Dr Bourke Wins A Top EU Woman Innovator Prize
11th March 2016
Dr Sarah Bourke, co-founder of Dublin based space technology company Skytek Limited, was announced as one of the winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators at a ceremony in Brussels yesterday evening.
The 2016 EU Prize for Women Innovators is the largest prize of its kind worldwide, and aims to raise public awareness of the need for more innovation and more female entrepreneurs. It also aims to highlight the achievements of the most successful women innovators with entries from throughout Europe.
Dr Bourke beat off competition from 64 other candidates from throughout Europe to claim third place and is the first Irish woman to win the award. Selected by an independent jury, she was awarded the prize for the innovation, leadership and commercial progress in pioneering technology that is used by European Space Agency, NASA and the International Space Station and also developing tools for aircraft maintenance, emergency response and the security industries. Skytek has also recently developed a new coastal monitoring system with the Irish Naval Services using satellite technology and introduced a Space Weather Division.
Speaking yesterday evening, Dr Bourke stated that she believes these awards are very important to promote awareness, particularly among young females, that women can compete and achieve at the highest levels in the technology sector. Commenting on the opportunities for women in technology she said “It is generally accepted that space is very much a male dominated area in which to work. These awards demonstrate that women are breaking through into the sector and are making significant contributions”.
