Women of Color Magazine honored Mary Hor-Lao as the Technologist of the Year for 2023.
Mary, the director of software engineering at Abbott Neuromodulation, received the award at the Women of Color STEM Conference gala held in Detroit, Michigan last fall.
Mary has made significant contributions to her profession.
She led the development of some of the world's smallest rechargeable implantable pulse generator and spearheaded the creation of an award-winning Virtual Clinic.
These breakthrough technologies have transformed the lives of patients with chronic pain and movement disorders.
Mary also advocates for aspiring technologists, especially women of color, and is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion.
She has received recognition from IEEE Women in Engineering and is actively involved in STEM mentorship circles and philanthropic efforts to support children in her native Cambodia.
Mary's journey from surviving the Khmer Rouge's brutal genocide to becoming a prominent figure in electrical engineering is an extraordinary tale of resilience and determination.
Past Technologists of the Year award winners of Asian/Pacific Islander heritage include Mei Cai, Ph.D., director of battery cell systems research at GM Chemical & Materials System Lab in 2021; the 1999 Technologist of the Year, Dr. Chon-Yin Tsai, principal mechanical engineer, Lockheed Martin; 2002 Technologist of the Year, Duy-Loan T. Le, senior fellow, Texas Instruments; 2004 Technologist of the Year, Asha Goyal, Ph.D., vice president, IBM Global Services; 2010 Technologist of the Year, Eleanor Valentin, director of the Military Health System, United States Navy, and the 2011 Technologist of the Year, Sarita Rao, vice president, AT&T Business.
