On April 25, WiN Ukraine hosted the third national Women in Nuclear Award 2026 ceremony — the industry award “Women in Nuclear Energy of Ukraine”, established within the WiN Awards initiative to recognize women’s contributions to the development of nuclear energy, nuclear and radiation safety, science, education, radioactive waste management, and international cooperation.
This year, the ceremony was held for the first time with the support of State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management as part of the events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, as well as with the support of Ukrainian Nuclear Society, Atomprofspilka, and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority Direktoratet for strålevern og atomsikkerhet.
The award ceremony became part of the artistic and technological Chornobyl Exhibition: “40 Years Later. A Story That Obliges”, created on the initiative of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management with financial support from the European Union. Through reflection on the past, presentation of the present, and a vision for the future, the project team demonstrated the transformation of Ukraine’s nuclear sector and its human dimension.
During the opening ceremony, the honorary founder of WiN Ukraine Margaryta Rayets, stated:
“We did not expect this initiative to unite such a wide range of professions within the nuclear sector. Today, this award is not only about recognition, but also about bringing together the state, the industry, and the professional community around the value of human contribution. Today, the resilience of the nuclear sector is impossible without women. Our mission is to make this contribution visible.”
A welcome speech was delivered by WiN Ukraine President Alona Zavorotnia, who emphasized the significance of the award for the professional community and the development of role models for the younger generation:
“The Chornobyl tragedy became a turning point after which the industry changed, and women were part of those changes and continue to be today. It was important for us to focus attention on women who every day ensure safety, development, science, education, and international cooperation in the nuclear field. Twenty-four organizations participated in the award, with 88 nominees submitted, and behind each nomination stands a story of professionalism, responsibility, and dedication. These are representatives of the entire nuclear sector of Ukraine: from enterprises in the exclusion zone to research institutions, universities, regulators, and energy-generating companies. This award was created to make women’s achievements in the industry visible, to recognize their professional journeys and the results they create every day, so that their stories of success are heard confidently and these women become role models for the younger generation choosing their path in the nuclear industry.”
The President of WiN Ukraine also thanked the award partners — the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, Ukrainian Nuclear Society, Atomprofspilka, and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority — for supporting the industry award and contributing to its implementation.
Representatives of state institutions and the nuclear industry took part in the ceremony, including:
- Oleksii Budyk, Deputy Head of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management
- Volodymyr Holosha, President of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society
- Pavlo Oleshchuk, Assistant to the Head of Atomprofspilka
- Serhii Tarakanov, Director General of Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant
In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of human capital in the nuclear industry, the role of women in ensuring nuclear and radiation safety, and the need for systematic recognition of their contributions.
The ceremony was hosted by y Kateryna Savchenko, Head of International Cooperation at the Radon Association and WiN Ukraine activist.
The winners of the industry award “Women in Nuclear Energy of Ukraine”, selected by the expert council in their respective categories, were:
🏆 Leader in Promoting Gender Equality — Natalia Vynohradova, Radon Association;
🏆 Defender of Nuclear and Radiation Safety — Vita Shpiller, Energy Safety Group LLC;
🏆 Leader in Physical Protection — Tetiana Bychkova, Khmelnytskyi NPP;
🏆 Woman Innovator in Nuclear Energy — Iryna Romanenko, Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine;
🏆 Nuclear Industry Scientist of the Year — Olena Yurchenko, State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management;
🏆 Leader in International Cooperation — Kseniia Kostiuchenko, Central Enterprise for Radioactive Waste Management;
🏆 Communication Leader of the Nuclear Industry — Olena Vtora, South Ukraine NPP;
🏆 Educator of the Nuclear Industry — Tetyana Rymar, Lviv Polytechnic National University;
🏆 Mentor of Young Professionals — Natalia Ostra, Vinnytsia National Technical University;
🏆 Leader of Ukraine’s Nuclear Industry — Tetyana Amosova, Atomprojectengineering branch of Energoatom;
🏆 Woman in Technical Profession of the Year — Iryna Kondratenko, Chornobyl NPP;
🏆 Woman in Skilled Trade Profession of the Nuclear Industry — Nadiia Mazur, Izotop State Enterprise;
🏆 Professional in Radioactive Waste Management — Maryna Shevchenko, Radon Association;
🏆 Resilience and Dedication to the Industry — Iryna Zvierieva, Radon Association;
🏆 Special Award “Zaporizhzhia NPP – Strength and Courage” — Olena Prokopenko, Zaporizhzhia NPP.
Certificates for professional contribution and personal example in shaping the modern role of women in nuclear energy were awarded to:
🥇 Tetiana Zykii — Rivne NPP;
🥇 Iryna Danylchenko — Eastern Mining and Processing Plant;
🥇 Karina Shevchenko — State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine;
🥇 Yuliia Bazeliuk — Ecocenter;
🥇 Nadiia Mudryk-Mochalova — Central Enterprise for Radioactive Waste Management;
🥇 Inna Bednarska — Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
The ceremony concluded with a speech by WiN Ukraine Vice President Nadiia Chyzhyk, who emphasized:
““This award is our way of thanking women working in the nuclear industry. It demonstrates how important each of your contributions is, especially today as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster while the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains under occupation. Then, just as now, women were on the front line, professionally performing their duties. This industry award became not only a space for recognizing professional achievements but also a platform for increasing the visibility of women in Ukraine’s nuclear sector — in science, safety, production, international cooperation, and the future development of the industry”.
Women in Nuclear Ukraine is a professional community uniting women and partners of Ukraine’s nuclear sector and working to advance professional leadership, the visibility of women in STEM, and gender equality in the nuclear field.
We thank all organizations that joined the industry award “Women in Nuclear Energy of Ukraine.”
