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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe IET has named five finalists across its 2026 Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 3 December at IET London: Savoy Place. Separately, Network Rail’s most directly relevant recent engineer profile, published in June 2025, follows colleagues Elizabeth and Katie Smith; it is not a newly verified 2026 Ada Lovelace Day feature. Together, the awards and profile offer a snapshot of women’s work and career routes in engineering.
Who are the 2026 Young Woman Engineer finalists?
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) says its final five were selected from more than 100 entries. Three finalists are named for Young Woman Engineer of the Year, and two for the Mary George Memorial Prize for Apprentices. The candidates’ roles span satellite communications, Formula One, nuclear engineering and apprenticeships.
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| Finalist | Category | Role listed by the IET |
|---|---|---|
| Rachel Chiu | Young Woman Engineer of the Year | Principal systems architecture engineer at Eutelsat Group |
| Emma Findlay | Young Woman Engineer of the Year | Deputy head of electronics at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team |
| Ellie Owens | Young Woman Engineer of the Year | Reliability engineer at Sellafield Ltd |
| Caitlin Harmer | Mary George Memorial Prize for Apprentices | EDAS apprentice at BAE Systems |
| Meriem Voinica | Mary George Memorial Prize for Apprentices | Electronics development engineer apprentice for F1 |
The IET’s 2026 finalist announcement lists the nominees and their roles. It does not rank them by discipline or suggest that one area of engineering is more representative than another.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →When is the 2026 awards ceremony?
The IET schedules the ceremony for 3 December 2026 at IET London: Savoy Place. It also says finalists receive one year of free IET membership. These details apply to the 2026 awards cycle; the IET awards page is the place to check for updates.
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What does an engineer at Network Rail do?
Network Rail’s profile “Parallel tracks,” published on 23 June 2025, describes two engineers whose jobs and career paths differ. Elizabeth Smith is a performance and assurance engineer; her daughter Katie is an asset engineer in north-west England.
Katie Smith’s route from administration to asset engineering
Katie joined Network Rail in 2020. She began in administrative roles in signalling and telecoms, moved into a frontline track-maintenance technology role, and later became an asset engineer. Her progression illustrates that an engineering career can include varied starting points and moves between office-based and frontline work.
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“What drew me to rail was the scale, purpose and legacy of the industry,” Katie told Network Rail. Her role is one example from the company, not a complete description of what all Network Rail engineers do. The profile provides the details of both women’s work.
Elizabeth Smith on mentoring and mutual support
Elizabeth described supporting Katie professionally and personally, while also learning from the relationship: “Professionally, I’ve been able to mentor and guide her. Personally, I’ve been there to offer emotional support and celebrate her successes. Best of all, we’ve become role models for each other – reinforcing confidence and ambition.”
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The profile was published for International Women in Engineering Day in 2025. It is relevant context for the people and careers in this story, but it should not be mistaken for a 2026 Network Rail Ada Lovelace Day feature.
What is Ada Lovelace Day, and how is it connected to rail?
Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women’s achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Network Rail’s archive account links Lovelace to railway history through three property deeds bearing her signature. One, dated 1837, concerned land between Esher and Surbiton railway stations; Network Rail says that land later became part of the London & South Western Railway mainline.
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That historical connection is documented in Network Rail’s 2019 archive feature. It is a specific land and archive link, rather than evidence that Lovelace worked as a railway engineer.
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What does the available workforce figure say?
Network Rail reported that women made up 16.5% of the UK engineering sector workforce in 2021, attributing the figure to an Engineering UK report published in March 2022. This is a historical figure for 2021, not a current estimate. Network Rail’s 2023 feature reported the statistic; it should not be used to infer today’s workforce share.
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