An award-winning Mansfield woman is aiming to inspire the next generation of women in innovation and technology.

Christina King won the Women in Innovation Award from Innovate UK for her commercial approach that aims to drive emissions reductions and energy savings through wider access to sensing technology, developed where she works at Tribosonics, Sheffield.

Christina’s idea of revolutionising Sensing as a Service to create a more sustainable future for industry impressed judges.

Now she has returned to her former secondary school, St Mark’s West Essex Catholic School, to present a Purple Plaque to mark the Women in Innovation Award.

The purple plaque is Innovate UK’s twist on the blue plaques seen in the UK. Purple plaques are being displayed at schools to recognise the achievements of some of the female innovators who have won its prestigious Women in Innovation Award.

The award also sees recipients receive £50,000 and bespoke mentoring to scale up and bring to market their pioneering business ideas.

Christina, who gave a talk to 200 years 11, 12 and 13 girls, said: “I’m so excited to be recognised in this way. School played such a big part in setting me on my journey and I want to help the next generation realise their ambitions.

“It’s critical that young people have strong role models to follow and I’m humbled to be recognised in this way.

“I hope it helps other young people with dreams of starting their own business to have the confidence to give it a shot.”

Innovate UK hopes the plaque will inspire pupils at the school to follow in Christina’s footsteps.

She is one of a network of 64 Women in Innovation Award winners who are developing pioneering innovations to tackle societal, environmental, and economic challenges.

Headteacher Elaine Heaphy added: “We want our pupils to realise their potential. As they say, you can’t be what you can’t see. This plaque is a reminder to everyone here of what they can achieve if they set their mind to it. We’re delighted to recognise Christina’s achievements and are excited to follow what comes next.”