Traditionally a male-dominated field, women are playing increasing prominent and influential roles throughout the power industry. For evidence of this change, one need look no further than the evolving gender balance at the APPrO 2015 conference.
The APPrO 2015 conference featured two female keynote speakers and a record number of women in speaking roles – 17 in total, plus 5 women speakers in the Energy Storage Forum. This year, APPrO’s Hedley Palmer Award was presented for the first time to a woman. In another first, a panel of speakers at the APPrO conference was more than 50% female: Presenting women as the majority of speakers was actually the case for two of the panels at the APPrO 2015 conference – the panel on cap-and-trade and the panel on public engagement. APPrO Executive Director Jake Brooks noted that “All of these women were in speaking roles because of their capabilities in the field. None were chosen on the basis of gender.”
At the APPrO 2015 banquet dinner the organization celebrated the growing role of women in the sector by hosting the presentation of the first annual Woman of Distinction Award, in collaboration with Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE). See "Michelle Branigan receives Woman of Distinction Award," also in this issue.