The influence of female portrayals in media is undeniable, especially when it comes to women engineers and women in technology. To that end the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC), the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), and Google have joined forces for the SET Award for Portrayal of a Female in Technology. This award recognizes a female character in film, TV, or Internet "that goes above and beyond to inspire and encourage the breakdown of stereotypes and elevate the conversation around female ingenuity in technology fields."

"When it comes to encouraging girls and women to pursue careers in computer science and other technical fields, we know that positive role models matter," Mo Fong, director for K-12 Education Outreach at Google, said in a press statement. "We are excited to be partnering with EIC and NCWIT to create an award that highlights amazing women in entertainment and the characters they portray to inspire and propel more women into technical careers critical to future innovation."

Nominees were chosen by public vote via Youtube. The winner will be determined by public voting and entertainment and technology professionals.

Click the image below to see the top 12 and visit Youtube through April 6 to vote for your favorite.

And for a look at some real-life women making waves in engineering and technology check out our "Top 10 Influential Female Engineers" and be sure to share some of your favorites in the comments section!

Chris Wiltz is the Managing Editor of Design News.