My interest in STEM began about nine years ago, initially as a hobby. Through exploring new trends and innovations, it evolved into a passion and a professional commitment to digital education for children, young people, and teachers.
Your organization field and mission
Digital and business coaching in the education sector, with the mission of developing entrepreneurial skills, a digital mindset, and practical abilities in children and young people, helping them face the future with awareness through the project “Piccoli Imprenditori Academy”.
Please tell us briefly about your role in the company / at your organization
Founder and Digital & Business Coach: I design and lead educational programs for children and young people, develop content and training programs, and coordinate the activities of “Piccoli Imprenditori Academy.” I also work on digital learning pathways for schools, training students and teachers in coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Your interest in STEM
My first role model emerged from exploring the world of innovation and entrepreneurship rather than from a single person: individuals capable of transforming ideas into concrete projects and anticipating the future. Today, I continue to be inspired by innovators, educators, and entrepreneurs who work to make digital and STEAM skills accessible to new generations, with a positive impact on society.
Your studies
During my studies, one of the main challenges was navigating a context in which digital and STEM skills were not yet widespread or integrated into educational pathways.
- Strengths: curiosity, initiative, and the ability to learn independently.
- Weaknesses: an initial lack of clear references and structured pathways in the digital field.
- Opportunities: the opportunity to explore new trends and build innovative skills before they became mainstream.
- Threats: the rapid pace of technological change and difficulty in finding up-to-date educational environments.
My advice is to cultivate curiosity and confidence in your abilities, without being held back by stereotypes or the fear of not being “prepared enough.” The STEAM sector is constantly evolving and rewards those who experiment, make mistakes, and learn quickly.
Seek practical opportunities, explore coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence creatively, and build a network with other women and professionals in the field. Don’t wait until you feel ready—start, because skills and confidence develop through action.
You at work
In my organization, we promote DEIS initiatives by making digital education accessible to everyone, with particular attention to girls, young people, and communities with less exposure to technological opportunities.
We design inclusive coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence programs for schools and educational communities, adapted to different levels and learning styles, and actively work to reduce the gender gap in STEM. Additionally, we integrate sustainability and social impact themes into our programs, encouraging young people to develop innovative and responsible solutions for the future.
I am most proud of transforming OpenAIRE from a 3 year European project in 2008 into a sustainable organisation with a strong network of over 60 member universities. Equally important to me is having chosen a career that contributes to the public good (open science, science-technology-innovation) while working with diverse communities and partners across the world.
Your point of view
Through digital skills, women can create new career opportunities, start entrepreneurial projects, work more flexibly, and actively participate in innovation processes. Additionally, technology provides spaces to showcase skills and ideas, promoting greater female representation in STEM sectors and decision-making roles.
It is important not to be limited by stereotypes and to actively seek learning opportunities: courses, projects, school-based experiences, or educational innovation initiatives. Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you and share the same vision greatly supports both personal and professional growth.
I would like to see greater female participation in technological and entrepreneurial pathways starting from primary school, with programs accessible to all socio-economic contexts. I also hope that schools will increasingly become spaces of open innovation, where coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence are everyday tools for developing skills and reducing educational inequalities.
To finish with
The values that guide my work are curiosity, as a driver of continuous learning, and innovation, understood as the ability to transform ideas into concrete solutions. Another fundamental value is educational responsibility: using technology not only effectively but also consciously, with a focus on positive social impact.
My future professional challenges will mainly be linked to keeping pace with the rapid evolution of technology, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, and integrating it effectively into educational pathways for children, young people, and teachers. Another challenge will be expanding the impact of my educational projects, making them increasingly scalable and accessible to different school and regional contexts, without losing quality or the personalized dimension of learning.
I hope to have expanded the reach of “Piccoli Imprenditori Academy” and training programs for schools and teachers at an international level, contributing to making coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence accessible as everyday tools for learning.
The current activity has been implemented in the framework of the Project: Code4Europe,
GA Number: 101158834. Official project website : https://codeweek.eu/