Meet 2026 UNSW Ada Lovelace Medal winner Dr Gunilla Burrowes

Explore the insights of Dr Gunilla Burrowes, a visionary in the tech industry awarded the 2026 Ada Lovelace Medal.

As we stand at the precipice of the AI era, 2026 UNSW Ada Lovelace Medal winner Dr Gunilla Burrowes argues that the tech industry’s most pressing question is no longer what our creations can do, but what they should do for humanity.

Augusta Ada Byron, better known as Countess Ada Lovelace, is widely celebrated as the world’s first computer programmer. When she looked at Charles Babbage’s revolutionary mechanical computer, the Analytical Engine, she didn’t just see a sophisticated calculator. She envisioned a machine that could manipulate symbols, not just numbers—a conceptual leap that laid the groundwork for modern computing.

More than a century later, that same visionary spirit was celebrated at the 2026 UNSW Women in Engineering Alumni Awards, where Dr Gunilla Burrowes was awarded the prestigious Ada Lovelace Medal for Outstanding Engineer. And in her acceptance speech, she made it clear that Lovelace’s forward-thinking philosophy is exactly what the tech world needs today.

The AI Era: Courage Over Capability

Gunilla, the Chair of the NSW Division of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, drew a direct line from Lovelace’s 19th-century revelations to the complex ethical landscape of modern Artificial Intelligence.

“Ada not only recognised what the analytical engine that Charles Babbage had invented, and became the first computer programmer, but she actually documented the idea that it could be a lot more than that,” Gunilla shared upon accepting her medal.

“So she saw possibilities.”

However, with those boundless possibilities comes profound responsibility. Gunilla issued a compelling call to action for the next generation of engineers and tech leaders.

“It seems fitting to reflect on the fact that today we are seeing the beginning of the AI era.

We have this extraordinary technology before us, and it’s kind of scary to think that we really no longer can simply ask the question about what AI can do, but maybe consider what AI should be doing.

And I think that it is the responsibility of engineers to have that wisdom, that courage to ask the questions of what AI really needs and should do for humanity now.”

A Legacy of Deep-Tech and Diversity

Gunilla’s 40-year career is a testament to identifying and nurturing technologies that drive society forward.

Beginning her career with BP Solar, she helped deploy some of Australia’s earliest photovoltaic systems. She then went on to co-found BlueZone Group, an engineering firm specialising in autonomous underwater systems and marine innovation. Recognising the need to support emerging innovators, particularly during the Hunter region’s industrial transition, she later co-founded one of Australia’s first regional angel investment networks and established Eighteen04 Inc., the nation’s first CleanTech and Smart City incubator.

Through investment, mentorship, and governance, she has supported more than 50 technology ventures. Crucially, she has also been a relentless advocate for gender diversity in STEM, having previously led Engineers Australia’s Year of Women in Engineering.

Shaping the Future of the Profession

The Ada Lovelace Medal was just one of four honours presented at the event, which highlights women engineers who are creating profound societal impact.

As Professor Rita Henderson, Deputy Dean (Societal Impact and Translation) at UNSW’s Faculty of Engineering, noted, championing this kind of inclusive excellence is non-negotiable for the future of the industry.

“Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to the future of engineering because the challenges our profession is asked to solve affect every part of society,” Professor Henderson said.

“We need teams that bring different experiences, perspectives and ways of thinking to that work.”

By honouring leaders like Dr Gunilla Burrowes, who possess not only the technical expertise to build the future, but the ethical courage to guide it, the industry ensures that the legacy of Ada Lovelace continues to inspire the engineers of tomorrow.