Nora Khaldi of Nuritas won the Grace Hopper Award for her contributions to the world of STEM.
A host of people and organisations have been honoured at this year’s Diversity in Tech Awards.
Among the honourees were Nuritas founder and CEO Nora Khaldi, the non-profit Open Doors Initiative, as well as bigger companies such as Cognizant and Oracle.
The ceremony took place this evening (21 September) at Dublin’s RDS Concert Hall, shining a light on individuals and organisations striving to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Khaldi scooped the Grace Hopper Award for her achievements as founder of Dublin-based biotech company Nuritas. Named after the pioneering computer scientist, the award recognises a woman working in STEM who has made outstanding contributions to the sector.
Last year’s winner of the Grace Hopper Award was Sri-Lankan born Irish computer scientist Sheree Atcheson.
Khaldi founded Nuritas in 2014. Since then, she has led international research teams around the world, in both academic and industrial settings. Earlier this year, she relocated to the US to oversee the company’s expansion there.
Khaldi said the award is a “true testament” to the work she and her colleagues do.
“I grew up with a diverse background; my educational skillsets were built at the interaction of diverse fields of science and mathematics that usually don’t come together. I’ve instilled this diversity in Nuritas from the very start and I truly believe that the way forward is when diverse ideas, diverse people and diverse educational backgrounds come together to create something beautiful.”
Irish education and employment non-profit the Open Doors Initiative received the Diversity Impact Award for its work in promoting diversity in the workplace. It collaborates with Government departments to create pathways to education, employment and entrepreneurship for underrepresented people.
Jeanne McDonagh, CEO of the Open Doors Initiative, said that “some people see work as a necessity to be endured”.
“At the Open Doors Initiative, we see it as a joy and a challenge and a means to help others succeed. Our passion is seeing people from all walks of life overcome barriers and challenges, progress and find their calling. It is an honour for us that they trust us with this task and one which we are very grateful for.”
This was the first time in three years that the Diversity in Tech Awards ceremony was held in person. This year’s event saw entrants from all over the world.
Tracey Carney, MD of the Diversity in Tech Awards, said: “The event is not only about celebrating excellence but also about sharing knowledge and experience. The calibre of entries this year was exceptional and I want to congratulate each and every one of the amazing finalists and winners who have joined us here tonight.”
Diversity in Tech Awards winners 2022
- Nora Khaldi, Nuritas – Grace Hopper Award
- Open Doors Initiative – Diversity Impact Award
- Cognizant – Diverse Company of the Year
- Access Earth – Social Impact Award
- Axonista – Health & Wellness Award
- Carmel Owens, Sidero – Diversity Role Model Award
- Oracle – LGBTQ+ Inclusion Award
- Brian Dalton, Fiserv – Disability Inclusion Award
- eBay – Cultural Inclusion Award
- Dr Mary Coghlan, EY – Tech Leader Award
- Ellen Gunning, Mettacomms – Entrepreneur Award
- Rena Maycock, Cilter Technologies – Trailblazer Award
- Alma Tarfa, Workhuman – Rising Star Award
- Nitheen Kaperi Sanyal, Merck – Digital Transformation Award
- Alison Treacy, Tangent/Trinity College Dublin – Mentorship Award
- Uditi Sharma, Elevate Tech – Young Female STEM Pioneer
- Yen Phan, CodLad – Data Scientist Award
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