Promoting gender equality as a driver for building a fairer, more efficient, and sustainable mobility system—this is the goal of the workshop “Women and Sustainable Mobility: Equality, Innovation, and Opportunities”, scheduled for Monday, October 6 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the “Attilio Alto” Aula Magna of the Polytechnic University of Bari.
The initiative is organized as part of the CO-SMART project (Communicating Sustainability: innovations in Material Recycling and new production Technologies for the automotive sector), included in the activities of the National Centre for Sustainable Mobility (CN MOST) and funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the PNRR – Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.4.
The workshop aims to highlight the contribution of women in the journey toward sustainable mobility, both through the experiences of female professionals and academics working in research and planning, and by encouraging younger generations—especially girls—to pursue STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The event will open with institutional greetings from the Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bari, Prof. Umberto Fratino; the Regional Councillor for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Dr. Debora Ciliento; and the Chair of the Coordination Committee of the CN MOST Spokes, Prof. Michele Ottomanelli.
The first session will feature presentations by:
- Eng. Carmela Iadaresta, Head of the Local Public Transport Section of the Puglia Region, who will address public transport and smart mobility technologies;
- Eng. Irene Di Tria, Head of the Infrastructure for Mobility Section of the Puglia Region, who will present projects funded through the 2021–2027 programming period and the PNRR to strengthen modal interchange hubs;
- Dr. Antonella Comes, CEO of Pikyrent, who will discuss the role of car sharing in achieving more sustainable urban mobility;
- Prof. Nadia Giuffrida, Professor of the Master’s Degree in Sustainable Mobility Engineering and member of CN MOST, who will present the educational offerings of the Polytechnic University of Bari in this strategic field.
In the second part of the event, research and innovation activities developed within the CO-SMART project will be presented. Speakers will include:
- Prof. Maurizia Seggiani, national coordinator of the project, member of Spoke 11, and professor at the University of Pisa, with an overview of innovations in material recycling and new production technologies for the automotive sector;
- Prof. Maria Michela Dell’Anna, member of Spoke 14, who will illustrate developments related to the production of biofuels from used cooking oil;
- PhD candidate Alessia Iennaco, who will present results on the production of polyurethane foams from the same type of oil;
- Dr. Ester D’Accardi, who will discuss experimental procedures based on thermographic techniques for analyzing damage in composite automotive materials;
- PhD candidate Francesca Derobertis, who will report on the potential use of electronic waste in the synthesis of alternative fuels;
- Research fellow Maria Stella Leone, who will present research on the use of discarded cigarette filters for the production of innovative fuels.
The event will be coordinated by Prof. Maria Michela Dell’Anna, Dr. Ester D’Accardi, and Dr. Angela Cusanno, all affiliated with the Polytechnic University of Bari and involved in the activities of Spokes 11 and 14 of CN MOST.
The workshop represents an important opportunity to promote an integrated vision of sustainability, where technological innovation goes hand in hand with social inclusion and the recognition of women’s skills in sectors still largely male-dominated, such as mobility and engineering.
