A NAVAL vessel designer and the developer of an unmanned ship are among the 15 outstanding women to be honored with “Shanghai Women’s Innovation Award.”

The average age of winners who work in different fields is 43.5 years old.

Mao Xianqun, 48, from China State Shipbuilding Corporation, designed a military ship that took part in a floating parade to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China’s Navy in 2009, and carried out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden off Somali from 2010-2011.