María Ángeles Martín Prats facts for kids

María Ángeles Martín Prats was born on February 7, 1971. She is a Spanish engineer and a successful entrepreneur. She leads aeronautical research at the University of Seville and is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). She also started her own company, Skylife Engineering.

María Ángeles is involved with important groups like the Partnership of a European Group of Aeronautics and Space Universities (PEGASUS). She also helps coordinate universities for the European Defence Agency (EDA). In 2015, she received a special award called the Order of Civil Merit from King Felipe VI. In 2018, she won the Ada Byron Award [es], which celebrates women in technology.

Becoming an Engineer and Researcher

María Ángeles Martín Prats studied at the University of Seville. She earned special degrees called PhDs in physics and electronic engineering. Today, she is a professor and researcher there.

Her Work in Aeronautics

At the university, she leads the team that researches electronics for airplanes. Her work focuses on things like power electronics, which control how electricity is used. She also works on avionics, which are the electronic systems used in aircraft. Since 2011, she has been recognized as an IEEE Senior Member for her important contributions.

By 2018, María Ángeles had worked on over 70 big projects. She was in charge of 42 projects that helped bring new airplane technology to companies. She has also written many papers about her research.

Encouraging Girls in STEM

María Ángeles was chosen by a global group of engineering deans to help more girls get into STEM fields. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Her efforts made a big difference in Seville. In just five years, the number of women studying air navigation there grew from 15% to 60%. This shows how much she cares about helping young women succeed in these areas.

Leadership Roles

From 2006 to 2011, María Ángeles was the president of the Spanish chapter of IEEE Women in Engineering. This group supports women in engineering. She also led the Spanish chapter of the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society from 2009 to 2012.

Starting Her Own Company

In 2011, María Ángeles started her own company called Skylife Engineering in Seville. This company was a "spin-off" from the university, meaning it grew out of her research there.

Awards for Innovation

In 2012, Skylife Engineering won the Emprendedor XXI award. This award is given to new companies that are innovative and have a lot of potential to grow. It helped recognize her company's success.

European and International Involvement

Since 2008, María Ángeles has been a coordinator for the PEGASUS network. This is a group of top European universities that focus on aerospace. She also joined the PEGASUS board in 2011 and was its vice president from 2013 to 2015.

Global Recognition

In 2013, she was a finalist for the Airbus GEDC Diversity Award. This award recognizes efforts to promote diversity in engineering. She was also named one of the top 100 most influential women in Spain by Mujeres & Cía in 2014, 2015, and 2018. She was even in the top 10 for academics and researchers.

Current Roles

Since 2015, she has been a deputy director at the Higher Technical School of Engineering. Since 2017, she has been the European university coordinator for the European Defence Agency (EDA). She is also a member of the Scientific Committee for the European Commission's Clean Sky Joint Undertaking.

Special Awards and Honors

On June 19, 2015, María Ángeles received the Order of Civil Merit from King Felipe VI. This is a very high honor in Spain. In April 2018, the University of Deusto gave her the Ada Byron Award [es]. This award celebrates women who have made important contributions in technology.

Other Recognitions

• Mujeres & Cía Top 100 Most Influential Women in Spain (2014, 2015, 2018)
• Association of Businesswomen and Professionals of Valencia Award (2014)
• Cortes de Cádiz Ibero-American Award (2015)
• Order of Civil Merit (2015)
• Ada Byron Award [es] (2018)

See also

In Spanish: María Ángeles Martín Prats para niños