WOMEN IN SCIENCE – (EM)POWERING THE GREEN AND DIGITAL TRANSITIONS

To mark International Women’s Day, the Diplomatic Missions of Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom – in partnership with the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) – invite you to an expert panel discussion on Women in Science: Breaking Frontiers – (Em)Powering the Green and Digital Transitions.

Join high-level speakers to explore how female scientists and policymakers are driving innovation and systemic change for a more equitable and sustainable future.

When: Tuesday, 3rd March 2026, 10:00 a.m.-13:30 p.m.

Where: Johannessaal, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2, 1010 Vienna

The event will be held in English

Please register on Eventbrite.

Programme for the day

10:00 - Welcome by Austrian Academy of Science’s Director Institutes and Infrastructure, Hubertus Schmid-Schmidsfelden

10:10 – Introduction by Moderator Alice Barbora Tumpach,

Research Director at Wolfgang Pauli Institute Vienna and deputy head of the Mathematical Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Research Division of WPI

10:15 - Panel 1 Driving Innovation – Female Scientists Shaping the Green and Digital Future

This panel highlights how leading female scientists are shaping innovation at the intersection of climate, environment, and digital technologies. It showcases scientific excellence, their lived experiences, and the impact of inclusive research cultures on stronger scientific outcomes.

Panellists:

· Maria Cristina Fossi (Italy)

Scientific Director of the Biomarker Laboratory UNISI – Scientific Coordinator Plastic Busters initiative

· Emma Boland (United Kingdom)

Climate Scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, Co-Director of the AI for the study of Environmental Risks Centre (AI4ER) at the University of Cambridge

· Lauriane Mouysset (France)

Researcher at the CNRS within the International Research Center on Environment and Development (CIRED)

· Alice Vadrot (Austria)

Professor of International Relations and Environmental Politics at the University of Vienna

11:15 - Coffee break

11:45 - Panel 2 Changing the System – Policies for Inclusive Research and Innovation

This panel examines how policies and governance can drive more inclusive research and innovation systems in the green and digital transitions. It will spotlight effective frameworks, inclusive leadership practices, and the institutional changes needed to broaden participation in STEM and decision‑making.

Panellists:

· Hanna Sands (Sweden)

Programme Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at UNOV/UNODC

· Anaïs Sägesser (Switzerland)

Permanent lecturer for Societal Transformation & Transformative leadership, Bern University of Applied Sciences, co-founder of “scaling4good”

· Emily McAuley (Canada)

Director at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

· Elena López Gunn (Spain)

Senior researcher and member of the Scientific Council at the Elcano Royal Institute

12:45 - Industry Spotlight L'Oréal: Corporate Policy Insights by Anne-Kathrin Bedoy

13:00 - Closing remarks, followed by networking and refreshments

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Embassy of Sweden