Regional winners in this year's TechWoman100 awards
Three women from across the region have been cited in this year’s WeAreTechWomen TechWoman100 awards.
The winners of these awards showcase remarkable women within the technology and STEM sector.
Jessica Tolliday is a technical consultant at Bristol-based Techmodal, an applied data science business solving complex data problems for clients in defence and industry.
Two women working at Jaguar Land Rover also made the Top 100.
Sophy Tallett, found her passion for technology when she discovered automated driving.
“As I learn about the complex super systems and the interdependencies I couldn’t help but think “wow, now this is for me”
Sophy started as an apprentice engineer at Dixon Group Europe. “Then I started to look for what was next. Some of my friends had gone to university which I had always discounted because I didn’t really understand what it was and why people went when I was at school, but I saw for these jobs I needed a degree and there was only one way to get it.”
She applied for a Whitworth scholarship and a mechanical engineering degree at Lancaster University.
I remember being fascinated by how synchronised motors worked, along with lots of other topics. After finishing my degree with a 2:1 I moved onto working in production at a fuel tank manufacturing facility for Unipart Logistics on their Leadership Graduate programme. I worked in project engineering for fuel tanks and fuel fillers as well as supporting with quoting for new business.
“Prior to me taking over programme management for fuels, the factory had lost a lot of business from their key customer. As part of my role as programme manager I needed to improve the factory’s reputation to the customer, ensuring engineering change was handled efficiently and without quality issues so we could win some new projects.
“This was successful, and as I left Unipart to begin my journey into automated driving the factory won their first new project in four years.
“I am now in my first Jaguar Land Rover management position in the Jaguar team delivering JLRs Advanced Driver Assistance Systems on to the new all electric Jaguar platform and I couldn’t be more proud, creating an icon with all the technology of a new car of this generation.
Tamanna Haque is a senior data scientist at Jaguar Land Rover, using the connected car and AI to deliver value, through new product development, improved customer experiences, streamlined operations and renewed strategy.
She tells her story: “I joined a brand-new data science team which presenteda lot of opportunity, and three years later I’m still enjoying lots of futuristic projects, challenges and career progression.
“I have previous analytics and data science experience in retail and financial services, and currently enjoy working in automotive because of the ability to shape an EV future in the present day. It’s particularly exciting to do this at Jaguar Land Rover- I’ve followed and lived the Jaguar brand since childhood, and to be playing my part towards the renaissance of Jaguar as an electric luxury brand is a dream.
“As well as delivering autonomously, I also act as a technical lead on numerous other projects, by leading, reviewing and sharing best practice. I’ve also led outside the team by mentoring several women with a tactical approach, working with them on original project ideas with many value streams, and more recently I founded a ‘Women in AI’ group which provides members with technical and soft development opportunities in a challenging, male-dominated field.
“Additionally, I was chosen for a new role within Jaguar Land Rover’s Women in Engineering committee as its Analytics Lead, and externally I promote diversity and inclusion within AI and automotive, delivering numerous talks (panels, podcasts, conferences, webinars) to industry professionals, students, and women’s leadership and diversity groups.
