SWEA International has named astronaut Jessica Meir the Swedish Woman of the Year 2026, as voted for by SWEA members worldwide. The announcement was made today during a live online meeting with SWEA members where Jessica participated live from the International Space Station ISS, approximately 400 kilometers above Earth.
Jessica Meir is an astronaut at NASA Johnson Space Center and commander of Crew-12 on the International Space Station (ISS). She is the first Swedish woman in space and one of Sweden's most highly regarded astronauts internationally.
She is currently on her second long-term mission and leads an international team of astronauts in research and technology development for future space travel. The work also contributes to new knowledge with significance for life on Earth. Jessica Meir has both Swedish and American citizenship and is considered the second Swedish citizen in space after Christer Fuglesang.
In 2019, she gained international attention when, together with fellow astronaut Christina Koch, she conducted the first spacewalk in history with only female astronauts.
Jessica Meir on receiving the honorary award:
”I am honored and grateful to have been voted Swedish Woman of the Year 2026. From my current position, 400 kilometers above the Earth here on the International Space Station, you literally get a global perspective and an understanding that we humans are truly here together on our only common planet. I am incredibly privileged to have this opportunity and see it as my duty to spread this perspective to as many people as possible. Through the extraordinary track records of the other finalists and the captivating SWEA members I have met in recent years, it has also become clear to me that the sky is truly not the limit for Swedish women. Thank you very much, SWEA!”
Lotta Rigby Fors, Chairwoman of SWEA International:
”SWEA is incredibly proud to name Jessica Meir the Swedish Woman of the Year 2026. The fact that she participated in our ceremony live from the International Space Station makes this year's award completely unique. It says something about both her exceptional mission and the global reach she represents. Jessica Meir is a symbol of what can happen when passion, perseverance and big visions are given space. Her journey inspires people around the world to dare to dream big and follow their visions, no matter how far away they may seem.”
With her background as a researcher in marine biology and physiology, her leadership and her ability to inspire new generations, Jessica Meir is an international role model for Sweden and a symbol of Swedish research and international cooperation.
The award will be presented in connection with SWEA Sweden's Summer Days in Malmö on August 6, 2026.
Background facts
Nominees for Swedish Woman of the Year 2026 were four fantastic women: Anna Bjerde, Managing Director Operations at the World Bank and one of the organization's three top operational managers; Jessica Meir, astronaut at NASA Johnson Space Center and commander of Crew-12 on the International Space Station (ISS); Kristina Kappelin, journalist, author, CEO and curator of the Villa San Michele cultural center on Capri and Sweden's honorary consul in Anacapri; and Tove Agren, aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center with a focus on advanced space technology and development for future Mars missions.
Read more about the nominees here: Swedish Woman of the Year – SWEA International
Swedish Woman of the Year is SWEA International's largest honor and an award that has been presented to 35 women since its inception in 1989. The recipients all have in common that they, through their activities or expertise, have acted as ambassadors for Sweden abroad. One of the criteria for the Swedish Woman of the Year is that she represents and highlights today's Sweden in the world in a distinctive way. This means that she directly or indirectly promotes Sweden abroad and creates curiosity about Sweden. Sweden's reputation and standing are benefited abroad through what she does. The award aims to demonstrate a breadth of women's activities and expertise, to inspire development regardless of life situation and to draw attention to both famous and unknown Swedish women.
SWEA International is a global network for Swedish and Swedish-speaking women who live – or have lived – abroad. With 5,700 members in 67 branches worldwide, SWEA is the largest non-profit organization promoting Sweden outside of Sweden. Every year, SWEA awards scholarships and donations worth more than 2 million kronor.
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