My research focuses on the characterization of fresh cementitious materials by rheological and physicochemical studies. My interest is in understanding how interaction forces between particles regulate the final properties of dense suspensions. I was always intrigued by science and experiments. The path that bring me to my actual research is first a BSc and MSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pisa and then a Ph.D. in Physics in from the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (Institut Lumière Matière).

My path was filled with female researchers who passed on their passion for research and motivated me to pursue my academic career. 

I cannot forget my first experience abroad for my Master's thesis. There I realised that I would love to explore new countries and discover new cultures.

If in your personal and professional life you always have the fact that you are a woman in front of you, it means that society wants you to remember it.

I believe that every single step in my career has been influenced by the fact that I am a woman. Especially when it comes to achieving higher education in a male-dominated field such as chemical or civil engineering.

This is a recurring question for women, but more rarely asked of men.  Personally, my private and professional life go hand in hand. If I am happy and satisfied in my professional life, I am also happy and satisfied in my private life. This need to reconcile the two lives should not exist in a society where men and women have similar responsibilities and rights in both.

The advice I was given, which I fail to always follow, is not to put too much pressure on yourself. Others already take care of that! Personally, I suggest seeking satisfaction in what one does regardless of how few women there are in that particular field and how much external discouragement one suffers.