Today, February 11, we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. AID4GREENEST is proud to be able to count on a team of incredibly talented female researchers and project managers as part of our consortium driving innovation in materials characterisation in the steel sector. In honour of the occasion, we asked several of them for their reflections on being a woman in science, their journeys in the field and the challenges women still face.
Paula Chonillo.
Research Assistant at IMDEA Materials Institute
Deciding to pursue a career in science and start a Ph.D. is not an easy task, especially as a woman in a country different from my own. However, I have been fortunate to have the support of friends and family, who have been my main pillar during the most demanding moments.
My journey in science has brought me to IMDEA Materials and to be part of the AID4GREENEST project, working alongside a multidisciplinary team of colleagues who have supported my growth without gender differences.
This experience has allowed me to develop as a researcher in the field of metals within materials science and engineering. It motivates me to know that my work contributes to scientific progress and that, as a woman, I can perform with the same ability and confidence as any other team member.
In discussing this topic, let’s first look at the progress that has been made. In 1978, as a female engineering student, women made up just 2% of the student body compared to men. Today, that number has risen to nearly 30%.
When I became a researcher, women represented only 20% of those in the coffee room, yet held 0% of leadership positions—no female heads of division, research units, or deans of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. Shockingly, this has barely changed in 2025. I was entrusted with a project only after making it clear to my superior that quitting was not an option, given the mortgage I had to pay. In my first role as an expert for the European Union in the 1990s, I was surprised to find a panel of evaluators with gender parity. At last, I saw women engineers in high academic and industrial positions—I was no longer alone!
Even today, in 2024, our faculty has graduated 27% women with a Ph.D., while the average for the 12 faculties of our university is 43%. Progress is happening—just last year, in 2023, only 22% of PhDs in applied sciences were awarded to women. But our faculty still lags behind the rest, with a long road ahead to achieve gender parity in applied sciences.
Anne Habrakan
Professor & Research Director FNRS & FONDS ASSOC., University of Liège
Anandi Kugele
Business Unit Manufacturing Processes at Fraunhofer IWM
From a young age I was interested in science and technology – in Germany, the “Girls’ Day” initiative allowed me to get early insights into traditionally male-dominated fields. During my Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. studies, the gender balance among students was fairly equal.
However, in my next academic position at a research institute I encountered a huge gender disbalance, especially in leadership positions. This disparity has made me reflect on the opportunities available to women in such fields. Temporary employment contracts are a major problem. Also, I would have loved to meet more women to exchange, build a network and support each other.
Nevertheless, I feel fortunate to be surrounded by a supportive environment that has consistently encouraged me to advance in my career.
My grandmother did not have access to higher education; at the time, motherhood often began at an early age. Determined to break that cycle, she worked hard to provide her daughters with greater opportunities, allowing my mother to pursue a university education and build a professional career.
I was fortunate to grow up with a mother who served as a role model—she studied, worked, and encouraged me to see learning as the path to success. Although I was born into a male-dominated society, my parents taught me that discipline and perseverance were the keys to opening doors.
Becoming an inventor was my childhood dream, and my patents are just the beginning of even greater challenges. As a woman, mother, and professional, I feel responsible for being a role model, showing that dedication leads to achievement.
Mary Osorio
LCA/LCC Consultant at Eura AG
From AID4GREENEST, we would like to recognise not only all of the female researchers involved in this particular project, but all those woman who have made strides for scientific and technological progress, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations. es women still face.
