Breaking barriers, building futures through inclusive research

This International Women’s Day, under the global theme Give To Gain, we bring together researchers at SnT, who recognise that building an inclusive research community is a shared responsibility. Their experiences show how giving knowledge, visibility, and support strengthens research, innovation, and the people behind it.

Meet the researchers

Dr. Progress Zivuku | Research associate, 6G wireless networks

Progress’s journey into technology began unexpectedly. After applying to study medicine, she was placed in engineering – an experience that ultimately led her to cutting-edge research on 6G and future wireless networks. Her path from Zimbabwe through Algeria, Italy, and Luxembourg has shaped her resilience, adaptability, and belief in the value of showing up consistently.

Dr. Mahdis Jalali | Postdoctoral researcher, satellite communications

Inspired by her father, a university professor, and mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani – the first woman to win the Fields Medal – Mahdis develops smarter satellite communication systems to ensure signals are transmitted safely from space to Earth.

Dr. Enriqueta Patricia Becerra Sanchez | Postdoctoral researcher, AI and language models

Patricia holds a PhD in computer science from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. At SnT, she works on artificial intelligence projects that help machines understand human language, including tools that support accountants in verifying legal documents and VAT compliance.

Ilora Maity | Postdoctoral researcher, satellite network resources

After leaving a stable software development role, Ilora chose research as a way to create greater societal impact. Today, she develops network slicing frameworks for satellite systems what she describes as “smart invisible highways in the sky”.

Flor Ortiz | Senior R&T Scientist, Distributed and Intelligent Connectivity (DISCO) Research Group, LIST

From Mexico to Luxembourg via Madrid and Bologna, Flor works on integrating AI into satellite communications. She believes research needs more humanity and creativity, qualities she sees as essential, yet often undervalued, in science.

Also giving their perspective

Gender equality in research is not a challenge for women to solve alone. Three male colleagues at SnT share why inclusion matters to them and what they believe needs to change.

Jorge Meira | Postdoctoral researcher, AI-driven logistics, SnT

A native Brazilian with a passion for music that led him to algorithms, Jorge completed his bachelor’s and master’s in computer science in Brazil before joining SnT for his PhD. He returned to Brazil to teach, then came back to SnT as a postdoctoral researcher. His research trains machines to optimise delivery routes as global supply chains grow increasingly complex.

Arno Deimer | Doctoral candidate, collaborative machine learning, SnT

From Luxembourg to Geneva and back, Arno’s academic path has been shaped by international collaboration. Now a doctoral candidate at SnT, he’s pioneering collaborative machine learning — enabling financial institutions to jointly train fraud detection models without sharing sensitive data, navigating the challenges of privacy regulations like GDPR.

Thilo Matthias Pollmeier | Doctoral researcher, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and New Technology research group, SnT

Thilo left corporate life in Cologne to join the research world at SnT. He’s on a mission to prove that sustainability isn’t about limitation — it’s about transformation. His work explores how companies can thrive financially while doing good for people and the planet, challenging the false choice between profit and purpose in today’s rapidly changing world.

What first sparked your interest in science and technology?

For many women in research, the path into technology is not linear.

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  I discovered that the tech world also offers incredible ways to make a difference, and that realisation sparked my passion. Looking back, I’m grateful it happened, because it helped me find a path I truly enjoy.

  Progress Zivuku

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  The first time I wrote a line of code was amazing — very simple, but it felt like an explosion in my mind. I knew then I wanted to do this for life.

  Patricia Becerra Sanchez

What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field?

Despite progress, gender imbalance remains a daily reality in many research environments. Mahdis Jalali, felt the pressure early on.

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  I realised I had to adjust to not be overlooked — to act or imitate what male colleagues did.

  Mahdis Jalali

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  Less than 10% of delegates were women, and I was the only Latin American,” she says. “It was impactful, creating some insecurity but also motivation to represent my gender and country.

  Flor Ortiz

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  Before joining SnT, I sometimes felt like I was being overlooked or that my achievements were underestimated in tech environments. These experiences motivated me to push forward and to support other women in similar situations.

  Ilora Maity

What would you give to the next generation of girls in STEM?

Across disciplines, these researchers share a common goal: visibility.

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  We need to talk more about what women are doing — those breaking boundaries and doing great things. Young girls need to see that women can be mums, run families, and have successful careers. You can be all these things.

  Progress Zivuku

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  It needs to start in schools — making science, maths, and physics more engaging and fun for girls,” she says. “During those teenage years, we’ve got to show them that science isn’t just interesting, but offers a proper career path too.

  Mahdis Jalali

What does the future look like?

These women aren’t just doing groundbreaking research – they’re rewriting what a researcher looks like.

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  A career in science demands years of dedication. For more women to pursue it as a career path, it needs to be financially exciting and socially rewarding.

  Mahdis Jalali

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  Research needs more humanity. The idea of creating and developing new things should always include the goal of improving the environment where we’re living.

  Flor Ortiz

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  Now at SnT in Luxembourg, surrounded by diverse people and languages, I’ve realised we’re all working toward the same goals no matter where we’re from.

  Patricia Becerra Sanchez

The bigger picture: why this matters to all of us

Gender equality in research is not a challenge for women to solve alone. Three male colleagues at SnT share what inclusive research environments mean to them.

How can we encourage more diversity in tech research?

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  We need to start from childhood by challenging stereotypes about who belongs in STEM fields.

  Jorge Meira

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  Working with colleagues from all over the world has shown me that diverse perspectives aren’t just welcome — they’re essential for meaningful innovation.

  Thilo Pollmeier

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  You can be as technologically skilled as possible, but if you can’t share your thoughts with other researchers or explain your work to a general audience, it’s very hard to get your ideas out there.

  Arno Deimer

Give to gain: building the future together

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the generosity of women in tech research, giving their time, expertise, and voices so that others may gain opportunity, confidence, and possibility.

At SnT, Give To Gain is not a slogan. It is a shared commitment to inclusion, excellence, and impact. Together, we Give To Gain gender equality.