Stem Week: Sophia's story
Sophia Rondinelli, 23, is a young woman studying for a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Roma Tre, and is currently enrolled in the minor course Artificial Intelligence: New Technologies, Ethics and Legal Skills. She chose to pursue a scientific academic career after attending a language high school, demonstrating that humanistic and scientific passions can coexist harmoniously. A great lover of reading with a library of over 600 books, she has cultivated a multidisciplinary vision for her professional career that today also guides her as a trainer for the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
It's always a pleasure to share my journey and my experience! After my experience at ABB, already a 2.0 company, now that I'm at Itagemo srl I have the opportunity to apply the transversality of STEM skills on a daily basis to encourage innovation and the transition to new technologies.
Technology is an integral part of everyday challenges. A concrete example? One of the latest projects, born a little ‘outside’ my and the company's strictly mechanical background, was the idea of automating and controlling processes through Microsoft AI and Microsoft Developer. I decided to take responsibility for this project, guiding the technological advancement and exploiting the knowledge acquired also thanks to Coding Girls (first as a student then as a teacher) and the Minor course in Artificial Intelligence at the Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering of the University of Roma Tre.
I hope this week dedicated to STEM subjects will intrigue many young people and, above all, inspire girls to explore a world that has been considered masculine for too long. For me, encouraging new generations of women is essential, starting with my sisters.
In 2024, as a trainer, Sophia took part in the activities of LV8. Coding for girls, the training programme within Steam that tests and enhances the skills of high school students using LV8, a free app from the Vodafone Foundation. During the first training sessions held at the Federico Caffè High School, Sophia described in detail the learning game that simulates a digital escape room. ‘Let's imagine a virtual puzzle week’, says Sophia, ‘where teams of students solve collaborative puzzles, advancing through different levels to the final challenge’.
The game is not just a fun experience but a real training ground for developing problem-solving skills and discovering that artificial intelligence is not always the best solution. ‘Intuition, empathy and reasoning remain fundamental to solving the puzzles,’ explains Sophia.
During the training sessions, she was thrilled to see how much energy the students had: ‘Even though they showed some hesitation at first, they gave it their all. They realised that they had what it takes to approach STEM subjects with enthusiasm and from a completely different point of view compared to their male classmates’.
Sophia reflects on the importance of being a role model for these young women: ‘This experience made me reflect on the richness and diversity that each of us brings to the world of learning. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to witness their growth and gain in self-confidence’.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people who are a daily source of inspiration for me:
Elisa Chierchiello and Lucia Aiello, colleagues and friends who face Stem challenges with determination and curiosity.
Valentina Gelsomini, a mentor and ‘auntie-in-law’ who has made dissemination her mission.
And not just women! Many of the stimuli that have brought me this far have come from colleagues, now friends, such as Daniele Vigo, Davide Nejoumi, Alberto Bensi and passionate professors such as Francesco Riganti Fulginei.
I strongly believe in the value of sharing and raising awareness on these issues. InspirinGirls Italia and Fondazione Mondo Digitale are two organisations with which I enthusiastically collaborate to promote the presence of women in STEM.
Science and technology need different voices. If we can inspire even one person to believe in their abilities, then it will all be worth it.
