The researchers have been selected for their work in seven areas and disciplines in which the presence of women remains a minority (research in renewable energies, Robotics, Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, Earth Sciences, space research and entrepreneurial R + D + I).

“I never imagined that mathematics and statistics would lead me to work in the area of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, an exciting field full of challenges, in which it is very important to take into account diversity and gender perspective to avoid biases when making decisions and moving forward in the objective of having a more ethical and responsible Artificial Intelligence”, said Emilia López in the ceremony, held last Saturday night at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Emilia López Iñesta’s research focuses on computational thinking and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to different contexts, such as education and citizen science. She also researches gender diversity in ICT and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). She is a Scientix ambassador in Spain, the community for the teaching of science in Europe, and a promoter of the Girls4STEM project for the promotion of scientific vocations. She also collaborates in the STAT WARS project: the empire of data, a dissemination project to bring statistics and its applications in artificial intelligence to high school students.

The other researchers who received the Muy Jóvenes Investigadoras Awards are Almudena González González (renewable energy research), Ester Martínez Martín (Robotics), Elena Pinilla Cienfuegos (Nanotechnology), Janire Prudencio Sóñora (Earth Sciences), Marina Díaz Michelena (research space) and Luz Rello Sánchez (entrepreneur in R&D).

The jury, formed by the editorial committee of the Muy Interesante magazine, has taken into account the professional career of the winners and their dissemination activity alike, and has sought to reward the dedication and excellence of some professionals who have become a role model for the girls and adolescents who will form the next generations of scientists. Before announcing the winners, the mathematician Clara Grima (speaker during the HOMO CURIOSUS dissemination event) gave a brief talk in which she claimed the presence of more female referents in the STEM disciplines.