DaSCI researchers interview #11F
15 February, 2024
11 February marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This date was established by the United Nations General Assembly with the aim of recognising the fundamental role played by women in the scientific and technological community. It also seeks to promote full and equal access to science for women and girls, as well as to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment.

On this day, the importance of closing the gender gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields is highlighted. Although STEM fields are critical to national economies, gender equality in these areas has not yet been fully achieved. Globally, only about 33.3% of female researchers are women, and 35% of students in STEM-related careers are women. In the case of female engineers in Spain, this is even more pressing because they barely represent 20% of these degrees in general, and within computer engineering this figure is less than 16%. Although statistics show similar performance between boys and girls in science and mathematics, gender stereotypes persist. Many girls are still not encouraged to pursue STEM careers and have limited options for education and career development. At DaSCI we are proud of the more than 50 female colleagues who are part of our institute, which represents about 30% of the research staff. This is not a bad figure at all, but there is still a long way to go.
This International Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of promoting the active participation and recognition of women in science. Gender equality is a global priority, and supporting young women in their education and ability to express their ideas is essential for development and peace. In this context, UNESCO organises events and activities to close the gender gap in science and accelerate action towards equality.
But at DaSCI we wanted to ask both natural and artificial intelligences directly to tell us how they see the role of women and girls in science.
First of all, we asked Copilot to give us a series of questions to ask the DaSCI researchers on this special day, specifying that the questions would be for women researchers. And these were some of the questions we got back:
Personal experiences:
- What was your experience like when deciding on a career in science or technology?
- Was there anyone who inspired you or influenced your choice?
Challenges and overcoming: - What do you consider to be the biggest challenges facing women in science?
- Have you had to overcome gender-specific obstacles in your scientific career?
Role models: - Are there women scientists you admire and who have inspired you?
- Do you think the visibility of women in science is important to encourage girls to pursue STEM careers?
Motivation and passion: - What are you passionate about in your work in science and technology?
- How do you think we can foster a passion for STEM from an early age in girls?
Change and action: - What changes do you think could be made to encourage greater participation of women in science?
- How can we inspire more girls to take an interest in science and technology careers?
Diversity in the work environment: - How does diversity (or lack of it) in the work environment affect the quality of research and innovation?
- Are there specific measures that you think could improve the representation of women in scientific roles?
Collaboration and networks: - How do you see the role of networks and collaboration between women in science?
- Are there initiatives or programmes that you have found particularly useful or inspiring?
Advice for young women: - What advice would you give to girls considering a career in science or technology?
- Is there anything you wish you had known when you started your career in this field?
Quite focused on difficulties, on the personal, on collaboration, on inspiration. But we did the same (deleting cache) with questions for a scientist… without specifying if it was a man or a woman. And the result was this:
Professional Achievements:
- What do you consider to be your greatest achievements or contributions in your field?
- Can you share any professional experiences that have given you great satisfaction?
Inspirations and Role Models: - Are there any scientists who have inspired you in your career?
- How do you feel about being a source of inspiration for other women considering careers in science?
Featured Projects: - Can you talk about a project you have worked on that has allowed you to apply your skills and knowledge in an exceptional way?
- Have you led or participated in any projects that stand out for their impact?
Challenges Overcome: - What professional challenges have you overcome that you are particularly proud of?
- How have you dealt with difficult situations in your scientific career and what did you learn from them?
Collaborations and Professional Networks: - How do you value the importance of collaboration and networking in your field?
- Can you share any positive experiences from collaborating with colleagues?
Advice and Reflections: - What advice would you give to young women considering careers in science?
- How has your perspective on science evolved throughout your career?
Acknowledgements and Awards: - Have you received any recognitions or awards for your scientific work that have given you satisfaction?
- How do awards influence your motivation and professional development?
Future and Goals: - Do you have any future projects or goals that particularly excite you?
- How do you envision the role of women in science in the future?
Achievements, goals, recognition and future. Of course our AI does not look at or ask women and men the same.
So, with all the love we have for AI, we’d better ask our NI (Natural Intelligences).
We took advantage of the day when we were taking a group photo in our new headquarters, the UGR AI building, for the day of women and girls in science and we interviewed several of our colleagues to tell us about their journey to get to do what they are doing now.
Nuria Rodríguez, 28 years old. Postdoctoral researcher (submitted her thesis 2 months ago).

She is still working on the subject of her doctoral thesis: ‘federated learning, adversarial attack and defence, although I also work in other areas such as personalisation, but always within federated learning’.
Hers is not one of these cases of vocation since she was a child, as she did not even know she wanted to do computer science as a career until her last year of her degree, in fact, she did not even know that she wanted to do computer science as a career. The people around her took it for granted that she should study medicine because she had very good marks, ‘with the apprehension I have about blood, you know, you know, you know, you know! So his path was going to be biotechnology. But mathematics crossed his path, and in particular a mathematics olympiad. Well, more like a maths teacher who made the ‘mess’ to go to these olympics for all the students with more than 9 (most of them girls). It’s funny that most of the people who went to the Olympics were boys because ‘I didn’t feel like spending a weekend doing exams… and because I thought it wasn’t for me and I didn’t want to waste my time on it’.
Luckily he did, he went to the Olympics and qualified at national level. At that time she already knew Paco Herrera who encouraged her to study mathematics. But as she didn’t want to be a teacher, she decided to do a double degree in mathematics and computer science.
Today she sees herself doing research and teaching at the University in the long term. And her father (a teacher) is so happy, of course.
‘I encourage all girls and boys to go into science as a career, to go into research or business and to take on roles of responsibility. At the end of the day, it is where the most money is earned and although it is often said that boys earn more than girls in the same positions, the reality is that the most senior positions are usually occupied by boys and that is what makes them earn more’.
Práxedes Martínez, 25 years old. Pre-doctoral researcher in computer engineering in the field of human identification.

It attempts to implement AI-based computer tools to assist anthropology in human identification. Research for her has gradually emerged as an option. Her bachelor’s thesis topic, which she was later able to continue in her master’s thesis, has led her to her doctoral thesis. ‘I really enjoy the subject of my research and although I didn’t even know what research was, because they never stopped to tell me what research is, I can’t see myself doing anything else now.
She imagined that she would end up in a company ‘but look, now I do research, I like it a lot and I think it gives me a lot of skills because I have to find my own way to solve problems, with the support of my colleagues too, of course’. Research in our country is not very good, but for now I don’t see myself doing anything else’.
Práxedes’ adventure in computer science is typical… she didn’t start out of vocation ’I hadn’t even taught computer science at school and I was intrigued. I got into it out of curiosity because nobody at home has studied science. My mother is a lawyer and a businesswoman and my father works in his company.
In research she feels free, she feels strong, she feels capable. And although the job situation is not the best, she wants to continue in this for now. ‘I would recommend any girl to get into this because we are creating tools that can help humanity’.
‘We need women computer scientists. Since the beginning of my career I have been alone most of the time and now I am very happy to have female colleagues. Women bring a different vision thanks to our experiences and contexts. We give a different perspective.
Marina Hernández, 24 years old. Pre-doctoral researcher in 3D graphics applied to AI and anomalies.

‘My time in research has been trial and error. I finished my degree, I started in the company and I wasn’t passionate about it… and in research I have discovered that I am constantly learning, that I have more freedom to do things I like and you do things that depend more on you and not so much on others as in the company’.
Marina sees herself doing research and teaching in the long term. In her case, it was clear to her that she wanted to do computer science or something related because in her high school years she was passionate about video games and was always on computers. Her parents and relatives have nothing to do with the field.
‘A career in computer science and a career in research is something you have to really like. You can always try it out, go to a company and try other things, and if you don’t, you can change. The good thing is that there is always work so you can take a bit of a risk’. He doesn’t see himself going back to the company or setting up his own project in the future, but he is very interested in project management. ‘University and research have good and bad things, just like in business. But I would encourage girls to go in and try it out if it’s their thing’.
María Megía, 49 years old. She is in her final year of her PhD in digital twins applied to civil engineering and industry.

You may think that María is a bit too old to do a PhD, but we can tell you that, first, it is never too late, and second, María is already a civil engineer and has developed her professional career outside IT for 20 years. She also works as a project manager in a European project of the School of Civil Engineering.
‘I was doing a master’s degree in big data and machine learning and a job offer came up at the university to manage a European project and do my PhD, so I took the plunge. Now I see that the change and taking the plunge was brave and complicated. Also, knowing that in the academy you earn less than in a company, it is something to think about knowing that you are the economic support for your family’. She has a partner and two children aged 15 and 18.
We asked her what it is like to be in two such masculinised worlds as civil engineering and computer science, ‘Civil engineering is much more masculinised. Now I see more female colleagues here at DaSCI and it’s a joy. In my case, I have gone to work a lot and I don’t think much about these issues, also I suppose because I am not very competitive and glass ceilings are noticeable when you want to get to the top. It is possible that it is because we have taken it for granted from the beginning of the career’.
But it does strike her that when she tries to explain to her family what she does for a living, they often don’t understand. ‘There are many people who don’t believe that research is a profession, that it’s a job, and this is something we need to vindicate. The famous R+D+i is nothing more than that, research to be able to innovate’.
The curious thing is that María always wanted to have been a computer scientist but thought that the 0s and 1s were not for her. ‘I still see it as complicated, but here I am, although it’s costing me a lot of suffering. Nothing is free. Everything has to be done the hard way. I never see it as impossible but everything costs. And then there is the family because I not only work, but there is also the house and the children’.
‘I recommend that girls and boys study what they like and what they are passionate about, not what has an outlet or a salary. The secret of success is in that passion and so that the work doesn’t cost you so much. I wanted my children to do computer science but one is going to be a doctor and the other doesn’t want to do computer science.
María claims that research is a very necessary profession for society and should be recognised not only in terms of recognition but also in terms of salaries.
Sabana Arantxa Urrea, 29 years old. Predoctoral researcher in secure AI and model robustness.

‘I didn’t think doing research was an option because it hadn’t been explained to me and I hadn’t thought about it so I started doing other things like social media management. But I love research because I really like studying and this is a way of continuing to do it for the rest of my life.
Aramtxa knew she wanted to study a science degree and thought it would be more like mathematics or statistics, but computer science crossed her path. It wasn’t her first choice because there was also philosophy, acting and theatre.
‘I would love to continue doing research and teaching and I would recommend to people who like to study that this could be your path. I would consider starting a company in the future, but I would never give up research and university.
She enjoys theatre and dance, which she continues to practise. At one point she considered moving to another city where she could complement her dance studies and research, but she believes that she should stay in Granada and make sure that she can do everything here too.
‘I feel very fortunate at the moment because in our centre there are women doing their theses, postdoctoral studies and research and it is easy for me to work with them, but I understand that in general it is a masculinised world and it is not always easy. It would be great if this could happen in all areas and departments.
She concludes by pointing out that careers have no gender or gender sunshine. Nor should you give up your hobbies for your studies and what is expected of people in those studies.
These are 5 of DaSCI’s female researchers. Women with diverse histories and different origins but with the same objective: to enjoy their work, to feel fulfilled and to dedicate themselves to what they are passionate about.
Nuria and Arantxa are researchers contracted under the COLLABORATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF GRANADA AND THE S.M.E. INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CIBERSEGURIDAD DE ESPAÑA M.P., S.A. FOR THE PROMOTION OF STRATEGIC CYBER SECURITY PROJECTS IN SPAIN, funded by the S.M.E. INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CIBERSEGURIDAD DE ESPAÑA M.P., S.A. (hereinafter ‘INCIBE’) and by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Therefore this activity is part of the support of the collaboration agreement between the UNIVERSITY OF GRANADA and the S.M.E. INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CIBERSEGURIDAD DE ESPAÑA M.P., S.A. FOR THE PROMOTION OF STRATEGIC CYBER SECURITY PROJECTS IN SPAIN, financed by the S.M.E. INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CIBERSEGURIDAD DE ESPAÑA M.P., S.A. (hereinafter ‘INCIBE’) and by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

