Connecticut Technology Council Celebrates STEM Achievment

The Connecticut Technology Council (CTC) is set to showcase the state's growing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at its upcoming 19th annual Women of Innovation® awards. This year's event, featuring 45 accomplished finalists selected from nearly 100 nominations, underscores Connecticut's commitment to fostering an inclusive and innovative tech ecosystem.

The awards ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Woodwinds in Branford, will honor women across various STEM disciplines, including scientists, researchers, academics, manufacturers, student leaders, entrepreneurs, and technicians.

As a diverse community, Women of Innovation place a high value on mentoring to ‘pay it forward’ to help empower women peers. The evening spotlights the creativity, energy and successes of each finalist, with opportunities to network with attendees who include leading cross-industry executives and professionals around the state.

At the awards presentation, CTC will announce the winners in eight categories: Academic Innovation and Leadership; Community Innovation and Leadership; Corporate Innovation and Leadership – Large Business; Corporate Innovation and Leadership – Small/Medium Business; Research Innovation and Leadership; Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership; Collegian Innovation and Leadership; and Youth Innovation and Leadership. Youth Category Finalists will receive Scholarship funds.

Also featured will be finalist posters and exhibits created by young inventors representing the Connecticut Invention Convention, whose mission is to elevate student inventions of promise by sharing with peers and professionals.

In a recent interview on the award-winning public affairs program "For the People," CTC Executive Director Milena Stankova Erwin emphasized the importance of this event in promoting equity and diversity within Connecticut's technology sector, and the economic benefits for Connecticut.

"Our mission is to unite the technology ecosystem in Connecticut," Erwin told host John Voket. "A vital part of that mission is ensuring that the tech ecosystem is equitable, diverse, and open to everyone." Kathy Ayers, Vice President of Research and Development at Nel Hydrogen, a former Women of Innovation finalist and WOI planning committee member, joined Erwin on the program and shared her perspective on the event's impact. "It's unbelievable the women that get nominated for this," Ayers commented. "It's an inspiring event that highlights all of those different areas and all of the talent we have in Connecticut."

The awards also shine a light on Connecticut's robust presence in emerging technologies. Nel Hydrogen, located in Wallingford, is currently expanding its production capacity tenfold, reflecting the state's growing influence in the hydrogen and fuel cell industry.

This year's event features eight award categories, with special recognition for youth finalists who will receive scholarships to further their education. Giovanni Tomasi, President/Chief Technology Officer of RSL Fiber Systems and Board Chair of CTC, expressed his admiration for the finalists: "The youth category finalists are especially astounding; they have accomplished more in 17 or 18 years than most people do in a lifetime."

The Women of Innovation awards serve as a crucial platform for recognizing and promoting women's contributions to Connecticut's technology sector. By showcasing these accomplished professionals and promising students, the event aims to inspire more young women to pursue STEM careers and contribute to the state's growing innovation economy.

Women of Innovation media sponsor WTNH News 8 will be featuring interviews with finalists and industry leaders during the 9:00 AM hour of Good Morning Connecticut on consecutive Mondays, beginning on September 30 and continuing through October 21.

Among the women scheduled to be interviewed are Vaishali Shah, CEO/Owner, theCoderSchool Connecticut; Caroline Dealy, Associate Professor, Depts. of Orthodontics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Dental Medicine; and Depts. of Orthopedic Surgery and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut; Cherie Griffith-Dunn, Founder and CEO, Cyproteck, Inc.; Marcia LaFemina, President, Penn Globe; Christine Broadbridge, Professor of Physics and Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Southern Connecticut State University; Snigtha Mohanraj, Student, Engineering and Science University Magnet School; Zongjie Wang, Associate Director, Eversource Energy Center and Rigu Gupta, CEO and President, PiroGon, Inc.

The 19th annual Women of Innovation® awards event is sponsored by Medtronic; Axinn, Veltrop and Harkrider LLP; Day Pitney LLP; McCarter & English, LLP; Carillon Technologies; and Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development.

Supporting Level Sponsorships and Scholarship funding is provided by Arvinas, Bento Engine, Carillon Technologies; Connecticut Green Bank, CONNSTEP, FuelCell Energy, Inc., HyAxiom, IncomeConductor, IQ4, NBT Bank, Nel Hydrogen, RSL Advanced Lighting Technologies, Southern Connecticut State University, The Jackson Laboratory, University of Connecticut College of Engineering and Visual Technologies, Inc.

Sponsorships and scholarship donations are still accepted. Registration for the awards ceremony is now open. For more information or to register, visit www.ct.org/womenofinnovation. For more information on how to support WOI and women leaders in STEM, contact Milena Erwin at executive.director@ct.org or Sheryl O'Connor at soconnor@wealthconductor.com.