When conversations turn to women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the gender gap and underrepresentation often dominate the narrative. While these challenges remain relevant, Women in STEM awards continue to show a more complete picture—one of progress, excellence, and global impact.
In 2026, recognition of women’s achievements across STEM fields is no longer an exception. Prestigious international awards increasingly reflect the reality that women are shaping medicine, artificial intelligence, engineering, and mathematics at the highest level.
This article highlights major, globally competitive awards open to all researchers. By focusing on these honours, we underscore the scale and significance of the contributions women in STEM and every discipline it covers.
Women in STEM awards in medicine: decoding the human body
Some of the most influential medical breakthroughs recognised in recent years belong to women scientists. A landmark moment came with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Mary Brunkow and her team for redefining how autoimmune diseases can be treated. Her work made it possible to selectively deactivate specific immune responses, avoiding the widespread suppression of the immune system that once defined treatment.
Recognition continued with the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, where Lotte Bjerre Knudsen and Svetlana Mojsov were honoured for decades of foundational research on the GLP-1 hormone. Their work laid the groundwork for therapies that are now transforming diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular care worldwide.
Germany’s prestigious Leibniz Prize also reflected this momentum. Among the recipients, Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla was recognised for advancing understanding of cell plasticity in early embryo development. Ana Pombo was awarded for pioneering genomic techniques that reveal how DNA’s three-dimensional structure influences gene regulation and disease. Bettina Valeska Lotsch received the prize for developing highly efficient photocatalysts, a key component in next-generation solar energy storage. A true testament of how women in STEM contribute to today’s society.
Teaching machines to think: Women leading AI innovation
Artificial intelligence continues to define this decade, and women are shaping its most human-centred applications. Cordelia Schmid received the inaugural Archimedes Science Award for her work enabling computers to interpret visual data—technology that now underpins safety systems, image recognition, and autonomous mobility.
The Lovelace Medal, awarded by the British Computer Society, went to Mirella Lapata for transforming how machines generate and understand human-like narratives from text and structured data.
Regina Barzilay, a Moldovan-born researcher at MIT, was recognised with the IEEE Frances E. Allen Medal. Her AI-driven models for predicting breast and lung cancer risk demonstrate how machine learning can save lives, not merely automate processes.
Engineering a sustainable future
Among the most visible Women in STEM awards, engineering prizes show how innovation translates into real-world impact. The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering honoured Fei-Fei Li for creating ImageNet, the dataset that accelerated breakthroughs in computer vision and deep learning.
At the European level, Marie Perrin received the World Builders Prize at the EPO Young Inventors Awards for her rare-earth recycling technology. Her solution enables the recovery of europium from discarded fluorescent lamps while capturing toxic mercury and reducing mining dependency.
Jessica Day and her team at OrganOx secured the MacRobert Award for developing a system that keeps donated livers viable outside the human body, dramatically improving transplant success rates. Meanwhile, roboticist Daniela Rus was awarded the IEEE Edison Medal for her work on collaborative robot networks designed for manufacturing and rescue missions.
Women in STEM awards and the power of mathematics
Mathematics remains the hidden language behind many scientific advances. Hong Wang received the Ostrowski Prize for her work in harmonic analysis, addressing long-standing challenges such as the Kakeya conjecture.
The Blaise Pascal Medal was awarded to Svitlana Mayboroda for mathematical theories explaining wave behaviour in complex materials. The London Mathematical Society also recognised multiple women, including Helen Byrne, Henna Koivusalo, Perla Sousi, and Ewelina Zatorska, for contributions ranging from tumour modelling to probability theory and fluid dynamics.
Angkana Rüland, another Leibniz Prize recipient, was recognised for mathematical analysis applied to crystalline structures and advanced medical imaging.
Why visibility matters for the next generation
Celebrating Women in STEM awards is not only about recognition—it is about visibility. Role models such as Mary Brunkow, Fei-Fei Li, and Daniela Rus make scientific careers tangible for younger generations. Seeing women succeed at the highest level helps dismantle stereotypes and expand aspirations.
STEAM education as a path forward
Sustained progress requires early support. This is where initiatives like STEAMbrace play a critical role for Women in STEM. By integrating the Arts into STEM education, STEAMbrace promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving—skills that underpin many award-winning careers.
Through challenges like menteSTEAM, students move beyond passive learning and engage directly with real-world problems such as pollution and climate change. The initiative offers a powerful incentive: the winning secondary school team will represent Spain at the European STEAMbrace Contest in 2026.
Recognition that builds the future
Women in STEM awards highlight excellence, but their broader value lies in inspiration. They signal to students, educators, and institutions that innovation thrives through diversity. As education systems continue to evolve, recognising women’s achievements remains essential to building a more inclusive and resilient scientific future.
By combining visibility, education, and opportunity, projects like STEAMbrace help ensure that today’s students become tomorrow’s award-winning innovators.
