Expert committee

Marija Bajica

Experienced Information Technology Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the environmental services industry. Skilled in Business Process, Analytical Skills, Requirements Analysis, Enterprise Architecture, and GIS. Strong information technology professional with a B.Sc. focused in Maths and Informatics from Faculty of Mathematics, University of Zagreb, Croatia.

Maja Dutour Sikirić

 Maja Dutour Sikirić is Senior research associate at Ruđer Bošković Institute. From 2016. she is head of Laboratory for biocollids and interface chemistry. Her scientific work deals with dfferent topics of colloid and interface chemistry, among them being organic - inorganic interactions in crystallization as related to biomineralization, development of organic-inorganic nanocomposites biomaterials, characterization of inorganic and soft nanoparticals in different aqueous matrices. She has been (and is) participating or leading different domestic and international reserach and technology transfer projects .

She is also teaching Fundamentals of physical chemistry at Department of Biology, J.J. Strossmayer University in Osijek.

Filip Stojanovic

 Mr. Stojanovic has been involved in economic development in Europe and Eurasia for over 20 years. He specializes in enhancing competitiveness and clusters, National Policy development, IT, agribusiness and tourism sector development and promotion, investment promotion, Government relations, management and administration of international development programs, regional trade and business cooperation, business associations, public – private sector cooperation and SME development.

Since 2007, Mr. Stojanovic has been Director (Chief of Party) of two regional programs, the Regional Competitiveness Initiative (RCI) and the Regional Economic Growth (REG), implemented by SEGURA Partners LLC. In this role, he has developed continuous professional relationships with stakeholders throughout the region, including donors, private sector, think tanks, and business associations. He has collaborated with international donors and organizations such as the European Union, EBRD, IFC, CBI, SIDA, UNDP, World Bank, GIZ, UNWTO, and UNESCO

Svein Thomsen

 For the last 30 years Svein Thomsen is a general manager and CEO of CAD Consult AS, consultant and trainer, with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry, educated more then 10 000 students. His expertise is in AutoCAD 2D and 3D, Advanced construction and Revit Training. His lecturing is focused on AutoCAD and Revit, for what he has continuous internal training courses. He works very well in cooperation with the Norwegian government, where he held several AutoCAD courses. He lectured many special courses in AutoCAD for companies in Norway, and developed curriculum for Ministry of Education and Research in the use of CAD for adults. Special fields of his expertise are mechanical and electrical drawings, building and construction. In his trainings he is also doing coaching, and is especially focused on re-shaping careers of unemployed people and people who seek change in their career direction, helping them to position themselves on the market. More then 70% of participants of his trainings are returning again on job market. He combines experience both from his coaching, and from training system he developed, model 1 2 3.

Claudia Canali

After a master degree in Information Engineering and a PhD in Information Technologies, Claudia Canali is a researcher at the Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari' of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia since 2008. Her main research interests focus on online social networks and cloud computing. She is one of the organizers of the summer camp 'Ragazze Digitali' and responsible of the Horizon 2020 EQUAL-IST project "Gender Equality Plans for Information Sciences and Technology Research Institutions" for UniMORE. Home page:

http://weblab.ing.unimo.it/people/canali

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiacanali/

Agotino Cortesi 

Agostino Cortesi received his PhD degree in Applied Mathematics and Informatics from University of Padova, Italy, in 1992. After spending a post-doc at Brown University, in the US, he joined the Ca' Foscari University of Venice. In 2002, he was promoted to full professor of Computer Science. 

He has served as Dean of the Computer Science programme, as Department Chair, and as Vice-Rector of Ca' Foscari University for quality assessment and institutional affairs. 

His main research interests concern programming languages, software engineering, and static analysis techniques, with particular emphasis on security applications. He is managing social innovation projects in the ICT area, with a particular focus on positive actions to reduce the gender gap in the ICT educational and working scenarios.

He has published more than 120 papers in high level international journals (among which ACM_TOPLAS, TCS, SCP), and proceedings of international conferences (among which POPL, PLDI, LICS, and ICALP). His h-index is 18 according to Scopus, and 25 according to Google Scholar. 

Agostino served several times as a member/chair of program committees of international conferences (e.g., SAS, VMCAI, CSF, CISIM, ACM_SAC) and he's in the editorial board of the journals "Computer Languages, Systems and Structures" and "Journal of Universal Computer Science".

Currently he serves as a coordinator of the H2020 Families_Share project, and as leader of the Ca'Foscari unit in the H2020 Equal_Ist project.

Marino Di Nardo

Graduated in Law at the University of Siena with a dissertation entitled “War Crimes Perpetrated by Japan during World War II”, Marino Di Nardo gained a Master’s Degree in “International Protection of Human Rights” at the Sapienza University of Rome and attended a specialist course on “Refugees and the asylum policies of the European Union” organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Mr. Di Nardo regularly collaborates with the Istituto degli Innocenti of Florence, as well as with other NGOs and third-sector organizations such as CARITAS, SPHR Lab, PuntoSUD, IRS (Institute for Social Research) and, during his professional career, has gained successful experience as Parliamentary Assistant at the European Parliament in Brussels. Once back to Italy, Marino Di Nardo started a ten-year collaboration as a gender expert with the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Equal Opportunities – Office for International Affairs, during which he also supported the Office in the coordination of EU-funded projects on the advancement of women in science, women’s empowerment in the labour market and fight against gender-based violence. In 2018, he moved to the Department for Family Policies of the Presidency, where he currently works as expert in social policies.        

Claudia Padovani

Claudia Padovani is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics, Law and International Studies (SPGI), University of Padova, Italy. Her research focuses on the transformation of political processes in the global context and their connections to the evolution of communication processes and technologies, with a strong focus on gender equality issues.

Claudia Padovani is the Director of the University of Padova’s Interdepartmental Center for Gender Studies (CIRSG) and acts as the University focal point for the Unesco-promoted Unitwin University Network on Gender Media and ICTs. Also an active member of the Global Alliance for Media and Gender (GAMAG) and its Research and Policy Committee, Claudia has written extensively on communication governance and gender equality in the global context. She is currently co-coordinating an EU-funded project titled Advancing Gender Equality in Media Industries (AGEMI) on dissemination of good practices in the news media sector.

Tullia Urschitz

Tullia Urschitz works as Maths and Science teacher in a Lower Secondary School inVerona, Italy, using robotics and digital technologies inside the school curriculum. She collaborates with MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education) as teacher trainer inside “Piano Nazionale Scuola Digitale”, to enhance learning and improve teaching methodologies.

Tullia collaborates also with School of Robotics in Genoa and is part of the CampuStore Academy, training students and teachers to the use of Educational Robotics inside school curriculum. She is Google Certified Educator and Microsoft Innovative Education Expert.

She was involved in several European Projects related with the promotion of STEM subjects in learning/teaching processes and the reduction of gender gap.

During last years she has been collaborating with European Schoolnet, being pilot teacher within inGenious and GoLab Projects; since 2013 she is Italian Ambassador for Scientix Project.

 Tullia gave her contributes to some MOOCs, like the European Schoolnet Academies “How to teach computing: an introduction to concepts, tools and resources for primary teachers”, “ICT Administrator course” and the Teacher Academy by School Education Gateway “Moving to Maths 2.0”  She is author of a book, some papers, toolkits and materials related with the use of educational robotics, tinkering and coding in the school curriculum.

Federica Zanetti 

Federica Zanetti is Associate Professor in the academic discipline of Special Didatics and Pedagogy at the University of Bologna. She teaches Strategies and instruments for empowerment and active citizenship.

She is also scientific responsible the Center for Education, History and Politics. Since 2009 she is member of the Scientific Committee of CSGE Centre for Studies on Gender and Education.

Since 2010 she is the director of the training course on "Theater for community and social inclusion". She has the scientific and artistic direction of the Summer School "Theatre and Citizenship Education" and "Theater Festival of democratic citizenship" since 2007.

Since 2001, she carries out consultancy, monitoring and training in the field of international development cooperation, particularly in Kosovo and Albania, El Salvador, Belarus, Palestine and Gaza Strip, Macedonia.

Main areas of research: citizenship education (intercultural approach, in general, digital citizenship and active citizenship), youth engagement as volunteers in the community service, new technologies and inclusive educational environments, artistic and creative languages for prevention and social inclusion.

Godelieve J.M. Bun

The magic of machinery and technology has fascinated me ever since I was a little girl. Communication has gone from an old school phone to the internet which now allows surgery where patient and surgeon are on different sides of the globe. What other wonders of technology have yet to change our lives? It does affect the life of everybody in this world: men, women and children. Then how can it be that technology is considered the territory of men by so many in our society? Who will decide what and how to apply all this knowledge, who will shape the world, who will develop our food, design the future? Let everyone have the opportunity to contribute.

I believe that it is very important that women are involved in the development of our world, which is one of the reasons that I support the work of VHTO and the Gender4STEM project. Another reason is that the world of technology offers women interesting, well-paying jobs that enable them to become autonomous and independent of their spouses.

And last but not least: after so many years, I am still astonished by the beauty of developments in micro- and nanotechnology, biotechnology, the opportunities of artificial intelligence and the internet. Let everyone work in these fields, both men and women, that the future may be even more surprising and beautiful.   

Culemborg, July 2018

Godelieve Bun
Innovation manager
LinkedIn

Wieke Wijntje Kingma

I started my career in technology studying machine engineering. I was then one of the few girls in a technical study. Later, I additionally studied movement studies. Now I am a revalidation technician, which means that by applying my technical skills, I help people get better by developing the adequate equipment for their recovery.

I have been involved with VHTO ever since it was founded in the 1980s. First I followed courses there as a student and later I became role model. As a role model, I tell girls about my work and the career choices I have taken. I explain to the girls that our life is surrounded by technology and that all of us – boys and girls alike – are using technology.  

Dr Maria S. Knaap-van Meeuwen

I am interested in the Gender4STEM project since I, as a woman, have encountered many situations where women or girls were either not selected, or not recognized, or not treated well, especially in education, where you would expect a different attitude.

Not only men showed this kind of behavior, women were quite often involved in these practices. Worse, they did not recognize that they had their own set of prejudices.

It is about 25 years ago that during a teachers conference in Sweden this kind of behavior amongst teachers was proven without a shadow of doubt. Several solutions were offered, workshops how to implement them were given. I failed! Back in the Netherlands I was proven far too optimistic. I was laughed at by my male colleagues, and accosted by my female friends: they were not like that, they did not need any of my suggestions to improve their attitude to girls!

Now, 25 years later, I have made some name for myself of improving the attitude to GENDER in my school. It was done step by step, day by day, week by week, 25 years in a row.

I like to continue this work, the Erasmus Plus project Gender4STEM seems an excellent starting point for spreading the good word.

Wassenaar, June 5, 2018

Linda Kruythoff

In my ideal world, everybody can develop himself or herself according to their own passion, capacities and ambition. No matter if you are a girl, a boy or gender neutral, white, black or something in between, big, small or medium-sized: everybody is alright! My passion is to play a role in this – by being a career advisor at a Dutch high school and by collaborating with VHTO and Gender4STEM.

Maaike van der Vleuten

Maaike van der Vleuten is assistant professor in sociology at the Radboud University Nijmegen. She researches gender inequality. In her PhD research she studied the reasons of gender differences in study choices in the Netherlands.

Marion van der Put

Renewing my thoughts, being flexible and doing what I am best at, has brought me into running the CBRE Principal Contracting business. Combining all my knowledge on real estate as being a contractor as well as having been a client is how I achieve to deliver successful projects.

Starting my career as a building site manager, I have learned about running a building site during execution. Having been a project manager taught me how to manage projects on costs and planning. Becoming a real estate developer gave me insight on costs versus income. Having been an asset manager, I understand the complexity of investments versus efficiency. Managing several teams, I learned a lot about coaching people to another level. Last but certainly not least, as a teacher on technical schools and as a mentor for women who want to perform successfully, I hold great joy in helping students, curious adults, my team and myself reaching a higher level.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

* Director Principal Contracting at CBRE, responsible for our Contracting business

* Contract management for Dura Vermeer Vastgoed Service, a large Dutch contractor

* Manager technical maintenance at Mitros, social housing, responsible for 30.000 houses

* Asset manager Real Estate

Demet Yazilitas

Demet Yazilitas is a postdoctoral researcher at the department of Science Communication & Society at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where she is currently working on two evidenced-based outreach projects aimed to understand and to create more inclusive STEM education. She holds a PhD in Sociology from VU University Amsterdam. Her PhD research focused on exploring differences in female participation in mathematics, science and technology fields in higher tertiary education in the Netherlands and Sweden. She has a prior professional background as a policy advisor and analyst for various governmental and educational organizations. Demet is particularly passionate about combining theory with practice. As of May 2018 she has joined the board of TechnoLab Leiden. TechnoLab Leiden promotes STEM education among some 20.000 primary and secondary school children in the region by offering them hands-on experience with STEM. 

Dr.SORINA  MIHAELA BALAN

 Ph.D. in the field Engineering and Management (2014)  Thesis-"Contributions to the Development of the Teaching Methods of Entrepreneurship in High School Education" ; Technical University of Cluj Napoca (UTCN); Institution-Professional qualification, qualification degree; Academic degree :University "Petru Maior" Targu-Mures (UPM),  Bachelor in Economy field în MANAGEMENT (2002-2007)- Paper license "Considerations on Factors of Influence in Managing Managerial Efficiency; UPM- Certificate of Graduate Certificate of the Department for Teaching Staff Training (2003-2007); UPM, -Master in Consultancy and Business Management (2007 – 2008); UPM-Master in Business Management (2007 – 2009);

"Babes Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca- Professor permanently Management specialization (Aug 2011); DCU, Department of Quality Assurance-Master's Degree Master in Education (2011-2013); UTCN, PhD. Engineering and Management Field-Quality management, managerial skills in working with people, scientific research methodology, Applied Mathematics.

Adriana Mihaela Ciula

Adriana Mihaela Ciula is an Accounting professor at "Transylvania" Economic College in Targu Mures. She graduated from the Faculty of Sciences, specializing in Accounting and Management Informatics and followed the Master of Accounting and Administrative Financial Management. She is currently pursuing Master Courses "Ensuring Quality in Education".

In the field of education, she shows a constant concern for the widening of the creativity boundaries in the process of teaching-learning of Accounting through the annual realization of the school magazine "First Steps in Accounting". The six issues of the magazine, designed together with her students, can be accessed and studied at http://independent.academia.edu/CiulaAdrianaMihaela.

Mihaela believes that by involving students actively in writing  the columns of the „First Steps in Accounting” magazine, her students become the beneficiaries of each accounting lesson.She believes that her students’ preparation for concrete and useful things for their future professional Accountanting career will help them  confront  the labour market and  the real economic life.

ciulamihaela@yahoo.com

Lia Codrina Contiu

Mrs. Lia Codrina Contiu has her first degree in English and her second degree in Business Administration and holds her PhD degree in Management as well. She is Assistant Professor in a public university and is course leader of the following courses: Business Communication in English, Management of Communication, Negotiation and Conflicts, Strategies and policies of Human Resources, and Services Management. She has published books and scientific articles on communication, entrepreneurial education, organisational culture and teaching methods. She was involved in various national and EU projects as coordinator/member. She contributed to the elaboration of the following books: ‘Entrepreneurship and Business English as teaching aids developed within EEE European Entrepreneurship Education project. She carried out many studies and researches on entrepreneurship education, organisational culture and communication, and participated in project management training and workshops, as well as business English teaching and innovative teaching methods workshops. She is experienced in developing and implementing valorization initiatives and her strengths in dissemination and exploitation are well supported by an educational background and current experience as pedagogical materials developer. 

liacodrina@gmail.com

Maria Nits Corbet

Maria Corbet Nits graduated the Polytechnic Institute , the Energy Engineering Faculty in Bucharest. She has worked as a project Engineer of Installation for Constructions at SC PROIECT  in Targu Mures. She has started her own company EXPERT SRL coordinating projects for civil and industrial buildings  for - heating, ventilation and air conditioning. She has very important clients from the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Wood Working Industry. It means she does  a great job and that her clients are satisfied with her team’s work.

Mariuca was raised in a family where both her parents are architects and they  have worked in designing their entire life, so she was educated, to take her responsibilities seriously and meet the deadlines. She is married and has a son who studies Architecture being a student in his fourth year at the   École d’architecture Marne-la-Vallée in France. Her son is proud of what Mariuca  does, and this is very important to her, and maybe that's what inspires him in what he does.

Her husband is a travel agent and he does not understand anything she does, but he respects her work and he can support her when she works for almost 12 hours a day and has to neglect household affairs. It is a benefic thing that he has a completely different business, namely Tourism. She is  glad that she can relax with him in the excursions he prepares for the family. Although her schedule is so busy, she has time to read a book, watch a good movie, go to theater or concerts, meet friends, do sports, swim, go skiing, go on trips, take pictures. And even give a handful of help to the Woman of the Third Millennium Association where she is a board member.

Sometimes she feels like a jongleur that has too many balls in the air. But she does not worry. Her husband sometimes jokes saying that their family's motto is: marche ou crève (‘sink or swim’).

expertmures@gmail.com