Thirty-two women from 24 countries have been awarded iRAP’s International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2026 Training and Accreditation Grants, helping build the next generation of road safety leaders through #EngineeringIntelligence.
Road safety needs diverse voices, innovative thinking, and strong leadership. That is why iRAP is delighted to announce the successful recipients of our International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2026 Training and Accreditation Grants.
This year, we received over 210 applications from talented and passionate women engineers, planners, researchers, road safety professionals and students from around the world. Following a highly competitive selection process, 32 outstanding women from 24 countries have been awarded grants to support their professional development and help advance safer roads globally. These recipients were selected from the global applications received as part of our INWED 2026 #EngineeringIntelligence initiative, which celebrates the role of women in applying data, innovation and human expertise to create safer road infrastructure.
We are excited to welcome this new cohort into the global iRAP community and look forward to supporting, mentoring and celebrating their contributions as they help deliver safer journeys for all road users.
Empowering Women Through Engineering Intelligence 👩🏽💻
Thanks to the generous support of the FIA Foundation, each recipient will receive access to iRAP’s training course on:
- Star Rating Essentials
- Star Rating for Designs
These internationally recognised courses provide practical skills in road safety assessment, risk identification, safer road design and evidence-based decision-making. Participants will gain the knowledge needed to apply iRAP methodologies in their work, strengthen their professional credentials, and contribute to the delivery of safer infrastructure projects in their communities and countries.
The training also provides a pathway towards becoming an iRAP Accredited Practitioner, helping recipients build expertise that can support government agencies, consultants, researchers, local authorities and road safety organisations worldwide.
Why This Initiative Matters 💜
The 2026 INWED theme, #EngineeringIntelligence, recognises the growing importance of combining technical knowledge, data-driven tools and human-centred thinking to solve complex infrastructure challenges. Women engineers are playing a critical role in this transformation, leading efforts to design safer, more inclusive and more sustainable transport systems.
Despite progress, women remain underrepresented across many engineering disciplines globally. By investing in professional development opportunities, iRAP is helping to strengthen gender diversity within the road safety sector and ensure more women have access to the knowledge, networks and recognition needed to become leaders in the field.
Every road user deserves infrastructure that reflects diverse perspectives and experiences. Supporting women in engineering is not only about equity, it is essential to creating safer roads and reducing the devastating impact of road crashes worldwide.
Meet the 2026 Grant Recipients 🌏
Congratulations to our 2026 International Women in Engineering Day Grant recipients:
Recipient Organisation Country
Prabhseerat Kaur Punjab Road Safety and Traffic Research Centre India
Prashona Dawadi AECOM Australia
Ritah Umubyeyi Rwanda Transport Development Agency Rwanda
Kathryn Allender National Highways United Kingdom
Tris Liu Blacktown City Council Australia
Shunyashree Danappa WSP India
Laiz Aracy Bérgamo Florenzano Departamento de Estradas de Rodagem (DER-SP) Brazil
Rocio Lopez TEKIA Ingenieros S.A. Spain
Swastika Thapa ERMC Pvt. Ltd. Nepal
Paola Carvajal MOVIDANA Ecuador
Maria Jacinta Lagonera CTI Engineering International Philippines
Mónica Danaé Medellín Matamoros Mobility Directorate of San Pedro Garza García Mexico
Tais Silva DER/SP Brazil
Oyun-Erdene Shirendev CTI Engineering International Co., Ltd. Mongolia
Palesa Hekandjo Roads Authority Namibia
Yemariyam Kibret Woldegiorgis Ethiopian Road Administration Ethiopia
Malebogo Powe Motor Vehicle Accident Fund Botswana
Michelle Blackhurst Western Australian Local Government Association Australia
Barbara Adhoch Association of Consulting Engineers of Kenya Kenya
Shelley Cao Department of Transport and Planning Australia
Heydy Estefany Oha Vilez Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Peru
Pamahayu Prawesti Ministry of Public Works Indonesia
Gabriel Pomacu S.P.L.D.P. Dolj Romania
Monique Barnes (van Wyk) Queenstown Lakes District Council New Zealand
Nikola Floodgate Kent County Council United Kingdom
Veronica Son City of Boulder United States
Nothando Mthunzi Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council United Kingdom
Adriana Nesheva Road Infrastructure Agency Bulgaria
Natalia Tanan Institut Teknologi Bandung / Ministry of Public Works Indonesia
Deborah Tuaki Road Traffic Authority PNG Papua New Guinea
Euridice Jackie Matsiengouni Direction Générale de la Sécurité Routière Gabon
Jigme Lhazen Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport Bhutan
Looking Ahead
These 32 women represent a diverse network of professionals working across government agencies, local authorities, consultancies, academia, research organisations and non-government organisations. Together, they bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and commitment to improving road safety outcomes in every region of the world.
We look forward to following their journeys as they apply their new skills, strengthen their professional networks, and contribute to creating a world free of high-risk roads.
We would like to thank all applicants for their interest and enthusiasm. The quality of applications received once again demonstrates the incredible commitment of women engineers and road safety professionals worldwide.
We are also immensely grateful to the FIA Foundation for helping make these opportunities possible.
Together, creating a world free of high-risk roads. 🌍
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