Innovative South Australian women have been recognised as finalists for the 2020 Winnovation Awards, recognised for their work.

By FREYA LUCAS

Innovative South Australian women, including Dr Jordan Bell of Aunt Jodie’s Guides, have been recognised as finalists for the 2020 Winnovation Awards, recognised for their work and commitment to excellence.

Selected by independent judges from a record field of applicants, the finalists appear in 11 award categories across science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, with Dr Bell being recognised as offering value to children in early childhood education and care through her series “Aunt Jodie’s Guides” which use the power of story-telling “to bring grown-up science to little minds, inspiring a love of STEM, and informing our future citizens”.

Speaking about the awards, Nicole Swaine, President of Women In Innovation SA, said the number of applications in 2020 had exceeded expectations, which she found surprising “in such a time of uncertainty”.

Determining finalists from such a strong field was a challenge for the judges, she continued, noting that they had “a very difficult task in making their selections”.

“We commend all our entrants who contribute to making South Australia a more innovative state. By innovating, every single one of them creates a ripple effect, creating new opportunities for jobs, furthering research, and generally improving our quality of life.”

This year the Winnovation winners will be announced on November 19 at Lot Fourteen’s innovation hub.

“Due to restrictions, the board, finalists and sponsors will attend as part of our live audience, replacing our usual gala event,” Ms Swaine said. “But on the plus side, due to innovative remote event technology, we will have a much larger national audience participating online.”

For tickets to attend the event, please see here. A full list of all finalists may be accessed here.

Originally published at the sector