STEM: Beyond employment stereotypes:

Four Comau Ambassador profiles of women in the world of robotics and technological innovation for Industry 4.0

Comau, a company specialising in the research and production of technological solutions for industry, based in Rugby, Warwickshire in the UK, is presenting four profiles of women who have chosen a STEM education and career path with the aim of inspiring other young women to take similar paths.

According to a survey by Tech Nation, funded by the UK government, almost three million people, or 9% of the UK workforce, are employed in the UK technology industry. Only 26% of these workers are women. But the gender gap, which is reflected in the world of work, is obviously something that starts before, that is formed upstream, starting with the choice of study path, which sees, for example, the STEM area clearly dominated by men.

Recently, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) presented the report Women and Science, which showed that women make up around 30% of the world’s researchers and that less than a third of female students choose to study subjects such as mathematics and engineering at university. This gap represents a major limitation that has repercussions on the world of work and society as a whole.

It is for this reason that some of the ‘women of Comau’ have agreed to make themselves available through their story and account of their work in the field of technology for industry, as an example for all the girls of the new generations who may have doubts or be undecided but feel that STEM could be their life path.

In addition to Leah Wilson’s profile, here follows the short bios of three other women who work at Comau and whose stories can inspire other young women: Fariba Madhooshi, Lucrezia Morabito and Chiara De Ferrari.

Fariba Madhooshi, Product Manager / MATE-XT - from Iran to Italy, says its passion for what you do that counts even in male-dominated industries, regardless of gender or nationality

Fariba, holds the position of Product Manager at Comau, where she has worked for nine years. She moved to Turin in Italy after a three-year degree in her country, Iran. Her path was inspired by her father, a factory manager where she grew up developing a love for this field. At Comau she was then able to grow, specialising in a specific product, the MATE XT, the exoskeleton for which she is now Product Manager. Fariba works every day with the exoskeleton which she sees almost like a son, in fact, thanks to her contribution, it has been transformed from an idea to a solution on the market. “One should not be afraid. There are many opportunities in this sector, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman. Today there are a lot of women around the world working in this sector, even on Linkedin you can find a lot of female professionals and be inspired by following their path”.

Leah Wilson is 22 years old and in Comau she holds the position of Graduate Project Manager, dealing specifically with managing and supporting the team of Project Managers in the internal governance of projects through the management of activities such as the control of compliance with internal P10 procedures, the management of timelines and QAMM milestones on MSPO and the monitoring and control of KPIs.

Leah started her career path during her engineering studies, with an apprenticeship in Comau that gave her the skills necessary to manage, assess and monitor projects and their performance and ensure alignment between projects and strategic objectives.

In addition to working at Comau in the project management team, Leah is currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering with the aim of improving her skills in project management, CAD and simulation activities, research and design theories, production and process management and materials mechanics.

“What I like most about my job at Comau is being involved in different projects every day that are always very interesting. The most challenging part is definitely managing and prioritising my time between work, university and other commitments. However, I like being busy, I am very organised and I think this has allowed me to give my best and always achieve excellent results in my career and studies”.

Lucrezia Morabito, - R&D Data Scientist and Product Marketing for Comau - her passion for mathematics made her discover how STEM can have concrete applications for everyday life

Lucrezia, R&D Data Scientist and Product Marketing for Comau now deals with the marketing aspects of mobile robotics and automation solutions in the renewable energy sector, analysing how technology can make a difference in the market to meet customers’ concrete needs and requirements. This aspect, the practical spin-offs of the theories learnt during her studies and professional career, is one of the elements Lucrezia loves about her work and her passion for practical things where creativity is not lacking. “Challenges are present in any work environment. However, it is crucial not to be labelled either by gender or by skills. STEM disciplines are disciplines that allow for multiple real-world applications that go beyond research exercises to provide benefits to the community, this goal should be the common thread that drives the entire scientific community, men, and women together”

Inspiring Leah in her choice of study path was her family: “My grandfather worked as an engineer in the automation industry, my father as an electrical engineer and my older brother works in construction and engineering. The male figures in my family have definitely influenced me in my choice of studies and career path and I also want to be a role model for the younger women in my family”. Having role models to look up to is often decisive when choosing one’s career path. It is even more so when it comes to STEM subjects and in particular engineering, which is often prejudicially regarded as a typically male path: “The first time I went to a client I felt rather discouraged. I remember I was one of the few women wearing a hard hat, mask and safety boots and I felt a bit out of place. Even at university there were only two women in a class of 20.

Chiara de Ferrari - Technical Project Leader Comau Germany - passionate about cars, mechanical engineering and rowing has followed her aptitudes without regard to prejudice.

Chiara de Ferrari is a mechanical engineer and Technical Project Leader at Comau Germany. For Comau, she is responsible for presenting customers with the most suitable solutions, also from a technical and mechanical point of view. Chiara is passionate about cars and loves science subjects, which is why she chose to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Today she is mainly involved in Powertrain and therefore in projects related to the welding line for engine support axles. His passions and his work are united by a love of challenges, perseverance, and commitment to achieve goals. But not only that, but they are also considered ‘manly’ activities. For Chiara, however, this has never been an obstacle because she has always had very clear ideas about what she wanted to do. “When I chose my course of study as well as the sport to do, I never thought that they were not suitable for me as a woman. For me it was normal, I had aptitudes and I followed them. Of course, I also noticed the gap between men and women. At university I was often the only woman in the lecture room and even today I still only have male interlocutors. What is lacking to overcome this cultural heritage is certainly greater exposure of young people to STEM subjects, starting at school”.

Fortunately, over the years I have seen more and more women on the worksites and in the corridors of the university and this has made me realise that fortunately things are changing. Today I find myself at Comau where I work with a very supportive and friendly team and where I am never treated differently just because I am young and a woman”.

Gaining work experience or an apprenticeship even while studying, according to Leah, is a great way for people who want to take up this job because it allows them to get an idea, quickly, of what this field can offer. Identifying role models and talking to as many people as possible about their career and experience is also a way to get passionate about STEM subjects. “Women especially need to be inspired from an early age about the engineering profession and where this profession could take them. When I left school, I was the only woman in my year to enter an engineering industry. It is necessary to influence the younger generation more. I advise women not to be afraid to challenge themselves and step out of their comfort zone, because this job offers many opportunities. Don’t be discouraged and believe in yourself.”

Recently, she has been following a new project which is a SE study intended to provide the necessary information required to define the future battery assembly strategy. She is responsible for assisting with the project management tasks during this project lifecycle, which include timing and resource planning/tracking, MSPO controlling, milestone preparation, KPI’s and project review preparation. She will work closely with the project management team to follow the project from start to finish.