Women Changing Science: Today And In The Future
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we honour the achievements of women in advancing scientific progress and innovation in the national arena. We have chosen to shine a spotlight on the brilliant women who have successfully collaborated with Xjenza Malta, the national R&D and Space-funding agency, in the areas of Research, Innovation and Space.
These women together, with many others, are holding a light not only for the women of this generation, but also for the ones of the future:
- Dr Maria Azzopardi is a Director at Xjenza Malta, managing the Internationalisation Unit. She has shown an unwavering commitment to the improvement of Malta’s international R&I funding and programming landscape. Dr Azzopardi’s dedication to STEM education and to the promotion of responsible research practices, through her work for the University Research Ethics Committee, highlights her commitment to shaping the future of science and innovation on multiple fronts.
- Ms Noeleen Buttigieg is a chemistry researcher at Natural Edge Ltd. She was the Principal Investigator in a two-year Research Excellence Project (REP) funded by Xjenza Malta, which focussed on developing eco-friendly, bio-based polymers as alternatives to synthetic plastics for food packaging. The successful completion of this REP led to the achievement of the runner-up Technological Initiative Award (2024), and has also opened new research and investment opportunities, paving the way to a better and healthier future for humans and for the planet.
- Dr Maria Cardona is a Senior Research Officer at MCAST. She is specialised in the field of metamaterials, developing innovative molecules with the potential to exhibit auxetic behaviour – materials that expand when stretched, defying conventional material properties. Dr Cardona was supported by Xjenza Malta for the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, as well as in the more recent Research Excellence Programme project, OASES, which aims to develop a sensor for metal ions, with potential applications in future solid-state batteries.
- Prof. Marie Briguglio is a specialist in wellbeing, environmental cooperation and cultural participation and a member of Council of the Malta Chamber of Scientists. Prof. Briguglio has been awarded the STEM Award for Engaged Research. She has regularly collaborated with Xjenza Malta in the process of accessing European Union funds earmarked for research and has recently been awarded funding for a project on climate and wellbeing by Horizon Europe.
- Dr Christine Podrini is a leading scientist with expertise in epigenetics, molecular biology, genetic therapies and microbiota research. Through her work at BioArte Ltd, she is driving efforts to identify microbiome-based biomarkers that could transform personalised cancer treatments. Dr Podrini’s current research study, PIRIOP, funded by Xjenza Malta, is not only advancing the field of precision oncology, but also strengthening Malta’s position in cutting-edge biomedical innovation. PIRIOP’s findings could lead to a future where immunotherapy is tailored to each patient’s unique gut profile, optimising treatment efficacy and advancing personalised cancer care.
- Dr Ing. Bonnie Attard has been sitting on the Executive Council of the Chamber of Engineers since 2021 and is actively involved in organising outreach programmes to encourage student uptake within STEM, focussing on the engineering profession. She is an academic with the Institute of Engineering and Transport within MCAST, where her research focusses on additive manufacturing techniques and performance of novel materials.
- Prof. Ing. Ann Zammit is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Malta, specialising in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering. Prof. Zammit has been a principal investigator in various projects funded by Xjenza Malta. She has also collaborated with international counterparts and been part of the management team of projects in other National Space Upstream Programmes.
- Ms Angele Giuliano is an experienced entrepreneur and expert in the field of technology and business innovation. In recent years, she has helped many women entrepreneurs achieve success and is now a core partner of the Women TechEU programme, a 2-year EU-funded project supporting women leading deep tech startup companies from Europe. Ms Giuliano is the CEO and managing director at AcrossLimits, which has been a beneficiary of project-funding since 2002, a trajectory becoming a pathway of success for the company.
These women are role models who, by their efforts and initiatives, continue to raise awareness on the need for greater gender parity in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The 2024 She Figures Index, issued by the European Commission, shows that Malta’s position in gender equality within research and innovation has seen positive developments, even though challenges remain. One of these is female representation in the science and engineering fields, which remains low at 3.8% of the workforce. While progress has been noted in career progression (9th) and gender dimension in research (16th), challenges remain in research participation (23rd) and decision-making (24th). This calls for more support to women in science who are inspiring future generations of female scientist and leaders.
Xjenza Malta is proud to have been the first public sector organisation to launch its Gender Equality Plan (GEP), in 2022. Since 2022, a GEP has become a requirement for public bodies, higher-education institutions and research organisations to participate in Horizon Europe and benefit from its support. As the host for the Horizon Europe National Contact Points, Xjenza Malta reaffirms its commitment to advancing gender equality, both internally and within the wider research and innovation community.