Three young STEM researchers receive a “Renato Ugo” scholarship 2023

On 22 November 2023, the Italian Association for Industrial Research (AIRI) held a day-long event at the Rome HQ of Unioncamere (Federation of Chambers of Commerce) in the course of which the Renato Ugo Scholarships 2023 were awarded to students adjudged to have presented the best experimental STEM-based theses.
The Renato Ugo award this year went to three young female researchers.

Renato Ugo was an internationally renowned chemist who remained strongly committed during his long career to educating young people and encouraging joint public- and private-sector research.

The scholarship named in his memory is jointly promoted by AIRI, the Bracco Foundation, Farmindustria and Heidelberg Materials Italia Cementi, and has a total value of 15 thousand euros.

The three winners were: Martina Arabia for her thesis titled "A new approach for the delivery of indomethacin in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles for the intra-articular treatment of inflammation" (Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia); Irene Cartechini for her thesis titled "Absorption of organic molecules on metal substrates for electrodeposition applications" (Chemistry, University of Florence); and Rita Pastres for her "Study of industrial epoxy resin systems for floors: comparative analyses of composition, cross-linking kinetics and mechanical properties" (Industrial Chemistry, University of Padua).

In her speech at the event, Diana Bracco emphasized the importance of STEM subjects: “Italian industrial research needs men and, above all, women with technical-scientific skills and STEM qualifications.”