Inauguration of photographic exhibition “Life as a Scientist” in the Senate of Italy

On Tuesday 10 March 2026 , at Palazzo Madama, seat of the Senate of the Italian Republic, the inauguration will take place of the photographic exhibition ‘Life as a Scientist. The faces of 100 high-achieving women”, part of the #100esperte project conceived and promoted by the Bracco Foundation.

The exhibition is a celebration of women of science, and, as the Chair of the eponymous Foundation Diana Bracco observed, is intended as a contribution to the increasingly vital cause of closing the worrying gender gap in scientific and technology research and raising awareness of the importance of STEM subjects. 

To talk about technical-scientific skills today, noted the Right Hon. Marta Schifone, MP, is to talk about the transitions and the technological breakthroughs that we are experiencing. We must take care not to lose our home-grown talents but continue always to cultivate them. There are four million STEM graduates in China, 800,000 in the United States and only 300,000 in Europe. This is an urgent and pressing issue that we must address. Equally crucial is the need to bridge the gender gap, and strengthen female participation in STEM studies.

The President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, declared that while the high calibre of women’s contribution to research is undeniable, increasing the number of women and recognising their excellence and breadth of knowledge remains a matter of necessity.

The exhibition consists of a series of portraits by the famous photographer Gerald Bruneau. The exhibition tells the stories and looks at the careers of outstanding women scientists, and aims both to enhance scientific culture and strengthen women’s participation in it. The exhibition takes on particular significance thanks to its vicinity to International Women’s Day. It highlights the contributions of Italian women scientists who can serve as influential and accessible role models for younger generations and guide them toward STEM studies and the professional opportunities offered by scientific careers. 

The exhibition’s presence at the Senate builds on the 2025 experience at the Chamber of Deputies, where on the occasion of the National Week of STEM disciplines, a major initiative championed by the Rt Hon. Marta Schifone, primary sponsor of the law officially establishing National STEM Week, it was hosted alongside a conference focused on future career paths. 

The new exhibition in the Senate, which runs until 10 April, is a further development of this project. It has been integrated into the programme of guided tours for schools and members of the public, and is dedicated both to the dissemination of scientific culture and the promotion of active citizenship and informed engagement, objectives that lie at the heart of the Bracco Foundation’s mission.