Conference Speakers
Dr Sarah PeersINWES President
As Head of Academic Skills at New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering (NMITE) a new university in England with a new approach to engineering education, Sarah leads on the mathematics pedagogy and the so-called soft skills for NMITE’s degree programmes. She also drives NMITE’s Access and Participation Plan for diversity and inclusion, for gender, neurodiversity, social mobility.
Sarah’s degrees are largely mathematical followed by a mechanical engineering PhD in the application of AI and reliability tools to the maintenance of structures. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), a Fellow of the Institute of Innovation & Knowledge Exchange (IKE) and Advisor to the IKE’s STEM Foundation. She has expertise in skills strategy and policy development for innovation, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts) education, and she was integral to the development of Uruguay’s national “STEM Plan” for gender in schools.
Sarah has over 30 years of engineering education experience at multiple levels, tempered with consultancy for industry. She has championed gender equality in STEM since 1992 and has been active in INWES for 10 years. She believes in global collaboration to improve the lives of women and men.
Dr. Marlene Kanga
former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), 2017-2019
Dr. Marlene Kanga is a globally recognized chemical engineer and a preeminent advocate for diversity in STEM. An Officer of the Order of Australia, she has been named among Australia’s Top 10 Women Engineers and Top 100 Women of Influence. As former President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), she successfully led the proposal for UNESCO’s World Engineering Day and established the WFEO GREE Women in Engineering Award. Beyond her advocacy, Dr. Kanga holds influential board positions in the energy and water sectors and contributes to hydrogen storage commercialization. Her academic prestige is reflected in Fellowships across global academies, including the Royal Academy of Engineering and the International Science Council. She has received numerous top-tier accolades, such as the 2024 Peter Nicoll Russell Medal and the Ada Lovelace Medal, cementing her legacy as a transformative leader and role model for women in engineering worldwide.
Dr. Carmela R. Centeno
Chief, Responsible Materials and Chemicals Management Unit, UNIDO Vienna, Austria
Dr. Carmela R. Centeno leads the Responsible Materials and Chemicals Management Unit of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Vienna, Austria. A chemical engineer and circular economy expert, she directs international programmes addressing electronic waste, persistent organic pollutants, mercury, hazardous chemicals, and sustainable materials management. Her work advances the circular economy by helping developing countries strengthen policies, adopt environmentally sound technologies, improve resource efficiency, and promote safer recycling systems. She has supported major UNIDO initiatives in the Philippines and other countries, protecting workers and communities while creating livelihood opportunities, particularly for women in informal recycling. Through partnerships with governments, industries, and development organizations, Dr. Centeno promotes inclusive, low-carbon, resource-efficient, and environmentally sustainable industrial development worldwide.
Prof. Graeme John Norman Gooday, Ph.D.
Director of Impact, School of Philosophy, Religion & History of Science,University of Leeds, Lead, INWES Herstory Project
Graeme John Norman Gooday is Professor of the History of Science and Technology at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. His research focuses on the history of electrical and energy technologies, gender and technology, women in engineering, patent cultures, and measurement practices. He is widely known for his leadership of the Electrifying Women project, which explores the long and transnational history of women’s participation in engineering and applied science.
Since 2022, he has led the INWES Herstories project, which records the career experiences and life stories of women in STEM to inspire future generations. Together with Dr Emily Rees Koerner, he helped develop the Herstories Oral History Toolkit to support the collection and sharing of INWES members’ stories across countries and languages. Professor Gooday has published extensively with leading academic presses, including Cambridge University Press, MIT Press, and Palgrave Macmillan. He has received major awards for scholarship and teaching, including the British Society for the History of Science John Pickstone Prize and a UK National Teaching Fellowship. At Leeds, he has held senior leadership roles and supervised over 30 PhD students to completion.
Engr. Jerry Doncillo Asuncion, FPSME, PME
ASEAN Engineer and APEC Engineer
Engr. Jerry Doncillo Asuncion, FPSME, PME, is an ASEAN Engineer, APEC Engineer, and experienced mechanical engineering leader. He serves as Chief Executive Officer of EMVAC Corporation and has held senior roles in engineering services, mining, and industrial operations since 1987. Active in professional governance, he is First Vice President of the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations and serves on the Philippine Technological Council Engineering Registry Board as elected Deputy Country Registrar–International. He has also held leadership positions in the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, including national director, vice president, and chapter officer, and has represented the Philippines in ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations activities. His career reflects commitment to professional excellence, international recognition, technical leadership, and service to the engineering community.
Mary MwangiDeputy President International network of Women Engineers and Scientists
Mary Mwangi is an experienced Lecturer and plant biotechnology researcher at Kenyatta University, Kenya, dedicated to driving food security, climate resilience, and wealth creation across Africa. Specializing in banana biotechnology—including tissue culture popularization and disease resistance breeding—she actively collaborates on the Climate Smart Banana project (CLISMABAN), leading Kenyan initiatives for gender-responsive variety selection.
Passionate about bioentrepreneurship, science communication, and youth startups, Mary works closely with resource-poor rural women farmers. A committed advocate for empowering women in STEM, she leverages her leadership roles as a board member of the Association of African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE) and as the former Secretary General (2021–2023) of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES).
Dr. Victoire (Vicky) Ghafi KONDI-AKARA (BE. MSc. Ph.D)
Vice President of Youth Empowerment, INWES
Dr. Victoire (Vicky) Ghafi KONDI AKARA is a Resident Researcher in Climate Change Science and the Gender and Inclusion Officer at the AIMS Research and Innovation Centre in Rwanda. With over 11 years of experience, her expertise spans weather-climate services, energy demand modeling, sustainable development, and climate-health impacts.
An active international consultant, she has provided technical services to organizations like GIZ, the EU, and the African Union, additionally serving as an African Union volunteer in 2021. As a 2024 Africa Climate Ambassador and a two-term Board Member for the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) from 2021 to 2026, she champions youth leadership, grassroots empowerment, and STEM promotion for young women across Africa.
Prof. Jung Sun Kim, Ph.D.
President, Busan Digital University, Also served as INWES President for 2021-2023, Chair of International Networking Committee of KWSE
Prof. Jung Sun Kim is a distinguished academic leader and STEM advocate currently serving as President of Busan Digital University. She previously held positions as Executive Vice President and Professor of Biomedical Laboratory Science at Dongseo University, marking a historic milestone as her university’s first female Vice President.
A medicinal chemist with a Ph.D. and over 50 peer-reviewed papers, Prof. Kim is a vital figure in global gender-equality initiatives. She served as President of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) from 2021 to 2023, co-founded the Asia Pacific Nation Network (APNN) in 2011, and remains an ex-officio INWES Board Member. In 2019, the Korean government awarded her the prestigious Woongbi Medal for her exceptional national and international contributions to women in STEM.
Prof. Caroline Langat Thoruwa, PhD
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Outreach at Kenyatta University
Prof. Caroline Langat Thoruwa, PhD, is professor at Kenyatta University, where she provides strategic leadership in research, innovation, partnerships, knowledge transfer, and community engagement. She is a Professor of Organic Chemistry, with research interests in organic chemistry, natural products chemistry, and environmental chemistry.
Prof. Thoruwa is passionate about advancing the social, educational, and professional status of women and girls, particularly in STEM. She chairs the Advisory Board of the Kenyatta University Women Economic Empowerment Hub and the African Women in Science and Engineering, and serves as Patron of Kenyatta University Female Students in Science and Technology. She also served as Secretary General of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists from 2017 to 2020, and as a Board Member.
Prof. Ruby Hanson, PhD
Professor of Chemistry Education and a past Dean of Science at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Professor Ruby Hanson is a Professor of Chemistry Education and a past Dean of Science at the University of Education, Winneba. She has also served as Pro-Vice Chancellor of the institution.
She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry Education and a master’s degree in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry (Toxicology). Her research focuses on the design of interactive approaches to enhance students’ conceptions through sub-micro chemistry activities, as well as the integration of systems thinking, engineering, and the social sciences into chemistry curricula to mitigate humanitarian challenges.
Professor Hanson has authored over 100 publications in her field. She has secured multiple grants, including European Union grants for the improvement of teacher education and American Chemical Society grants aimed at nurturing young children in rural communities in science, particularly chemistry education.
Sylvia KegelTreasurer INWES, former INWES-Europe Chair
Sylvia Kegel is a respected engineering advocate whose leadership has strengthened women’s participation in STEM across Europe, Africa, and the wider INWES network. As INWES Board Treasurer and former European Chair, she has promoted cross-continental partnerships, mentorship, and resource sharing, helping women engineers and scientists from developing regions access international platforms. She also supported UNESCO-linked INWES initiatives that helped expand opportunities for participation in international STEM activities. Her long service with the German Association of Women Engineers reflects her commitment to transparent governance, professional networking, and sustained advocacy for women in technical fields. Professionally, Kegel brings nearly two decades of experience in optics, analytics, technical project management, and product information systems, including work with Hellma. She applies corporate discipline, financial oversight, and organizational efficiency to nonprofit leadership, turning structured management into practical support for gender equity in STEM worldwide.
Dr. Louernie De SalesUNIDO Expert, VP-Sustainability Head, SM Prime Holdings, Philippines
Louernie F. De Sales, or Duday to her friends, is an environmental engineering expert specializing in hazardous waste management, circular economy initiatives, and electronic waste policy. As a consultant for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), she developed Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP) for e-waste projects in Türkiye and the Philippines.
In January 2026, she began a new role as the full-time VP-Sustainability Head at SM Prime Holdings, Inc. Her extensive professional background also includes over a decade at Light Rail Manila Corporation, culminating as the Head of Health, Environment, Safety, and Quality (HSEQ). Additionally, she is serving as a part-time Professorial Lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
USEC CHERYL MARIE NATIVIDAD-CABALLERO
Undersecretary for High Value Crops, Department of Agriculture
Usec Sheryll “Ching” serves as Undersecretary for High-Value Crops, overseeing the High-Value Crops Development Program, National Organic Agriculture Program, and National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program. A social innovator, technology manager, and development worker, she brings together agriculture, innovation, and inclusive development. Born in Sual, Pangasinan, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Philippine Studies and master’s degree in Technology Management from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Her career spans the Senate, Congress, international development organizations, and the Department of Agriculture, including service as Undersecretary for BFAR. She also leads and serves in key agricultural boards. Usec. Ching believes agriculture thrives through resource management, technology, and partnerships that create value for all stakeholders.
