BBC names Astrid Linder on its 100 Women list

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has named Professor Astrid Linder on its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2023. The list also includes lawyer Michelle Obama, Barcelona and Spain footballer Aitana Bonmati and AI expert Timnit Gebru, alongside a host of other prominent women in fields including science, sports, culture and politics.

Professor Linder was awarded the accolade for her road safety research and the development of the world’s first crash test dummy modelled on the average woman. She is the only Swede on this year’s list.

Of the decision to include Linder on the list, the BBC writes:

“For decades, cars have been manufactured using crash-test dummies based on the average male – even though statistics show that women are more at risk of injury or death in the event of a frontal collision. Engineer Astrid Linder has worked to change that, leading the project to create the world's first average-sized female crash test dummy, which takes into account the morphology of women's bodies. A professor of Traffic Safety at the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) and adjunct professor at Chalmers University, Linder is an expert in biomechanics and road injury prevention”.

Linder was informed of her inclusion on Tuesday immediately before holding an on-line lecture for students at a Czech university. “I am delighted, both for myself and everyone else who has contributed to this research. The crash test dummy is based on 25 years of work and, even if I have received the lion’s share of recognition, it has very much been a team effort,” says Linder.

Funded by Swedish innovation agency Vinnova and the European Commission, work to develop the SET50F and its male equivalent the SET50M has been performed in collaboration with a number of partners. The motivation for the project is that women are at greater risk of injury than men in like-for-like accidents – and that no crash test dummy had yet been developed based on female anatomy.

Linder underlines the importance of her inclusion on the BBC’s 100 Women list. “It raises awareness of what we have achieved and what is possible to achieve. Hopefully, it will inspire others. It also demonstrates the value of this research and that it is important and urgent,” she says.

The BBC’s 100 Women list is divided into five categories: Climate Pioneers, Culture & Education, Entertainment & Sport, Politics & Advocacy, and Science, Health & Tech.

Read more: BBC’s 100 Women list External link.

Text: Mikael Sönne

Translation: CBG