2022 WiT Awards Categories
For 25 years, Women in Technology have recognised and celebrated outstanding women in STEM and the organisations who support them.
Our 15 Award Categories outlined below recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements and valuable contributions of women at all career stages, and organisations who are champions of change in Queensland’s STEM community.
2022 Science Awards
Emerging Achiever Science Award
Rising Star Science Award
Research Leader Science Award
Excellence in Science Award
2022 Technology and Digital Awards
Up-and-Comer Technology Award
Digital Mover and Shaker Award
Professional Technology Leadership Award
Technologist of the Year Award
2022 Corporate Awards across all STEM
Employer of Choice Enterprise to Corporate Award
Employer of Choice Small to Medium Award
2022 Awards across all STEM fields
Inspiring Diversity in STEM Award
Rural, Regional & Remote Award
Community Impact Award
Sue Wickenden Innovator of the Year Award
The Sonja Bernhardt Heart of our Values Award will be issued by the judging panel to one Award Entrant who lives, breathes and demonstrates WiT’s 5 core values.
Entries for the 2022 WiT Awards have now closed. Our diverse panel of judges from across STEM are currently reviewing all award applications. Stay tuned for more details.Â
2022 WiT Awards Categories
Technology and Digital Awards
- Up-and-Comer Technology Award
- Digital Mover and Shaker Award
- Professional Technology Leadership Award
- Technologist of the Year Award
When entering in one of the Technology and Digital Awards, applicants must demonstrate the following in their Award application:
- Technical and professional experience in their field in line with eligibility criteria for their chosen category
- Leadership and drive
- Involvement and contribution to community or industry engagement activities in their chosen field
- Impact on others (teams & individuals)
Up-and-Comer
Eligibility:
- Emerging female Technologist at the start of their career making a significant contribution to their team and organisation, demonstrating tangible impact on the digital and ICT sector, be it with their peers, teams they lead, business they support or across the sector.
- Less than 3 years’ career experience, demonstrating leadership beyond their experience
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to the Queensland technology industry.
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Be part of the 2022 WiT Awards
Nominate an inspiring STEM female for this Award
Begin your Award Application to enter this Award Category
Professional Leadership
Eligibility:
- Female Professional Technologist in an executive leadership position making a significant contribution to the growth and development of their teams and organisation
- Female who provides guiding hands and encouragement to others to be part of a diverse and inclusive digital future
- 10-20 years’ experience
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to the Queensland technology industry
Prizes:
- Trophy
- Complimentary WiT Board Readiness Program participation valued at $1600
- One year individual WiT membership
Digital Mover and Shaker
Eligibility:
- Rising female Technologist growing in their career making a significant contribution to the growth and development of their teams and organisation.
- Evidence of playing an integral role in leading edge digital innovation initiatives that have delivered tangible outcomes.
- Genuine enthusiasm for digitally driven innovation, is bold, and well-known in their field.
- 3–10 years’ experience
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to the Queensland technology industry
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Be part of the 2022 WiT Awards
Begin your Award Application to enter this Award Category
Technologist of the Year
Eligibility:
- Outstanding female Technologist in a high-level c-suite position (eg Chief Information Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Strategy Officer) who is making an outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Queensland’s technology industry
- Evidence of leadership, innovation and management of digital transformation change initiatives that have tangible impacts on their business.
- Track record of long-term achievements, leadership impact, community involvement and professional development & growth.
- 20 years or more experience.
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to the Queensland technology industry.
Prizes:
- Trophy
- Perpetual Trophy
- Named WiT Technology Ambassador
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Science Awards
- Emerging Achiever Science Award
- Rising Star Science Award
- Research Leader Science Award
- Excellence in Science Award
When entering in one of the Science Awards listed above, applicants must demonstrate the following in their Award application:
- Technical and professional experience including evidence of research support, research output and impact of contribution to field of research
- Leadership & Drive
- Involvement in community or industry engagement activities
- Impact on others
Emerging Achiever
Eligibility:
- Emerging female Scientist making a recognised contribution in science research and development either through their own organisation or other activities
- Pre-award (final year or awaiting award of PhD)
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to science in Queensland
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Be part of the 2022 WiT Awards
Begin your Award Application to enter this Award Category
Research Leader
Eligibility:
- Female Research Leader across Academia, Clinical and Industry making a recognised contribution in science research and development either through their own organisation or other activities
- 7-15 years postdoctoral experience
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to science in Queensland
Prizes:
- Trophy
- Complimentary WiT Board Readiness Program participation valued at over $1600
- One year individual WiT membership
Rising Star
Eligibility:
- Rising female Scientist making a recognised contribution in science research and development either through their own organisation or other activities
- Less than 7 years postdoctoral experience
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to science in Queensland
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/Programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Be part of the 2022 WiT Awards
Begin your Award Application to enter this Award Category
Excellence in Science
Eligibility:
- Outstanding female Scientist across Academia, Clinical and Industry making an outstanding contribution to the growth and development of science
- More than 15 years’ experience
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to science in Queensland
Prizes:
- Trophy
- Perpetual Trophy
- Named WiT Sciences Ambassador
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Employer Of Choice Awards
The Employer of Choice Award categories below recognises organisations who demonstrate outstanding commitment to providing a working environment that embraces equal opportunity, diversity and flexibility in work practices and programs that enable women and men to participate equally in the workforce.
When applying for the Employer of Choice Award in either the Small & Medium Enterprise category or the Enterprise & Corporate category, organisations must demonstrate:
- strategies for gender equality and diversity in the workplace
- equal access to flexible working arrangements
- innovative approaches or initiatives the organisation undertakes to support diversity
- an inclusive, contemporary culture that embraces employees’ ideas and digital innovations
Download a full copy of the Employer of Choice Award Eligibility and Application Criteria
Enterprise Corporate
Eligibility:
- This category is for Organisations with more than 200 employees.
- The organisation may have its head office outside of Queensland, but must be able to demonstrate a significant contribution to employment in Queensland’s STEM industries.
Prizes:
- Trophy
- One year WiT corporate membership
Small & Medium Enterprise
Eligibility:
- This category is for Small and medium enterprises with less than 200 employees.
- The organisation may have its head office outside of Queensland, but must be able to demonstrate a significant contribution to employment in Queensland’s STEM industries.
Prizes:
- Trophy
- One year WiT medium or small business membership
Sue Wickenden Innovator of the Year – across all STEM fields
When entering in this Award, applicants must demonstrate the following in their Award application:
- Evidence of excellence in creativity and innovation across all STEM fields for the benefit of Queensland’s STEM economy and community.
- Leadership and Drive.
-
Impact of their innovation on the STEM industry and/or wider community.
- Their impact on others (teams and individuals) through how they lead, inspire and challenge others.
Sue Wickenden Excellence in STEM
Eligibility:
- Female demonstrating excellence in creativity and innovation across all STEM fields for the benefit of Queensland’s STEM economy and community
- Applicant must reside in Queensland and demonstrate significant contribution to STEM in Queensland
- Representative from any field in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Fiona Holmstrom was the 2021 recipient of the Sue Wickenden Innovator of the Year Award
Regional, Rural and Remote Award – across all STEM fields
This award is open to STEM female professionals operating from a base in regional Queensland (outside the Greater Brisbane Area).
All applicants must demonstrate the following in their Award Application
- Vision for or evidence of the development of a technology or science-based innovation that benefits an organisation, industry or wider community.
- A clearly articulated vision for the application of your technology or science innovation and clear roadmap for the development or scaling of the innovation.
- Evidence of how your technology and /or science innovation is currently being used to create opportunity and overcome challenges for your target audience and beneficiaries.
- Evidence of an engagement strategy to realise the potential (adoption) of the technology or science innovation being developed
Rural, Regional & Remote Award
Eligibility:
- Female living, working or volunteering in regional, rural & remote Queensland (beyond the Greater Brisbane Area).
- Representative from any field in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
- Using science or technology to benefit their organisation, industry and community.
- Applicant must reside in Queensland.
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Emma Black from Wongaling Beach is the 2021 winner of the Rural, Regional and Remote Award
Community Impact Award and Inspiring Diversity in STEM Award – across all STEM fields
Download the full Eligibility and Application Criteria for the Community Impact Award
Download the full Eligibility and Application Criteria for the Diversity in STEM Award
Community Impact Award
Eligibility:
- Female working or volunteering in the community/not-for-profit sector
- Representative from any field in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
- Using science or technology to benefit a community – either directly or by enhancing the operations of a recognised community service group, benevolent organisation, foundation, charity or the like
- Applicant must reside in Queensland. The organisation whom the applicant works or volunteers for may have its head office outside of Queensland but must be able to demonstrate a significant contribution to Queensland communities through the application of science and technology
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Inspiring Diversity in STEM Award
Eligibility:
- Open to all genders (She/Him/They)
- Representative from any field in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
- Role model in championing gender diversity, equity and inclusion in their workplace.
- Visibly active in their STEM sector, galvanizing the importance of diversity at every possible opportunity
- Catalyst for change regarding diversity and inclusion in the STEM sector
- Applicant does not need to reside in Queensland, but must demonstrate significant contribution to the Queensland technology industry
Prizes:
- Trophy
- $500 credit towards WiT events/programs (valid for 12 months)
- One year individual WiT membership
Our 2022 WiT Awards Sponsors
There are a limited number of sponsorship opportunities still available for the 2022 WiT Awards. Contact us to find out how your organisation can be involved in the 25th Annual WiT Awards.
