strong presence in Canada. It is a registered partner of the United Nations and has close links with industry and research institutions.

Dipl.-Ing. Yvonne Groth studied land culture and environmental protection at the University of Rostock. In 2006, she joined the IBS Group as a project engineer, where she took over as Managing Director in 2015. She has been Managing Director of Dornier Construction und Service GmbH since 2022. In addition to her professional activities, Yvonne Groth has been a volunteer for the advancement of women for many years. Among other things, she is a mentor in the cross-mentoring program "Aufstieg in Unternehmen - Mentoring für Frauen in der Wirtschaft in M-V", founder of the Welcome Center Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, a contact point for newcomers, returnees and companies to support the recruitment, securing and retention of skilled workers. She also organizes a business lunch for women in management positions from the business world and is active in the school/business working group.

Dr.-Ing. Sabrine Khadhraoui studied International Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen after graduating from high school in Sousse, Tunisia, where she completed her doctorate in mechanical engineering. Since 2011, she has been working as a research & development engineer for the SMS Group - an international company in the field of metallurgical and rolling mill technology. Sabrine Khadhraoui has developed six patents. These involve innovative processes and methods for improving recyclability, increasing energy and material efficiency and reducing the ecological footprint. She is also involved in the Diversity Committee of the SMS Group in Germany. This promotes diversity and intercultural awareness in the workplace. In addition to teaching at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Sabrine Khadhraoui is also present in schools and universities in order to dispel misconceptions about the suitability of engineering and STEM degree courses for women in direct exchange with female students and pupils.

Dr.-Ing. Frauke Reinders studied chemical engineering at TU Dortmund University 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. Her focus is on gender equality. She is also a board member of the ing'enious network for women in technical professions at Phoenix Contact and is actively involved in diversity projects. Another focus is STEM promotion in schools and daycare centers. For example, Frauke Reinders is working with her project team on the creation of a guide for kindergartens. This contains 50 experiments to get children interested in technology and science at an early age.
Femworx - Career congress for women in industry

As part of the Hannover Messe, the 21st Career Congress will take place over two days for the first time. On Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26, 2024, participants can experience two days full of inspiration and encouraging stories at the most successful networking and discussion event for female leadership in the STEM sector.