Awards recognize women in science and technology

The European Women in STEM Awards honored seven individuals for their achievements in research, industry, and entrepreneurship within science and technology. The ceremony, held on October 22 in Paris, was organized by Women in STEM Europe, an organization dedicated to promoting women in these fields.

Lila Trepy’s journey from robotics to education

Lila Trepy, a recipient of the Young STEM Leader prize, was inspired by a robot she received from her uncle at age nine to pursue programming. She later created Joule, a conversational robot that helps young people understand energy-related topics.

Anne L’Huillier honored for physics breakthroughs

Anne L’Huillier, a 2023 Nobel Prize winner in physics, was named European STEM Role Model of the Year. Her research on light harmonics using infrared lasers in the 1980s led to the development of attosecond pulses, which enable the study of electron behavior.

Other laureates advancing science and technology

Other honorees include Pascale Senellart, working on quantum computing with Quandela, and Maud Vinet, applying her semiconductor expertise at Quobly. Hélène Huby leads a major space transport project with The Exploration Company, showcasing the diversity of scientific and industrial contributions.

Innovations in health, engineering, and finance

Lara Gervaise, a Technology prize winner, co-founded Virtuosis AI, which uses sound analysis to assess health. Stéphanie Magazzeni, an Engineering prize winner, develops retinal imaging technology for diagnosing blindness-related diseases. Maria Scetta, a Mathematics & Data prize winner, co-founded DeltaBlock to improve financial market liquidity through algorithms.

Mamta Pommier advocates for women in astronomy

Mamta Pommier, winner of the Sciences prize, is an astrophysicist and president of the "Women in Astronomy" group within the International Astronomical Union. Her work focuses on improving the visibility and career opportunities for women in the field.

Low female representation in STEM education

According to the DEPP, in the 2025 intake, only 14.2 percent of students in the "engineering and physical sciences" specialization in the final year of general high school in France were girls. The percentage was slightly higher in computer science and information sciences at 15.5 percent, but significantly lower in mathematics at 41.8 percent.

Ema Nicole Gheorghe’s academic and teaching achievements

Ema Nicole Gheorghe received the jury's special mention for her accomplishments in informatics. She earned silver at the European Girls' Olympiad in Informatics 2025 and gold at the Romanian Informatics Olympiads. She also teaches algorithmics to young people, especially girls.

Future initiatives to support women in STEM

Women in STEM Europe announced 71 Talents 2026, selected from applications and additional scouting. The organization aims to increase the visibility of women in science and technology. A documentary titled Hors Calculs was presented, following women from high school through their professional journeys. FW.MEDIA supports this initiative to highlight those who build technologies and tell their stories to inspire future generations.