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Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Working Group

Chair: Francesco De Anna

Francesco De Anna is a lecturer of the Institute of Mathematics at the University of Würzburg. He completed his PhD at the University of Bordeaux in 2016, working under the guidance of Marius Paicu. His doctoral research centered around the dynamics of complex fluids. Subsequently, he spent two years at Penn State University, during which time he held the position of Chowla Research Assistant Professor. His focus there revolved around collaborative work with Chun Liu, delving into variational theories related to liquid crystals. In 2018, Francesco De Anna moved to Würzburg, embarking on an independent and innovative research path. His primary research revolves around the derivation and analysis of nonlinear partial differential equations. These equations serve as foundational models for capturing the intricate dynamics of certain anisotropic fluids. The underlying analysis draws upon a diverse spectrum of methodologies, notably techniques from functional analysis, harmonic analysis and Fourier analysis.

Vice-Chair: Giulia Marina Licini

Giulia Licini is professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Padova (Italy). She got her PhD in Chemical Sciences at the University of Padova. After one-year postdoc at the Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA, she moved back to the University of Padova where she is now full professor.  At the University of Padova she has been part of several committees related to student tutoring, PhD studies, internationalization and teaching assessment. She is also active in the frame of the Italian Chemical Society activities. She has been chair/co-chair of international conferences and schools.

Her main research activities are related to homogeneous catalysis and molecular recognition for biomimetic processes and sustainable biomass valorization. She has been/is supervisor of PhD and master students, also in cotutelle. She is co-author of more than 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has been invited as speaker at national and international conferences and schools. She has been involved in several national/European projects also with industrial partners.

Working Group Focus

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are disciplines that have long been at the heart of societal progress and innovation. Through research, education, and public engagement, they remain a pillar of modernisation and progress.

Our Working Group aims to highlight the role of Coimbra Group universities in fostering several STEM fields. We explore how each of our institutions addresses key dimensions, such as excellence and innovation in research, science communication, collaboration, inclusiveness, interdisciplinarity, and the integration of emerging technologies.

Priorities for 2026 – 2029

  • Good practices in science communication: To attract younger generations to STEM fields, effective science communication initiatives are of paramount importance. The decision to pursue science often begins at a very young age, highlighting the need for activities that spark curiosity and fascination. At the same time, the several layers and inherent complexities of STEM disciplines require clear and engaging explanations to reach a broader audience and highlight the significance of key scientific results. Our goal is to identify and analyse the activities implemented by the Coimbra Group universities represented in our Working Group to facilitate access to STEM, with a focus on both national and local initiatives. The analysis will eventually be summarised into a dedicated compendium.
  • Research assessment in STEM disciplines: The principles promoted by the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA), of which the Coimbra Group and several of its member universities are part, have set the direction for transforming how research is evaluated and funded. These changes will continue shaping the future recruitment and promotion of researchers and academics across Europe. It is crucial to share best practices in STEM disciplines currently implemented by Coimbra Group universities to enhance research quality, uphold scientific integrity, and strengthen societal engagement. These reforms are also redefining the role of quantitative metrics such as the h-index, citation counts and journal impact factors. Our objective is to continue gathering insights on key innovations and future trends in research assessment, building on the outcomes of the STEM WG workshop hosted by UCLouvain in November 2025.
  • Women in STEM: There is a persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, particularly at PhD, postdoctoral and academic levels. The STEM WG aims to conduct an analysis (via interviews or online surveys) at Master’s, PhD, and postdoc levels to better understand the expectations and main difficulties faced by early-stage female researchers in STEM . This project could be developed in collaboration with other WGs, such as Doctoral Studies and Equality and Diversity. Furthermore, the WG aims to gather testimonials from successful STEM female researchers to serve as inspiring role models.
  • New teaching & learning methodologies in STEM: STEM disciplines suffer from a low number of new students, as well as significant dropout rates. Innovation and new teaching methodologies in STEM (such as active learning) can help counter this trend by enhancing students’ learning experiences. We aim to identify and discuss which innovative and active learning practices are implemented within each CG university in STEM disciplines. In addition, significant attention will be given to exploring the integration of teaching methodologies in the context of the rise of artificial intelligence, examining both its positive and negative impacts on students.

Recent highlights since September 2025

  • Organisation of the workshop “The Reform of Research Assessment” (UCLouvain, 20 November 2025), focusing on CoARA’s principles, with the participation of the CoARA Chair, Prof. Henk Kummeling.

Ongoing / Forthcoming activities 2026 – 2027

  • Good practices in science communication:
    • restart of data collection within the CG on good practice of initiatives aimed at encouraging and attracting young people to STEM fields.
    • drafting of a questionnaire (to be reviewed during CG Annual Meeting 2026 in Granada) focusing on key aspects, to be formally submitted afterward.
    • final data collection and review with members expected around autumn 2026.
    • beginning of the compendium writing.
  • Women in STEM: interviews with female Master’s students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers to gather insights into their role models in science, their expectations for the future, and the main challenges they have faced in the early stages of their careers.
  • New teaching & learning methodologies in STEM: organisation of several talks throughout autumn 2026 and spring 2027 on the impact of AI in teaching and education.

Forthcoming activities 2027 – 2029

  • Finalisation and publication of the compendium on good practices in attracting young people to STEM fields.
  • Organisation of a one-day workshop or a series of talks to further explore the implications of research assessment reforms, following the 2025 workshop.

Contact person at the CG Office: Rúben Castro (castro@coimbra-group.eu)