Every year, awards are given out in Elsie MacGill's name. The Northern Lights awards, named after the aviation pioneer, honour Canadian women in aerospace and aviation.

This year, a former Sudburian was named to the Rising Star Award.

Erika Kangas grew up in the Nickel City, as well as in northern British Columbia, before moving to Toronto to take the Aerospace Engineering program at Ryerson University.

There, she was selected to be a participant in the Ryerson Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation program. Following graduation, Kangas was hired by Bombardier. Earlier this year, she was the flight test engineer on board the first biofuel flight in Canada.

“I'm very honoured and excited to have been chosen to receive such a prestigious award,” Kangas said.