WISE Awards 2025
Submit your nomination or application by Monday 21 October 2024
Our WISE Awards celebrate outstanding women in STEM, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) pioneers and highlight the hard work, success, determination and commitment of individuals and organisations who are helping to grow the number of women in the UK STEM workforce and making impactful changes to gender balance within their organisation.
It is well known that a lack of visible role models that look “like me” is often cited as the key reasons why many girls overlook STEM subjects from a young age.
In each school, so much potential and talent is being lost, rather than being nurtured. Evidence shows that having women role models can counteract the unconscious bias and stigma that disadvantages girls from excelling in STEM subjects at school level.
Our awards aim to champion a positive culture in which women in STEM are publicly acknowledged, valued and celebrated, to help inspire the next generation. Taking place annually, they are one of the highlights of our year.
Nomination and application submissions close on Monday 21 October 2024.
The 2025 WISE Awards categories
The Princess Royal’s WISE Lifetime Achievement Award
Honouring a woman who has made significant and evident impact in STEM throughout her established career.
This WISE award is for a long-standing woman in science, engineering, technology or maths, who has been in her career for a number of years and achieved long-term success. She may be someone who started at an early age and worked her way up, or simply made her mark as a long-standing woman in STEM.
This nominee is likely to be later in her career, with a legacy which remains for the future women of STEM. Any notable achievements, awards and success stories for a woman later in her career will be considered for the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Outstanding Woman in Technology Award
Spotlighting an innovative woman who has excelled in the field of Technology, and illustrates the capabilities and future success of women in tech.
What does it mean to be an outstanding woman in technology? Perhaps that’s for you to tell us. This WISE award will celebrate a woman who has done something extraordinary in her field, so long as it is one of a technological nature.
To qualify for and win this award, the nominee must show initiative and talent in a way which stands out from the rest – with provable results to show she is improving the technology world with her work.
She should set an example for those who follow her path, illustrating that success is possible for future women in STEM.
STEM Ally Award
Recognising an individual of any gender who is a truly invested ally, supporting the progression of women in STEM with proven impact.
The WISE Awards judges are looking for a special individual of any gender, who has truly invested in the success of allyship.
The nominee should have proven examples of how they have supported the equality and progression of women in STEM. This person should shine bright in their field as an example of allyship, with a proven impact on the lives of others as a result.
This is a special award recognising the importance of allyship within STEM, and this individual should stand out as an individual and possibly through their professional role within an organisation.
Outreach and Engagement Award
Recognising an exceptional individual of any gender who has gone above and beyond to engage with and inspire women and girls to pursue a STEM career.
This award focuses solely on how an individual’s work in outreach and engagement has sort to combat unconscious bias and showcase a STEM career as a tangible aspiration for girls and women. The nominee should demonstrate the ways in which they have positively engaged, inspired and promoted STEM careers to women and girls and the impact this has had on individuals, organisations and communities.
The WISE Awards judges are specifically looking for an outstanding individual that is passionate and dedicated to increasing the number of women working in STEM.
The Princess Royal’s WISE Rising Star Award
Recognising a promising woman who’s making great strides in the early stages of her STEM career.
This award aims to acknowledge and celebrate a woman who is only just beginning her STEM career.
The nominee may be a young rising star who has made her mark shortly after entering the working world. But she may also be a more mature woman who is brand new to working in STEM, and has shown real promise despite not being in the sector(s) for very long.
Either way, this woman should be in the early stages of her STEM career, and already showing evidence of having made an impact.
Outstanding Woman in Engineering Award
Celebrating a woman in engineering who has done something exceptional in her chosen field, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.
What does it mean to be an outstanding woman in engineering? Perhaps that’s for you to tell us. This WISE award will celebrate a woman who has done something extraordinary in her field, so long as it is one connected to engineering.
To qualify for and win this award, the nominee must show initiative and talent in a way which stands out from the rest – with provable results to show she is improving the engineering world with her work.
She should set an example for those who follow her path, illustrating that success is possible for future women in STEM.
Nurturing New Talent Award
Celebrating an organisation or individual who is dedicated to developing talented women, enabling them to achieve a successful STEM career.
This is an award about one of the most important leadership characteristics – compassion. It’s about recognising a special organisation or individual who acts selflessly and passionately to help others, shining the torch ahead for the next generation in STEM.
The Nurturing New Talent Award is not just for any good-natured leader, it’s for a special organisation or individual who has invested their time and energy into putting others first – and who frequently lowers the rope in order to lift others up.
The nominee should have proven examples of how she has enabled new talent to fulfil their ambitions and success in their STEM careers.
EDI Organisation of the year Award
Celebrating an outstanding organisation that is leading the way in EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion), particularly demonstrating best practice and initiatives within STEM.
This award focuses solely on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). The organisation should demonstrate various ways in which they have developed an inclusive culture within their business.
The WISE Awards judges are specifically looking for an exemplary organisation that is dedicated to EDI, with a pro-active, dedicated and proven track record of wholistic EDI successes which are pioneering change through-out their organisation and beyond.
Organisations must show evidenced work within the EDI area with a specific focus on women.
Outstanding Woman in Science Award
Commending a talented woman who has achieved extraordinary things in the field of Science, setting an example for other women.
What does it mean to be an outstanding woman in science? Perhaps that’s for you to tell us. This WISE award will celebrate a woman who has done something extraordinary in her field, so long as it is one of a scientific nature.
She doesn’t need to have invented the vaccine (though this would impress the judges greatly), but she must show initiative and talent in a way which stands out from the rest – with provable results to show she is making the world of science a better place.
Outstanding Woman in Maths Award
Recognising a brilliant woman within the Maths field whose achievements showcase the possible success for future women.
What does it mean to be an outstanding woman in maths and data? Perhaps that’s for you to tell us. This WISE award will celebrate a woman who has done something extraordinary in her field, so long as it is one connected to maths and data.
To qualify for and win this award, the nominee must show innovation and talent in a way which stands out from the rest – with provable results to show she is improving the the world with her work with data.
She should set an example for those who follow her path, illustrating that success is possible for future women in STEM.
STEM Returner Award
Celebrating a talented woman who has returned to STEM and made a significant positive impact following a career break.
This award is for an outstanding individual who has not just succeeded as a returner in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, but has come back with a bang, and really made their mark in the sector/s despite being away.
They may have left the field to develop in another area, or had time out for personal reasons but regardless, this person should have demonstrated first-hand how re-starting their career is possible, inspiring others to do the same.
Women’s Wellbeing at Work Award
Celebrating an organisation that holistically and proactively supports women’s health and wellbeing in the workplace, particularly within STEM.
This might be though a women’s network or women’s health programmes supporting fertility, mental health, period health and menopause.
With this award, the judges are looking for an organisation who is a leading example in proactively supporting health and wellbeing for women throughout it’s workforce.
The Organisation must show evidenced work within the area of women’s health and impact it has had in improving wellbeing.
The WISE Awards panel accepts nominations from individuals and organisations, and you are very welcome to nominate yourself. As there are specific criteria per award, please check this first before submitting a nomination.
Click on the box of your chosen Award below and read the category description.
Once you have decided to submit a nomination, click the ‘Submit your nomination’ button. This will take you to the Open Water platform, where you can complete your nomination.
You’ll need the following to complete your nomination:
i. One referee’s agreement and contact details
ii. The nominee’s permission (if you aren’t nominating yourself)
iii. Any documents to support your application (e.g. testimonials, statistics, news articles)
iv. Accepted supporting document types: Word, Excel, PDF, URL to video or film content, photographs (jpeg, png)
The closing date for Award nominations is Monday 21 October 2024
The WISE Awards presents an excellent opportunity for your organisation to help celebrate gender diversity and parity in STEM.
Associate your brand with championing EDI and be seen to support the great work being done by individuals and organisations in this space.