Dr Gunilla Burrowes, Chair (NSW Division) of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, has been named the 2026 winner of the UNSW Women in Engineering Ada Lovelace Medal for Outstanding Engineer.
The medal was one of four honours presented at the UNSW Women in Engineering Alumni Awards, which recognise the achievements of women engineers who are creating impact and serving as role models for the next generation.
The Ada Lovelace Medal was created by UNSW Engineering in 2016 and is named for Augusta Ada Byron, later Countess Ada Lovelace, an English mathematician who is widely regarded as the first computer programmer for her work on Charles Babbage's revolutionary mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine.
Previous winners of the award include Dr Mary O'Kane (NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer), Kathryn Fagg (board member of the Reserve Bank and Boral), Dr Judy Raper (chemical engineer and former senior official in the U.S. National Science Foundation), and Rebecca Cook (Ground Terminal and Infrastructure Manager at Northrop Grumman Space Systems).
Dr Burrowes is an engineering leader, entrepreneur, investor, and company director whose 40-year career has spanned renewable energy, deep-technology innovation, entrepreneurship, and diversity in STEM.
Beginning her career with BP Solar, she contributed to the deployment of some of Australia's earliest photovoltaic systems before co-founding BlueZone Group, an engineering company specialising in autonomous underwater systems, sensing technologies, and marine innovation.
Her doctoral research in autonomous underwater vehicle swarming advanced Australia's capability in marine autonomous systems engineering.
Following the Hunter region's industrial transition, Dr Burrowes co-founded one of Australia's first regional angel investment networks and later established Eighteen04 Inc., the nation's first CleanTech and Smart City incubator. Through investment, mentorship, and governance, she has supported more than 50 technology ventures.
A long-standing advocate for women in engineering, she led Engineers Australia's Year of Women in Engineering and continues to mentor and support future generations of engineers and innovators.
Accepting her medal, Dr Burrowes said: "I am deeply honoured to receive this award, and I especially love the fact that it is the Ada Lovelace Award, because she was somebody who inspired me from the very first day I entered engineering.
"Ada not only recognised what the analytical engine that Charles Babbage had invented, and became the first computer programmer, but she actually documented the idea that it could be a lot more than that.
"She thought about what if we could replace the numbers they were using at the time with symbols, and how we could actually solve problems far beyond just mathematical problems. So she saw possibilities.
"It seems fitting to reflect on the fact that today we are seeing the beginning of the AI era. We have this extraordinary technology before us, and it's kind of scary to think that we really no longer can simply ask the question about what AI can do, but maybe consider what AI should be doing.
"And I think that it is the responsibility of engineers to have that wisdom, that courage to ask the questions of what AI really needs and should do for humanity now."
The UNSW Women in Engineering Alumni Awards event also honoured Dr Meganne Christian with the Judy Raper Award for Leadership.
Dr Christian is a member of the European Space Agency astronaut reserve and Senior Exploration Manager (Commercial) at the UK Space Agency, advising on human and robotic spaceflight in the post-ISS landscape.
From 2014 to 2023 she was a materials science researcher at the National Research Council of Italy, and participated in parabolic flight campaigns to test graphene coatings for thermal management in satellites.
She has also undertaken two missions, including a winter-over, to Concordia Station in Antarctica, where she was a research scientist in charge of atmospheric physics and meteorology.
In November 2022, she was selected from a pool of over 22,500 applicants across Europe to be one of the 17 members of the European Space Agency's first astronaut class in 13 years.
Dr Christian was not able to collect the award in person, with her sister Delyse accepting it on her behalf.
But in a video message she said: "When I think about what UNSW gave me – it wasn't just an Engineering degree and a PhD.
"It shaped me into not only a researcher, but a well-rounded person through the incredible range of student activities like Engineering Ambassadors and Revues, leadership opportunities like the Co-Op program and Yellow Shirts, and through my friendships.
"I learned skills that extend far beyond the classroom and, looking back, that experience became the springboard for everything that followed in my career. Including, surprisingly, becoming an astronaut.
"One of the biggest lessons I have learnt is that careers rarely follow a straight line. The opportunities that have had the greatest impact on my life are ones I could never have predicted as a student.
"What matters is staying curious, saying yes to new challenges and being willing to grow in directions you never imagined.
"And that's why it's become so important to me to encourage young people to dream big, to explore widely and to find a path that is meaningful to them."
Special recognition in this award category went to Jo-Anne Dudley, principal consultant at Miner Ventures Pty Ltd, as well as Turia Pitt, the founder of Turia Pitt International.
Inspiring women engineers
The Maria Skyllas-Kazacos Young Professional Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Aishwarya Jha, Senior Electrical Engineer at Jacobs, a global professional services company.
She is an emerging leader in the decarbonisation field and is particularly interested in innovative and sustainable technology projects.
Jha specialises in high voltage systems and utility connections for projects across energy, water, rail, and data centres. She works in a client-facing role, managing and coordinating multi-million-dollar projects from early planning through to delivery.
"This award means a great deal to me because it not only recognises the technical excellence, but also the impact people can make by delivering projects that benefit our community and help us learn and grow together," said Jha in a video message as she was unable to attend the event in person.
"UNSW gave me the opportunity to grow not just technically, but develop my communication as well as leadership skills. The experiences I had at UNSW gave me confidence to take on any challenges in life, as well as my career."
The award panel also made special recognition of Dr Jessica Yajie Jiang, a Senior Research Fellow in UNSW's School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy, as well as Associate Professor Emma Lovell from UNSW's School of Chemical Engineering.
The Inspiring Student Award was jointly presented to Hayley Jiang and Sarah Muller.
They both received their awards from The Hon. Jodie Harrison MP, NSW Government Minister for Women, Minister for Seniors, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
Jiang is currently studying Chemical Engineering and was nominated for exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to community.
She has served as Team Lead on the Redback Racing student project and delivered its first ever technical workshop series and driver academy program, focused on building confidence, skills, and community with female and gender-diverse engineering students.
Her extensive work in the UNSW Health Promotions Unit has helped improve the health literacy of students and she has also authored equity, diversity, and inclusion workshops in partnership with the Faculty of Engineering to other student leaders.
Muller is currently studying for a master's degree in Space Systems Engineering and was nominated for her engagement with and mentoring of high school and undergraduate students, while actively promoting STEM in her community.
During her undergraduate studies in Aerospace Engineering and Geography she was recognised on the Engineering Dean's Honours List, conducted research with the Climate Change Research Centre and the Atlas of Living Australia, and worked as an acoustics consultant with GHD.
Her Honours thesis was among the earliest research into low-earth-orbit laser-beaming space-based solar power. Following graduation, Sarah spent three years working in naval sustainment, building skills in Integrated Logistics Support.
Since beginning her postgraduate studies, she has spoken on in-orbit sustainment at the Space Generations SGx conference in Washington DC, and contributed to an industry white paper through the AYAA Astra program.
She is also an active member of the Young Engineers Australia Sydney committee, which supports students and young professionals find their place in the engineering industry.
Current UNSW students Nickel Alofainamailelagi, Josephine Kelly and Yuka Maruyama were also specially recognised in this category.
The UNSW Women in Engineering Alumni Awards are part of an ongoing commitment by UNSW's Faculty of Engineering, by far the nation's largest, to attract more women to the profession and support a more inclusive engineering community.
Professor Julien Epps, Dean of UNSW Engineering, said: "I warmly congratulate all the 2026 winners for their outstanding achievements and inspiring leadership.
"These awards recognise excellence across every stage of an engineering journey, from students already making a difference to established leaders whose work is shaping industries and communities.
"Their achievements are a powerful reminder of the talent, creativity and commitment among women, non-binary and gender diverse students, alumni and industry leaders, and of the importance of continuing to build an engineering profession where everyone can thrive."
Professor Rita Henderson, Deputy Dean (Societal Impact and Translation) at UNSW's Faculty of Engineering, and a member of the selection committee, added: "The Women in Engineering Alumni Awards are more than a moment of recognition; they are a way of making excellence visible and showing what becomes possible when talent is supported, included and celebrated.
"Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to the future of engineering because the challenges our profession is asked to solve affect every part of society. We need teams that bring different experiences, perspectives and ways of thinking to that work.
"UNSW Engineering has an important role to play in championing that change. By recognising these outstanding students, alumni and leaders, we hope to help create a profession where women, non-binary and gender diverse people can see a place for themselves, progress with confidence, and shape engineering for the benefit of all."
