Overview
This online event celebrates the closure of the 2025 cohort of our Mentoring Program and is designed to inspire, connect, and empower current and future leaders in STEMM. It brings together an exceptional community of women in STEMM to share experiences, forge meaningful connections, and strengthen their professional networks. The event opens with a series of public keynote talks featuring accomplished mothers in STEMM and distinguished leaders, who share authentic stories of growth, resilience, and leadership across diverse career paths. This is followed by short flash talks highlighting the work and achievements of our members. The program concludes with a members-only networking session in facilitated breakout rooms, followed by an interactive leadership workshop led by an expert coach. By connecting mothers in STEMM and creating opportunities for professional visibility, mutual support, and collaboration across diverse STEMM careers, this event equips participants with practical tools and strategies to confidently advance their leadership journeys.
To learn more about the event and the speakers, check the program below.
Session I (Keynote and Flash Talks) is open to the public. Sessions II (Networking Session) and III (Workshop) are for members only–please login to the Member Hub to register for Sessions II & III. Become a member to participate in all sessions and to support our mission!
PROGRAM
| Time ET | Time CET | Agenda | Speaker |
| 9:00AM |
3:00PM |
Introduction | Dr Isabel Torres Co-Founder & CEO, Mothers in Science |
| 9:10AM | 3:10PM |
Session I - Keynote talks OPEN TO EVERYONE |
Prof Chioma Blaise Chikere Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Dr Julie Lefebvre Vice President, Emerging Technologies Division at the National Research Council of Canada Dr Mary Ellis CEO of PheroSyn, United Kingdom | 10:30AM | 4:30PM |
Session I - Flash talks OPEN TO EVERYONE |
Dr Caterin Salas Redondo R&D Project Manager, Scantech, France Dr Franca Schmid Principal Investigator, University of Bern, Switzerland Lisa Mayrginther PhD candidate at Maastricht University Medical Center, Netherlands Prof Zulma Dueñas Professor, University Nacional de Colombia, Colombia |
| 11:00AM |
5:00PM |
Break |
|
| 11:30AM | 5:30PM |
Session II- Networking session EXCLUSIVE TO MEMBERS |
Breakout Rooms: 1) Maternity bias and Overcoming Mom Guilt 2) Burnout and the Work-Life Balance Myth 3) Networking and Career Advancement Strategies |
| 12:20AM |
6:20PM |
Break | |
| 12:30AM | 6:30PM | Session III – Workshop EXCLUSIVE TO MEMBERS |
Sarah Tilkens Executive Coach and Founder, The KPI Lab, USA "Becoming a Catalyst: Confidence, Clarity & the Power of You" |
| 2:00PM |
8:00PM |
Closing | Dr Isabel Torres |
SPEAKERS
Chioma Blaise Chikere
Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Prof Chioma Blaise Chikere is a Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, where she also serves as Head of the Department of Microbiology. She holds international appointments as Professor Extraordinarius at the University of South Africa and Visiting Professor at the World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence in Oilfield Chemicals Research.
With over 70 peer-reviewed publications and 80+ conference presentations, Prof. Chikere is recognized globally for her research and collaborations, including the Erasmus+ AMIGO mobility program. Her award-winning project under the Elsevier Foundation’s Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge restored biodiversity in oil-polluted farmland in Nigeria’s Niger Delta.
A passionate advocate for the African Union Agenda 2063, gender equity, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Prof. Chikere champions diversity and inclusion in higher education and research leadership.
Julie Lefebvre
Vice President, Emerging Technologies Division at the National Research Council of Canada
Dr Julie Lefebvre is Vice President of the Emerging Technologies Division at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), leading innovation in quantum science, nanotechnology, astronomy, metrology, and photonics. Since joining NRC in 2019, she has held senior roles, including Director General of the Security and Disruptive Technologies Research Centre and Acting Director General of Nanotechnology and Advanced Electronics and Photonics.
Previously, Dr Lefebvre spent two decades at Defence Research and Development Canada, advancing from researcher to Director General, overseeing national programs in cyber operations, space operations, and sensing technologies.
She holds a PhD in Theoretical Physics from McMaster University, completed postdoctoral research at Washington State University, and is a graduate of Canada’s Executive Leadership Development Program. McMaster University awarded her an honorary doctorate for her contributions to science and society.
Mary Ellis
CEO of PheroSyn, United Kingdom
Dr Mary Ellis is co-founder and CEO of PheroSyn, an agri-tech company developing sustainable insect pheromone solutions as alternatives to chemical pesticides. An entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in life sciences and agri-tech startups, Dr Ellis combines scientific expertise with a passion for biodiversity and climate-positive technologies.
Raised on a regenerative farm, she trained as a pharmacologist and neuroscientist before founding and leading multiple technology ventures. She has served as CEO and CSO in agri-tech and life sciences, co-founded a Canadian technology commercialization fund, and held leadership roles with FarmTech Society and Biotalent Canada.
Dr Ellis is an experienced board chair and mentor, supporting entrepreneurs through programs such as SHAKE Climate Change.
Sarah Tilkens
Executive Coach and Founder, The KPI Lab, USA
Sarah Tilkens is an executive coach, facilitator, and founder of The KPI Lab, specializing in leadership development, operational excellence, and problem-solving strategies. With over 10,000 hours of coaching experience, a Six Sigma Black Belt, and a background at GE HealthCare, Tilkens helps organizations build confident leaders and resilient systems.
Her dynamic keynotes and workshops blend practical frameworks with real-world insights, empowering teams to think clearly, act decisively, and deliver measurable results. Known for creating clarity and momentum, Tilkens is a trusted partner for organizations navigating complex challenges.
As a working mother, she brings empathy and authenticity to her approach, while remaining focused on performance and sustainable impact.
This 90-minute session is all about helping women in STEM reconnect with their strengths, own their voice, and lead with authenticity. We’ll explore what confidence looks like from the inside out—then dive into an interactive activity to help participants identify and harness their unique “superpowers.” The vibe will be reflective, energizing, and highly practical—designed to leave everyone feeling more grounded in who they are and how they want to show up in their work, leadership, and life.
R&D Project Manager, Scantech, France
Dr Caterin Salas Redondo is a physicist and sustainability leader serving as R&D Project Manager at Scantech, where she drives innovation at the intersection of metrology, renewable energy technologies, and circular economy strategies. With over a decade of international experience across Europe and Latin America, she has led research initiatives in semiconductor physics, photovoltaic recycling, life cycle assessment, and energy systems, translating scientific advances into industrial applications. Her career spans academia, industry, and international cooperation, positioning her at the interface between research, technology implementation, and sustainability impact. Currently, she focuses on applying advanced measurement science to support industrial innovation and environmental responsibility. Beyond her technical leadership, she actively mentors women in STEM and promotes inclusive scientific careers that integrate leadership, global collaboration, and family life.
Principal Investigator, University of Bern, Switzerland
Dr Franca Schmid is a mechanical engineer and computational scientist who leads an independent research group at the University of Bern, where she develops advanced computational models of microvascular flow and energy transport in the brain. She earned her Ph.D. from ETH Zurich and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Zurich before receiving a competitive Swiss National Science Foundation grant to establish her laboratory. Her research integrates engineering principles with neuroscience to quantitatively describe neurovascular function and cerebral microcirculation. By complementing in vivo experimental studies with mechanistic modeling, she provides deeper insight into brain metabolism and vascular dynamics with relevance for neurological disorders. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and translational focus, she advances quantitative brain science and contributes to innovative strategies aimed at improving diagnosis and therapeutic development in neurovascular medicine.
PhD candidate at Maastricht University Medical Center, Netherlands
Lisa Mayrginther is an interdisciplinary neuroscientist and PhD candidate at Maastricht University Medical Center, where she studies the role of neurons in the tumor microenvironment using advanced mass spectrometry imaging technologies. Her academic background spans psychology, neuroscience, and analytical chemistry, enabling her to integrate neuronal biology with high-resolution molecular imaging approaches. Her research focuses on mapping chemical communication at the tumor–nerve interface to uncover how the nervous system contributes to cancer progression. By combining analytical precision with neurobiological insight, she contributes to emerging fields redefining cancer biology through neuro-oncology perspectives. Alongside her scientific work, she advocates for inclusive academic pathways shaped by diverse life experiences, including motherhood, promoting flexible career models that recognize excellence across nonlinear trajectories while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration in biomedical research.
Full Professor, University Nacional de Colombia, Colombia
Prof Zulma Dueñas is a Colombian neuroscientist and Full Professor at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Faculty of Medicine, where she leads research on maternal behavior and neurophysiology. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia and completed both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physiological Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She was the first Colombian awarded the prestigious PEW Latin American Fellows in Biomedical Science and conducted postdoctoral research in Dr. Ricardo Miledi’s laboratory in California before returning to Colombia to advance her academic career. Her research investigates the neurophysiological and behavioral consequences of maternal separation during breastfeeding, integrating animal models, cell culture systems, and maternal studies to understand child development. Through extensive publications and the mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students, she has built a strong scientific legacy in neuroscience and behavioral research in Latin America.