Neha Imtiaz Ullah, who studies Electrical Engineering At DTU Electro, has received the Engineering Association, IDA's Agnes & Betzy Equality Award 2022 and PlanBørnefonden's Girl Prize 2022 based on her work on getting more young women to choose a future in STEM.
Since last year, when 23-year-old Neha established "Nordic Women in STEM", she has worked purposefully to equalize the gender differences in the STEM-subjects. Specifically, she has contributed positively to getting more girls interested in technology, engineering and mathematics, thus getting more girls to choose a scientific or technical education. Subjects which are decisive for how we organize our society and thus a key to ensuring equality between the sexes.
The remedy is workshops and lectures for 13-19-year-old girls in secondary schools and high schools to inspire more people to choose a career in STEM, as well as profiling female role models in the STEM-subjects on social media. These efforts combined are meant to help break down the prejudice about IT and engineering studies as closed parties for men. In addition, Neha has also helped hundreds of girls learn how to code
"It's about introducing STEM to those who have never actually thought about being part of it and making a difference for them," says Neha.
""It's about introducing STEM to those who have never actually thought about being part of it and making a difference for them""
Neha Imtiaz Ullah
On the basis of the great effort to promote equality and equalize gender differences in the engineering profession, Neha has received the two awards from IDA and PlanBørnefonden, which are both given to individuals, groups or organizations that make an extraordinary effort to promote equality in Denmark.
Stine Bosse, chairperson of PlanBørnefonden, announced Neha as the winner saying: "Neha's efforts to get more girls to choose science and technical education are essential. There is a skewed gender ratio in the education programs, and it is vital that more girls grow up and become engineers, thus shaping the technological solutions of the future”.
For the fifth year in a row, PlanBørnefonden's Girl Prize pays tribute to a person, group or association that makes an extraordinary effort to promote equality in Denmark.
According to The World Economic Forum, it will take at least 132 years before girls and boys have the same opportunities. The lack of equality is NOT a girl problem, but a societal problem. It takes courage to speak out against inequality-creating norms about gender identity, make prejudices visible and go against the grain when something feels wrong.
Therefore, there is a special need to pay tribute to and support brave individuals who do just that.