During this captivating evening in Brussels on the same day as our General Assembly, inspirational women in STEM leadership will share experiences and advice from their leadership journeys.
From leading in male-dominated environments to showing up as your authentic self, this unique event will leave you inspired, energised, and equipped with valuable tools to continue your leadership journey with confidence.
Speakers:
- Prof. Dr. Aude Simar, President of Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, UCLouvain
- Celestina Arrigo, BeWiSe’s long-time mentor and supporter, Former Senior Director Pharmacovigilance QA
At the end of this event, you can enjoy the networking part.
Short Speaker Bios:
Aude Simar is a professor of materials engineering at UCLouvain and President of the Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC) with more than 250 members. She graduated as a mechanical engineer from UCLouvain, where she also completed a PhD in welding science before conducting postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley in California. Her research focuses on advanced manufacturing, including friction‑based processes, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing, with strong collaborations with Belgian industrial partners such as Safran, SONACA, John Cockerill, EHP, and AnyShape. She received an ERC Starting Grant in 2016 and, in 2023, the Wel-T fellowship. She was the only female Wel-T laureate in the Fédération Wallonie‑Bruxelles that year among 14 laureates. Her research spans fundamental metallurgy, severe plastic deformation, aluminium alloys, and sustainable manufacturing routes, as illustrated by her contributions to friction stir processing, damage‑tolerant materials, and recycled‑chip additive manufacturing. She teaches welding and manufacturing at the Engineering School of UCLouvain.
Celestina Arrigo has followed an unconventional path for a scientist. After earning a nursing degree and working in a hospital setting, she completed a master’s degree in hospital management and a diploma in statistical and epidemiological methods applied to public health at ULB, followed by a PhD in Public Health. She spent four years at the Breast Cancer Research Unit at the Bordet Institute, then worked for 12 years on various research projects at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. She later moved into the pharmaceutical industry, where she established a Health Outcomes Research department and worked there for 11 years. During the final 12 years of her career, she managed projects in Pharmacovigilance Quality Assurance. Following her retirement, Celestina dedicated her time to supporting women through various associations.
We would like to thank the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBIN) for hosting this event.
