MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Two members of the Penn State Harrisburg community — Shirley Clark and Vahid Motevalli — were honored recently at the 2025 Women in Technology Awards hosted by the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania.
The awards aim to recognize women, and their supporters, who are innovators, role models, trailblazers and inspirations within the technology community.
Clark, acting director of the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology and professor of environmental engineering, received the Moxie Award, which recognizes a pioneer who has blazed the trail for other women in technology to follow.
“I am humbled and honored to receive this award,” Clark said. “Being a woman in STEM, there are days that moxie is what got me through. What also got me through was knowing that I have had a strong support network from my family, my friends and my colleagues. I have been fortunate to have great mentors. I hope that I can pass this forward to the next generation. We need everybody in STEM, and we need to remove barriers to access.”
Motevalli, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and Quentin Berg chair and professor of mechanical engineering in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, received the Women in Tech Ally Award, which recognizes an individual, organization or business for outstanding achievements or contributions as an ally to women in the tech field.
“An opportunity to be an advocate, ally, mentor, or just supportive of another person in an impactful and meaningful way, is very rewarding. To be able to do so for women in STEM, which immensely benefits our world, is wonderful,” Motevalli said. “To be recognized for just doing what is right and natural is unbelievably fulfilling. I sincerely thank all women colleagues and students who have allowed me to be their ally over the years.”