Women of Color STEM Awards Recognize Five Ansys Employees

Five Ansys employees will receive one of industry's most important honors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) during the Women of Color (WOC) STEM Conference—Digital Twin Experience (DTX).

For more than two decades, these awards have served the dual purpose of showcasing outstanding achievements in STEM and highlighting the barriers for women in the workforce. Women's representation among the STEM occupational clusters has not changed markedly since 2016. Women made up a quarter or fewer of workers in computing and engineering in 2019.

Ansys says it is committed to building a workplace that reflects the diverse world. Women make up two-thirds of CEO Ajei Gopal's direct reports, and Ansys was recognized by 2020 Women on Boards as a Winning "W" Company for having 20% or more board seats held by women. Ansys also provides employees with opportunities that create a strong foundation for diversity, equity and inclusion. For example, the Ansys Women in Technology employee resource group is a community focused on empowering women to grow their career, confidence and network, the company reports.

Ansys' 2020 Women of Color STEM category winners include:

Technology All-Star Category

• Sujata Bandyopadhyay (Ansys senior manager, Technical Support) 
• Terri Washington (Ansys director of R&D Verification)

Technology Rising Star Category

• Vidyu Challa (Ansys senior manager, Consulting) 
• Eunhee Kim (Ansys senior product sales manager)

Educational Leadership—Corporate Promotion of Education Category

• Lakshana Mohee (Ansys educational development manager)

"Sujata Bandyopadhyay, Vidyu Challa, Eunhee Kim, Lakshana Mohee and Terri Washington were selected because they are among an extraordinary group of forward-thinking people in STEM," says Monica Emerson, National Chair of the Women of Color in STEM Conference. "This year, the nominees represented the most diverse collection of executive professionals we have had the pleasure of evaluating. From managers to vice presidents, they stand out as superior authorities in their respective fields."

Since 1995, awards presented at the Women of Color Conference have honored excellence and underscored the under-representation of women at senior levels. For 26 years, employers committed to diversity, equity and inclusion have chosen the conference as the place to share best practices and strategies to attract and keep women in scientific and technical fields. 

"Ansys embraces all dimensions of diversity to create a truly inclusive culture, and our Women of Color STEM Award recipients reflect that commitment," says Julie Murphy, vice president of human resources at Ansys. "These five incredible women could not be more deserving of their awards. They are true trailblazers in their careers, and their accomplishments serve as inspiration to our next generation of tech professionals at Ansys."

About Women of Color STEM Conference

The annual Women of Color STEM Conference—A Multicultural Event is produced by Career Communications Group Inc. (CCG). CCG works with big and small employers to promote multiculturalism and equity in STEM fields. 

Click here for more information about WOC DTX 2021.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.