STEM Passion. A journey inspired by women in science.
STEM Passion is a journey through photographic images, words and sounds in the fascinating world of STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, with a focus on the Life Sciences, which highlights and celebrates the contribution of excellence, passion, and leadership of great women scientists.
From 29 June to 14 August 2025, focusTerra will host the guest exhibition
STEM Passion. A journey inspired by women in science.
The project
A multimedia storytelling, which celebrates the successes of leading female scientists in international research institutes, designed to inspire the young generations and encourage them to pursue a scientific career and become leaders in STEM.
A female gaze to help overcome gender stereotypes that are still present in the public image of scientists and foster a more inclusive research environment.
More than sixty women scientists working in a variety of roles at 26 leading international biomedical research institutions in 9 countries were photographed and interviewed from 2019 to date, including the Directors of 12 international institutes, the President of the European Research Council Maria Leptin; the Director of EMBO (the intergovernmental European Molecular Biology Organization) Fiona Watt; the former Director General of EMBL, Edith Heard, who has been appointed Director and Chief Executive of The Francis Crick Institute; the Vice President of the Max Planck Society Asifa Akhtar; Ilaria Capua, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence at the University of Florida, currently Senior Fellow of Global Health for Johns Hopkins University in Bologna; the Italian Minister of University and Research during Mario Draghi’s – 2021-2022 – Maria Cristina Messa; the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Nature Magdalena Skipper, the Molecular Biologist and Social Entrepreneur Rana Dajani, the Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca Susan Galbraith, Ukrainian Mathematician Fields Medal Maryna Viazovska, the Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) in Berlin Maike Sander, university professors, young group leaders, technicians, and students.
Among them are several scientists working in Switzerland, such as Sabine Süsstrunk, President of the Swiss Scientific Council (SSC); Susan Gasser, Director of the ISREC Foundation for Cancer Research and the new AGORA Translational Cancer Research Center in Lausanne; and Nina Cabezas Wallscheid, Full Professor at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich.
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Maria Leptin, President of the European Research. Image: Elisabetta Citterio -
Nina Cabezas Wallscheid, Professor at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich. Image: Elisabetta Citterio -
Susan Gasser, Director of the ISREC Foundation for Cancer Research and the new AGORA Translational Cancer Research Center in Lausanne. Image: Elisabetta Citterio -
Edith Heard, Director and Chief Executive of The Francis Crick Institute. Image: Elisabetta Citterio
For the Zurich exhibition, STEM Passion unveils two new portraits of remarkable women in science, each distinguished by her unique background, personality, and contributions across diverse STEM fields.
One portrait features Ulrike Kastrup, Director of focusTerra, the Earth and Science Discovery Center at ETH Zurich, where she is dedicated to communicating scientific knowledge with a focus on its social relevance, with a strong focus on communicating and empowering people to better understand and act responsibly in their natural and man-made environment. A geophysics PhD graduate from ETH Zurich with a specialization in earthquakes, natural scientist Ulrike has broadened her research to include the diverse dimensions of natural hazards. She is also committed to advancing gender equality, mentoring women PhD students at ETH and promoting inclusive science through outreach and public engagement.
The other highlights Maria Schönbächler, Full Professor at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Deputy Head of the Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology at ETH Zurich. A pioneer in the modern era of isotope cosmochemistry, she developed key techniques to study isotopic variations in meteorites, shedding light on early solar system processes. Her research centers on meteorites, chondrites, and planet formation, integrating insights from geochemistry, astrophysics, and astrobiology. She is known for the extraordinary discovery of a giant meteorite – an exceptionally large 7.6-kilogram, 4.5-billion-year-old specimen – in Antarctica in 2023.
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Maria Schönbächler, Professor at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Deputy Head of the Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology at ETH Zurich (Image: Elisabetta Citterio) -
Ulrike Kastrup, Director of focusTerra. (Image: Elisabetta Citterio)
STEM Passion is aimed at the general public and in particular the Next Gen. The intention is to share experiences, scientific knowledge and stories of women who have passionately pursued different scientific careers. The project also aims to promote public engagement and understanding of science and to bring about a cultural change in society.
The people
Elisabetta Citterio
Author of STEM Passion
Italy / The Netherlands
Elisabetta Citterio is a molecular biologist and a photographer, currently an associate professor of Molecular Biology at Link Campus University in Rome. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that maintain genome integrity, which are particularly important for counteracting cancer and for preserving the function of stem cells. She is also an associate editor at Life Science Editors in the USA and a visiting researcher at the University of Milano-Bicocca in Milan. Since 2012, she has been an elected member of AcademiaNet.
In addition to scientific research, she is passionate about exploring the world through photography, which she sees as a wonderful opportunity to connect with people and uncover the beauty in each of us. She is interested in the transformative potential of individuals and society. She earned her degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Milan and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Erasmus University in Rotterdam. She has led research projects in international institutes in the Netherlands and Italy. Her photography training include studies at Fotogram in Amsterdam, as well as the Istituto Italiano di Fotografia and Il Diaframma-Donna Fotografa in Milan.
“As a researcher, I know there are many women leaders in science, happy and successful. We need to make them visible.”Elisabetta Citterio
Claudia Cagliano
STEM Passion project’s co-author
Italy
Claudia Cagliano is a lecturer and communication consultant. She is an adjunct professor at the IED – European Design Institute and at the Holden Academy Course, the first European University in Writing and Contemporary Humanities, in Turin. She is a member of the Athena Network of the Pubblicità Progresso Foundation. She deals with issues related to sustainable development and social innovation, women empowerment in particular. She is interested in investigating the relationship between communication, media and the creation of gender stereotypes and biases.
Graduated in Philosophy at the Catholic University of Milan, with a specialization in Communication, she holds a master's degree in Corporate Communication from UPA Ca' Foscari in Venice. She has worked as a Project Manager and Strategist in international advertising agencies. She has also developed management training and group coaching activities.
“I participated in the design and storytelling of STEM Passion because I’m driven by a passion to contribute to the progress and generative transformation of society, with particular reference to women's empowerment issues.”Claudia Cagliano