“Women Among the Stars” (Springer) Presented at CIRA: The Value of Women’s Expertise for Space

The first edition of the literary “Space” format was held at CIRA with the presentation of Women Among the Stars, a volume published by Springer and edited by Patrizia Caraveo and Annamaria Nassisi.

The event was attended by the editors Annamaria Nassisi and Patrizia Caraveo, with contributions from the President of CIRA, Prof. Tommaso Edoardo Frosini, and the Centre’s Director General, Stefania Cantoni.

The book stems from the outreach and inspirational initiative of the same name, launched in 2020 and grown into an annual symposium, whose 2024 edition was held in Abano Terme. The volume presents the contributions delivered by 22 female speakers. The collected testimonies recount the career paths of scientists, engineers, managers, and students, showing how perseverance, study, and vision can open paths that often seem precluded.

During the presentation, the need to act across the entire pipeline clearly emerged: early guidance, access to university pathways, tackling stereotypes, and - above all - working conditions that support retention and career progression. International data show that women’s participation in scientific and technological professions is increasing, but remains uneven; in Italy, the gender gap in STEM degrees is still significant and is reflected in career choices.

As recalled in the book’s preface, space has long been a male-dominated field, but building a better future requires “the talent of everyone,” regardless of gender. Increasing women’s participation in STEM disciplines is an international priority and, in Italy as elsewhere, remains crucial to closing access and career gaps.

Women Among the Stars offers concrete examples of excellence: from astrophysical research and space missions to engineering activities involving materials, instrumentation, and systems, as well as management and policy roles that are shaping the Space Economy. The authors describe not only achievements and expertise, but also the strategies that enabled them to overcome cultural and organizational barriers.

Among the topics addressed, CIRA President Frosini and Director General Cantoni outlined ongoing initiatives to broaden women’s participation in aerospace: awareness-raising actions targeting schools and universities, programs to foster internal talent, and attention to career development paths and a fair, inclusive working environment. The goal is to make the sector increasingly capable of attracting and retaining diverse skills - a key factor for innovation and competitiveness. In this regard, Frosini also noted that CIRA has recently obtained gender equality certification in accordance with UNI/PdR 125:2022.

The presentation concluded with a message addressed to female students: choosing a STEM discipline does not mean “adapting” to a world already written, but contributing to rewriting it. Space - by its nature - requires collaboration, vision, and a plurality of perspectives: qualities that the stories collected in the volume demonstrate are achievable.

The choice of CIRA as the venue for the event underscores the Centre’s commitment to developing policies and concrete actions to increase women’s participation in the aerospace sector, enhancing skills, leadership, and opportunities for new generations.

Patrizia Caraveo, astrophysicist and research director at INAF, and Annamaria Nassisi, a manager in the Space Economy, provide editorial stewardship that combines scientific rigor with strong outreach capabilities—an invitation to imagine space as an open, meritocratic, and pluralistic environment.

Book information: Women Among the Stars, Springer, edited by Patrizia Caraveo and Annamaria Nassisi.