“We cannot have a world where women do not participate in the solutions being developed”
- Lorea Argarate has received this year’s Gladys Award.
- The jury highlighted Argarate’s entrepreneurial spirit, outreach work, and rich career trajectory.
- The jury evaluated 40 candidates, more than ever before.
Donostia, September 26, 2024 – Lorea Argarate Zubia (Bilbao, 1990) has been named the winner of the IV Gladys Award, receiving the trophy from PUNTUEUS and the Faculty of Informatics at UPV/EHU.
The jury unanimously decided and highlighted several aspects of her career, particularly her entrepreneurial spirit: she holds a degree in Telecommunications Engineering and is an entrepreneur at the TAZEBAEZ cooperative. She is currently working on digitalization and innovation processes in the field of education.
As Argarate acknowledged, “Being an entrepreneur is very exhausting. But also very exciting! Every day you learn new things, meet new people, and creating together with them is a pleasure.”
The jury also emphasized Argarate’s communication and outreach work: “She has participated in various platforms and discussions on science and technology in different media. She has spoken on topics such as blockchain, computational thinking, education and digital environments, and STEAM and women.” The jury praised her communication skills.
Her resume was also highlighted, as Lorea has participated in various projects, including InspiraSTEAM and the Kaixo Mundua educational project, both aimed at fostering young women’s interest in science and technology.
Argarate is also a musician, and as she explained when receiving the award, “I came to technology through music. Curiosity has always led me to technology.”
Argarate accepted the award with enthusiasm and stressed the importance of having women in technology: “We cannot have a world where girls don’t participate in the solutions. Those solutions need women’s perspectives. Diverse teams can anticipate many more things and design better.”
The Gladys Award was organized by PUNTUEUS and the Faculty of Informatics at UPV/EHU, with the support of the Equality Body of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the collaboration of the industrial group Danobatgroup, the Basque Women’s Institute Emakunde, and the Equality Directorate of UPV/EHU.
The competition seeks innovative young Basque women working in any area of the Basque digital sector, aiming to create new role models in the tech world and encourage STEM vocations among young people. In this edition, the jury evaluated 40 candidates who met all the requirements, more than in any previous edition.
A TECHNOLOGIST PASSIONATE ABOUT MUSIC
Lorea Argarate Zubia (1990) was born in Bilbao and resides in Berlin. Although she started her studies in Physics, she holds a degree in Telecommunications Engineering (University of Deusto, 2016). She has a postgraduate degree in Industrial Organization (University of Deusto, 2017) and two master’s degrees: Big Data & BI (University of Deusto, 2017) and a master’s in Teacher Training (VIU, 2018). She also completed a Blockchain program at the University of Deusto (2018). Currently, she is an entrepreneur at the TAZEBAEZ cooperative and works on digitalization and innovation processes in education in both Berlin and Bilbao.
She is deeply passionate about music, which led her to study Physics, intending to learn acoustics. However, she did not complete these studies at the time and instead pursued a degree in Telecommunications Engineering, specializing in sound and image. In this field, she discovered the digital world and programming.
After finishing her degree, she ventured into other areas and completed master’s programs in Industrial Organization and Big Data. It was then that she began working at Deustotech. Given her close relationship with education and scientific outreach, she also pursued a master’s in Teacher Training to further strengthen her foundation.
From a young age, Argarate has been immersed in science and technology outreach, interacting with local and international entities and sharing knowledge. She has been closely linked to the STEAM approach and had the opportunity to witness the start of the InspiraSTEAM project, focusing on the impact that can be made on girls.
She participated in the creation of the “White Mirror / Tech for Good” program on exponential technologies for wellbeing. She has collaborated with various organizations, including PUNTUEUS, Elhuyar, and GAZTEA.
Despite her youth, she has participated in numerous forums and is often invited to speak about the digital environment. Most of her content is delivered in Basque, targeting young people in both format and language. Lorea links her projects to a gender perspective, breaking stereotypes, showcasing new professions, and inspiring others.
She has developed a career as a clarinetist, but in recent years, she is better known for her work in electronic music. She was a member of the musical project Las Tea Party DJs and the band Mazmorra. Currently, she is part of “Mauriziak ez du inor hil” and also performs solo under the name hamaika.
ABOUT THE GLADYS AWARD
PUNTUEUS and the Faculty of Informatics at UPV/EHU have organized the fourth edition of the Gladys Award, with the sponsorship of the Equality Body of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, along with the support of the industrial group Danobatgroup, the Basque Women’s Institute Emakunde, and the Equality Directorate of UPV/EHU.
The award aims to recognize young Basque women working in the digital field, create new role models for young people, and promote their work. The award ceremony will take place on September 26 at 11:00 AM at the Faculty of Informatics of UPV/EHU.