ZIGURAT recognises female talent during the BIM Coordinators Summit

ZIGURAT has awarded five BIM Hero medals to leading women in the field of BIM to boost their visibility in the construction sector, one of the most masculinised in the world. 

The BIM Hero medals are an initiative of the BIM Coordinators Summit, one of the most important events in the construction sector worldwide. It is a recognition awarded to international professionals who stand out in the field of BIM. However, the list of honorees follows the typical sector pattern: most award winners are men. 

Given this situation, ZIGURAT Institute of Technology has decided to break with stereotypes and take advantage of the BIM Hero medals initiative to recognise some of the leading women in BIM and contribute to gender equality in the sector. 

"Awarding female BIM professionals demonstrates our commitment to gender equality, talent and female expertise in the field," says Monalisa Martins, Institutional Engagement Manager at ZIGURAT. "We value and celebrate the contribution women have made to the BIM industry, and through this initiative, we further enhance their presence and influence," she says.

ZIGURAT's BIM Heroes

In this 2023 edition, the ZIGURAT Institute of Technology awardees are professors of the institution's English, Spanish, and Portuguese BIM masters, and leaders in the field of BIM. They are:

• Paula Mota, BIM Manager, Senior Consultant at LogiKal Projects and BIM Director at SIPPRO. Civil Engineer, Architect and Urban Planner with more than 14 years of experience with virtual construction and BIM implementation, modelling and facilities management. 

• Lucrecia Real, Senior BIM Consultant at Voyansi BIM Consultant at MLR. Architect with more than 25 years of experience in implementing Autodesk software. During her career, she has participated in large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the third lock of the Panama Canal, and hydroelectric projects in La Barrancosa, Aña Cuá, Itatí Itacorá, Corpus, among others. 

• Caroline Cabral, Architect. She is an alternate councillor of the Council of Architecture and Urbanism CAU-SE and founding partner and President of CBIM-SE.

• María Méndez, Architect and BIM Manager at FCC Construcción.  She currently coordinates the BIM Technical Office for constructing the New University Hospital of Puertollano and is an on-site Design Consultant for the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Remodelling.

• Marzia Bolpagni, Head of BIM International and Associate Director at Mace. She is a multi-award professional and works to innovate the built environment with a focus on ESG criteria. She is a member of the BIM Excellence Initiative, associate editor of BIMdictionary, ambassador of Nima, founder of Italians in Digital Transformation UK and co-editor of the book Industry 4.0 for the Built Environment.