On the stage of one of the most influential ceremonies in the European industry, civil engineer Luz Cely Hostos heard her name amid applause as she was honored as “Woman of the Year” at the Trophées des Femmes de l’Industrie, a recognition that not only celebrates her leadership in the energy sector but also showcases Colombian talent within France’s industrial elite.
The award, organized by the magazine L’Usine Nouvelle, highlighted her leadership as Head of Operations Support and Performance for the Battery Program at Orano, a strategic role in the global energy transition. Beyond the plaque and the lights, however, the moment carried an intimate tone: recognition of a story that began far from the spotlight.
“It is a true honor. Many times I have been one of the few women in this environment. I am convinced that women have their place in industry, at all levels and all over the world,” she said during the ceremony, with the calm confidence of someone who has built her path step by step.
The chronicle of this achievement begins in Duitama, in the department of Boyacá, where she grew up in a middle-class family that, she says, instilled respect and a love for work well done.
“My mother, loving and always present, and my father, a wise man who raised us without stereotypes, deeply shaped my upbringing,” she recalls.
At home, engineering and art coexisted naturally: one sister is a chemical engineer, also a UIS graduate, and another is an architect from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
Her character began to take shape at a public technical school, in classrooms where women were a minority. “In sixth grade we were only six girls in a class of forty,” she says, convinced that experience planted the discipline and resilience that still accompany her today.
The UIS hallmark in international leadership
For Hostos, her time at UIS was not only academic but deeply transformative. “The Universidad Industrial de Santander was decisive in my professional and personal development. It gave me solid technical foundations and taught me intellectual discipline and critical thinking,” she says proudly.
That hallmark, she adds, has been key to leading projects in complex settings, from extreme conditions in Central Asia to operations in Africa. She insists the award does not feel like an individual triumph. “I consider it a collective recognition of the teams I have worked with and the values we share.”
Breaking barriers in a historically male-dominated sector
Her career also reflects the challenges of forging a path in industries traditionally dominated by men. “Leading teams in those environments requires confidence, consistency, and resilience. Diversity enriches decision-making; in the end, professionalism is what builds credibility,” she says.
That conviction carries weight in a context where the visibility of female role models remains key for new generations. The 2025 edition of the awards brought together nearly 180 nominations from more than 25 companies, a sign of progress toward equity.
Through her work in the battery program, she observes an energy transition driven by electrification and responsible resource management. “Strategic metals will be essential, but their sustainability will depend on efficient recycling and reintegration into new batteries. It’s the concept of the ‘urban mine.’”
Today, her name joins those of Colombian professionals leading technological processes with global reach. “Representing Colombia and UIS is both a pride and a responsibility. It shows that Colombian talent can contribute in high-tech environments,” she says with contained emotion.
A clear message
“To young people I say: trust your technical abilities and your human qualities. With ethics, preparation, and consistency, it is possible to build an international career without losing your identity.”
Thus, the story of Luz Cely Hostos, a UIS graduate, becomes more than news: it is the portrait of a trajectory that connects Colombian classrooms with decisions that today influence the world’s energy future – reminding us, with every word and every achievement, that talent nurtured at home can illuminate global stages.
