Tech council to honor women innovators

Seven women from Fairfield and New Haven counties were among 53 finalists announced yesterday by the Connecticut Technology Council for the ninth annual Women of Innovation awards.

The annual awards program honors professional women and students in the fields of engineering, science and technology, with categories honoring researchers, academics, entrepreneurs and students, among others.

Local finalists include Alysia Evanitsky of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford; Susan Marotta and Kremena Simitcheva of Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corp., based in Ridgefield; Zoe Eggelson, a student at Newtown High School; Brittany Lew, a student at Greenwich High School; Julie Zimmerman, a Yale University professor, and Lindsay Soh, a Yale University Ph.D. candidate.

The winners will be announced March 19 at the Women of Innovation Awards Dinner in Southington. The awards program is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, a global pharmaceutical firm; United Technologies Corp., the Hartford-based parent company of Sikorsky; Covidien, a Massachusetts-based medical device manufacturer, and Day Pitney L.L.P., a law firm whose locations include Greenwich and Stamford.