This award celebrates the successes of women in the engineering profession and recognizes their leadership and technical contributions in the aerospace, automotive and commercial vehicle sectors.
It serves to broaden the awareness of the reach and impact of women working in mobility engineering, and opening doors for young girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) who wish to pursue engineering careers.
Rodica Baranescu, Ph.D. made a generous gift in 2011 to establish this award. Dr. Baranescu is Past President of SAE International, an SAE Fellow and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. As a mechanical engineer, she began her professional and academic career in her native country, Romania, before immigrating to the United States in 1980 and was later the first woman elected President of SAE International in 2000.
Members of the Selection Committee are not eligible for this award while serving on the committee. Two years must pass before former members of the Selection Committee are eligible to receive the award.
This includes an honorarium and an award that is presented at an SAE Event.
| YEAR | RECIPIENT | COMPANY |
| 2022 | Kathryn Elliot | Rolls-Royce |
| 2022 | Alba Colon | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2021 | Chantal S. Parenteau | Exponent, Inc (AUTO) |
| 2021 | Ruxandra Botez | École de technologie supérieure (AERO) |
| 2020 | Elana Chapman | General Motors |
| 2020 | Cynthia Webb | PACCAR Inc. |
| 2019 | Laura Hitchcock, | The Boeing Company, Retired |
| 2019 | Denise Rizzo | U.S. Army TARDEC |
| 2018 | Leslie Kilgore | Thomas Built Buses |
| 2018 | Michele Kaiser | John Deere |
| 2018 | Rhonda Walthall | UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) |
| 2017 | Anita M Burke | General Motors |
| 2017 | Tara Travis | Cummins Inc. |
| 2016 | Andrea Brazzale-Anderson | Caterpillar Inc. |
| 2015 | Dr Christine K Lambert | Ford Motor Company |
| 2014 | Dr Ewa Alice Bardasz | Energetics |
| 2013 | Corina Sandu PhD | Virginia Tech |
| 2012 | Ning Lei | Navistar Inc |