We are excited to announce the successful launch of the first She STEMs Symposium, organized by Greek Women in STEM (GWiS) through the non-profit organization AEGIS. This groundbreaking event, which took place on 17-18 December 2022 at Serafeio Athletic & Community Complex in Athens, brought together professionals, academics, and enthusiasts from the STEM fields to share knowledge, promote collaboration, and inspire innovation.
This inaugural symposium, now set to become a biennial event, was a monumental achievement for our community. Starting in the spring of 2022, fourteen female science researchers across six countries in the EU and the USA coordinated, organized, and fostered the conditions for Greek Women in STEM to meet in person for the first time ever. Months of preparation, energy, and dedication from our team members culminated in a truly memorable event.
Our supporters, including various companies and organizations that believe in our vision, played a crucial role in this effort. Greek women professionals in STEM are doing remarkable work, and it is essential to communicate this to the world. The symposium was organized under the auspices of six institutions; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, National Technical University of Athens, Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics – Foundation for Research and Technology, University of Thessaly, University of Patras, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering – University of the Peloponnese. The financial organization and support of the symposium is by the non-profit organization AEGIS.
The symposium featured several very important aspects: scientific talks, networking, an award ceremony, and scholarships. Our speakers delivered empowering presentations, covering not only their scientific backgrounds but also their personal journeys, which were often filled with challenges and triumphs. The audience's engagement was evident through the numerous questions during the sessions and the lively discussions that followed.
Highlights of the She STEMs 2022:
- Keynote Speakers: Esteemed women scientists delivered inspiring talks on the latest trends and breakthroughs in STEM.
- Panel Discussions: Interactive sessions addressing critical challenges and opportunities in various STEM fields.
- Career Sessions: Opportunities for participants to explore professional pathways and connect with potential employers.
- Mentoring and Networking Sessions: Facilitated events designed to connect attendees, foster mentorship, and stimulate collaborative projects.
- Award Ceremony: Celebrating the achievements of outstanding women in STEM with recognition and awards.
- Scholarships: Providing financial support to promising young women pursuing studies and careers in STEM fields.
She STEMs 2022 was a project supported by AEGIS for Greek Women in STEM
Gallery
Download the Symposium Booklet
Agenda
Saturday 17/12/2022
10:00 – 10:30 Registration
10:30 – 11:00 Welcome and introductions
11:00 – 12:00 Biosciences – Speakers: Era Taoufik, Marianna Christodoulou, Ourania Tsitsilonis
12.00 – 12:15 Break
12:15 – 13:30 Special session I: Career Advice – Speakers: Areti Mourka, Marina Papachristopoulou, Pavlina Nanou, Maria Papathanasiou
13:30 – 14:00 Break: lunch & networking
14:00 – 15:00 Physics & Mathematics – Speakers: Ioanna Zergioti, Kiki Theodorou, Maria Chlouveraki
15:00 – 15:15 Break
15:15 – 16:15 Technology – Speakers: Elena Barla, Thaleia Dimitra Doudali, Julie Simou
16:15 – 17:15 Career fair & networking
Sunday 18/12/2022
09:30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 11:00 Engineering – Speakers: Panagiota Aggeli, Stavrina Devetzoglou, Eva Pappa
11:00 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:15 Special session II: STEM in education – Speakers: Aimilia Smyrli, Depy Korentini, Pandora Sifnioti
12:15 – 12:45 Break: lunch & networking
12:45 – 14:00 Sustainability – Speakers: Natasa Petala, Valasia Iakovoglou, Katerina Ronga, Nafsika Stavridou
14:00 – 14:15 Break
14:15 – 15:15 Science Communication – Speakers: Eleni Routoula, Yakinthi Batsi, Theodora Loukanari
15:15 – 16:00 Awards Ceremony & Closing Remarks
16:00 – 17:00 Career fair & networking
Speakers
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Era Taoufik
Researcher at Hellenic Pasteur Institute
Era Taoufik is a neurobiologist who, along with her team at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute, applies and develops cutting-edge technologies. They combine these with the creation and optimization of cellular and animal models to deeply understand pathogenic mechanisms and find new therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases.
Awards: Winners
The non-profit organization AEGIS awarded five prizes of €200 per category for Greek Women in STEM to early-stage researchers as part of the She STEMs symposium, with the support of our sponsors.
The winners in each category were the following:
- Life Sciences: Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou
- Environmental Sciences: Marula Tsagkari
- Formal Sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry): Anastasia Tezari
- Engineering: Michaela Gkantou
- Technology: Maria Tzelepi
In addition, the non-profit organization AEGIS awarded for Greek Women in STEM two early-stage Greek women scientists pursuing their Ph.D. with a €3.500 scholarship each, thanks to a generous donation from Bayer-Hellas. The winners in each category were the following:
Cancer research scholarship: Nikoleta Bizymi, to support her doctoral research on the topic Myeloid-derived suppressor cells as biomarkers in the clinical practice of lung cancer.
Agriculture research scholarship: Anastasia Boutsika, to support her doctoral research on the topic Effect of the environment on the quality of potato tubers as a high-value product using omics technologies.
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