The Women of Color STEM Conference is marking 25 years of promoting the significant achievements of women in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEM).

The 2020 Awards gala, which is being held virtually, has winners across 15 categories. This year, more than 40 women will be recognized.

Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN will receive the top honor as Technologist of the Year. The award represents recognition of high merit, the broad effect on people in many disciplines, and value to society as a whole.

Among her many achievements in the field of nursing and public health, Rear Admiral Trent-Adams has had a direct impact on building systems of care to improve public health for marginalized populations domestically and internationally.

Meet the 2020 Women of Color STEM Award Recipients

Technologist of the Year
RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Other notable award recipients include Adrienne Somerville of the Naval Air Systems Command, who will be receiving the President's Award.

President's Award
Adrienne Somerville, Acquisition Group Head, Commander Fleet Readiness Center

Other award categories include career achievement, community service, corporate responsibility, diversity leadership, educational leadership, managerial leadership, new media/IT, outstanding technical contributing, professional achievement, technical innovation, and student leadership.

Career Achievement – Government

Career Achievement – Industry

Community Service – Government
Priscilla Ford, Workforce Development Specialist, Fleet Readiness Center Southwest

Community Service – Industry

Corporate Responsibility
Karen Bradford, Director, Strategic Partnerships, NASA Ames Research Center

Diversity Leadership
Tamberlin Golden, Plant Director, General Motors

Educational Leadership – College-Level Promotion of Education
Bushra Ahmad Saeed, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of the District of Columbia

Educational Leadership - Corporate Promotion of Education
Claudia Morales, Supplier Quality Assurance Systems Staff Specialist, Bell Textron Inc.

Each year the Women of Color STEM Conference hosts several award ceremonies and a forum of leaders from Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, colleges, and universities to discuss key issues in the scientific and technical workforce, share best practices, and showcase opportunities for professional development, networking and recruiting.

Managerial Leadership – Government
Shitarria Battle, Chief Engineer, C2 Systems Development, Missile Defense Agency

Managerial Leadership – Industry

New Media/IT Leadership – Government
Barbara Pilate, Computer Scientist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

New Media/IT Leadership – Industry
Rachel Smith, Assistant Vice President - Technology, AT&T

Outstanding Technical Contribution – Government

Outstanding Technical Contribution – Industry

Professional Achievement – Government

Professional Achievement – Industry

Student Leadership – Undergraduate Level
Michelle Dominguez, Engineering Student, NASA Ames Research Center

Technical Innovation – Government
Candice Hatcher-Solis, Ph.D., Team Leader, Neurobiology of Cognitive Performance, 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory

Technical Innovation – Industry

The theme for the 2020 Annual Conference "The World is Counting on Us: Reset to Rise," is focused on giving attendees the expert insights and tools that they need to shape growth in a changing landscape, and address the underrepresentation of women in engineering (15%) and computer and mathematical sciences (26%).

Special Recognition

The Women of Color STEM Conference has been the venues where women and men from diverse backgrounds have come to recognize outstanding achievements in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), celebrate excellence in STEM-related fields, and create a career learning and networking environment.