Gail Long Early Career Woman Engineer of the Year Award
Open award for members and non-members
Award criteria
Purpose: The purpose of this award is to recognise women at an early stage of their career in any field of NDT/CM/SHM and associated science, engineering and technologies. It aims to raise the profile of women in engineering, and of NDT and its related disciplines and industries, with a contribution over a period of at least 2-5 years.
The award highlights activity in the following areas: contribution to the NDT/CM/SHM or wider engineering community; contribution in research, education, technological innovation; and the promotion and practice of NDT/CM/SHM. Nominees can be active in any relevant sector or industry.
The award is named in honour of the late Gail Long, winner of the BINDT Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, who made a major contribution in the NDT community.
Details of the award: The award will consist of a certificate plus £300 cash/bank transfer, an invitation to either the NDT or CM Annual Conference Dinner and one night’s accommodation.
Eligibility: Nominees should have made a valuable contribution to the NDT/CM/SHM community, either through R&D, technology innovation, development or transfer, by developing strategies leading to new technology development and exploitation, by contribution to standards or by facilitating significant change in NDT/CM/SHM.
The suggested guideline on ‘early career’ is within 10-15 years of starting work as an engineer (excluding career breaks).
This is intended to recognise contributions over a period of at least 2-5 years.
The proposer of the award should be a voting member of the Institute. If they are not, they will need to ensure the application is endorsed by an Institute voting member.
Frequency: The prize will be awarded annually and will only be issued if suitable nominations are received.
Nomination arrangements: Nominations should be submitted by email to: karen.cambridge@bindt.org
Nominations for the award will be reviewed by the Membership, Qualification and Education (MQ&E) Committee. If there is only one nomination, then MQ&E should vote to confirm whether the nomination is eligible and, if so, to approve the award.
If there is more than one nomination, then the entries should be sent for judging by a panel set up for the purpose. Four members of the panel are to be appointed by MQ&E. Each judge will be invited to score the entries on a point scale of 0 to 3 and send the scores to Karen Cambridge, who will total the scores, and the entry receiving the most points will be declared the winner.
Awarding arrangements: The certificate and cash/bank transfer will be awarded to the winner at their choice of either the NDT or CM Annual Conference Dinner.
Committee: MQ&E and Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Group (DIAG).
Winners
2025 winners: Georgina Wilson-Roberts and Stacey Buchan
The winners of the Gail Long Early Career Woman Engineer of the Year Award for 2025 are Georgina Wilson-Roberts and Stacey Buchan.
Georgina Wilson-Roberts is currently working as an Apprentice NDT Tutor at Lavender International and has worked there for two years.
She holds PCN Level 2 certifications in magnetic particle testing (MT), penetrant testing (PT) and visual testing (VT) and achieved a distinction in her Level 2 NDT Operator apprenticeship. In her current role, she delivers MT and PT training courses and carries out recertifications, helping learners develop their knowledge and practical skills within the non-destructive testing (NDT) industry.
One of Georgina’s proudest achievements is receiving a distinction in her apprenticeship, alongside a Special Recognition Award at the apprenticeship award ceremony.
Looking ahead, she aims to complete her Level 3 NDT Technologies Technician apprenticeship and gain additional PCN Level 2 qualifications in weld inspection and eddy current testing. She hopes to expand her teaching expertise in these methods and ultimately work towards achieving PCN Level 3 qualifications to further develop her career within the NDT profession.
Over the past 13 years, Stacey Buchan has built her career in inspection assurance, quality and vendor surveillance within the energy sector, progressing from coordinating inspection activities to leading operations across Europe and Africa for Fulkrum. Throughout her career, she has remained passionate about raising standards, delivering quality and supporting both clients and colleagues to achieve successful project outcomes.
Stacey’s experience spans the full asset lifecycle, from front-end engineering design (FEED) and procurement through fabrication, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning. She has worked across major international energy projects, coordinating inspection and quality assurance activities involving mechanical, electrical and process equipment while ensuring delivery is consistent, traceable and aligned with the highest industry standards.
One of her proudest achievements has been helping drive continuous improvement in the way inspection services are delivered. Stacey has championed the use of Fulkrum’s IRIS digital inspection platform to improve visibility, reporting, traceability and collaboration across international projects. By working closely with inspectors, clients and internal teams, she has helped ensure that technology supports the practical needs of those delivering inspection services on the ground.
Leadership has become an increasingly important part of her career. She is committed to creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement, while mentoring colleagues and supporting inspectors working across multiple countries. Stacey believes that investing in people is just as important as investing in processes and she takes pride in developing strong teams that consistently deliver high-quality results.
Working in a traditionally male-dominated industry has strengthened her determination to lead by example. She hopes her journey encourages more women to pursue careers in engineering and demonstrates that strong leadership is built through integrity, resilience and a commitment to continuous learning.
Looking back over the last 13 years, Stacey is proud of the impact she has made, not only in improving inspection assurance and operational performance, but also in supporting the people around her and helping raise standards across the industry. She remains passionate about continuing to drive positive change, develop future talent and contribute to the ongoing success of the energy sector.
Past winners:
2020 Dr Maria Felice and Rachael Southgate
2021 Samantha McInnes-Rankin
2022 Danielle Elizabeth Adams
2023 Laura Hook (Hayday)
