Integrating Novel Materialswith Scalable Processes for Safer and Recyclable Li-ion Batteries
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Women in Science: Driving Innovation in Battery Research

February 11 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science celebrates the invaluable contributions women make to scientific advancements worldwide. Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in many fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). On this day we want to celebrate all the women in our project and inspire the next generation of female scientists. We talked to a few of our female INERRANT members about their path into science, their challenges, their research and what needs to be done to get more women into the field of battery research.

  • DONIA MARZOUGUI

    Donia is a project manager in the battery field. Her role is to ensure the project's success. She works with different teams with various skills and manages several scientific topics depending on the projects' scope.

    Could you tell us about your path into science? I have a civil engineering background. So, as a woman entering civil engineering science and labor market, my path was shaped by challenges and opportunities. I was one of the few girls in class. While that could be intimidating, it also fueled my determination to prove I belonged. I was the only girl in the site work during my internships. It was not as easy, but I succeeded in persevering to the end and transforming these experiences into enriching ones. I've faced also some challenges at university where I had the opportunity to teach civil engineering disciplines for several years. I have learnt a lot, as well, from this experience which was at the end very exciting. I decided, after defending my PhD in civil engineering, to move forward and discover other sciences. I worked as a project manager in solar energy and energy efficiency in buildings. I worked very hard to acquire the necessary skills to accomplish my role. I was required, for example, to climb onto rooftop to audit photovoltaic plants, in social contexts that were not always straightforward or easily navigable. And it was an amazing experience for me. Finally, I've recently joined Verkor to work on e-mobilty topics and it is just fantastic to learn other scientific subjects. Being curious and open helped me to stick to my ambitions. Science needs diverse voices, and I'm proud to contribute mine.

    Have you faced any challenges as a woman in science, and how did you overcome them? I have experienced some situations where my skills were underestimated, for example, or decisions made as a project manager were not seriously considered. It is indeed true that these situations were far from being pleasant, but I considered them as opportunities to believe in my skills, persevere and become a stronger and resilient person. Some other challenges were also related to the work-life balance. There is a societal pressure to excel professionally while also meeting personal expectations, and this could be overwhelming. I've learned to prioritize what truly matters first. Sharing responsibilities at home is of course crucial and this was (and is always) one of the fundamental life organizations which help me to succeed in my professional journey and reach my ambitions. My advice for any aspiring female researchers: Believe in your skills, your ambitions and your ability to change the mindsets and break the stereotypes. We can make the difference by remaining curious, self-confident and determined.

  • DORELA HOXHA

    Dorela is an Electrochemical Energy Storage Business Unit Leader and Project Manager at Pleione Energy S.A. and the leader of INERRANT’s WP4 focussing on the ‘Up-scaling and demonstration of the developed technologies at “Gigafactory”-relevant manufacturing scale’, with significant impact on transferring the technologies developed throughout the activity from lad scale to an industrial level.

    Could you tell us about your path into science? As a child I continuously wanted to discover nature’s functions and mysteries. The idea that through science I would be able to contribute to a more in-depth understanding of our world was extremely appealing and motivating. Additionally, growing up in a foreign country, I quickly realized that science is a universally understood language. Therefore, it was inevitable for me to develop a strong interest in the science field and later choose material science as a way of understanding and explaining the world and learn even more through my master’s degree in science and technology of polymers and composite materials.

    After finding your way into science, what is your research about? Through my work at Pleione Energy S.A, I have been given the opportunity to work with a variety of interesting and cutting-edge projects. We have been working on designing and producing cost-effective products and applications for the energy sector, including electric vehicles, smart textiles and space applications. I have been involved in the field of research and development of innovative electrodes and advanced storage systems through the application of nanotechnology in batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells. We always continue to explore the potential of graphene and other nanomaterials on current and future energy storage technologies.

  • SERENA CUSSEN

    Serena is a full professor of materials chemistry; her research focuses on the design and development of new materials for electrochemical energy storage. She is especially interested in deepening our understanding how the choice of synthetic route can inform resulting material characteristics. To do this, she uses a range of different techniques such as X-ray and neutron diffraction and muon spin relaxation spectroscopy which provides us with detailed structural and dynamic information that can help guide our synthesis.

    Could you tell us about your path into science? I always enjoyed science subjects at school and fell in love with chemistry at university. I especially loved the practical laboratory classes that brought to life what we were learning in lectures. I am fortunate that I now get to work with some wonderfully talented undergraduate and postgraduate students at UCD who are passionate about chemistry and the central role our discipline plays in solving some of the greatest challenges we face as a society.

    What needs to be done to get more women into the field of battery research? I think it is as important as ever to give greater visibility to role models who can encourage and listen to under-represented groups in chemistry and in doing so build collective positive self-confidence. Also, I was fortunate to have excellent advice from a senior female colleague early in my career which I have since shared with others: you can have a successful career in academia and a family. I have always been deeply appreciative of this guidance!