IEEC researcher selected for an international leadership program for women scientists

The program will conclude with a three-week on-board ship voyaging to Antarctica

Dr. Anna Ferré-Mateu, a researcher from the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) at the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB), has been selected for the Homeward Bound project, a transformational leadership initiative for women with a background in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine). Along with a hundred other researchers from around the world, Dra. Ferré-Mateu will take part in a 12-month journey that comprises lectures, personal and leadership development tools, coaching sessions, visibility, training and the opportunity to develop meaningful collaborations —in forums, in teams with a focus on areas of interest, and in small diverse cohorts— ending with a three-week on-board ship voyaging to Antarctica.

“For me, this journey to Antarctica, represents the challenges we face as individuals and as a society.”, commented Dr. Ferré-Mateu. “Before we can think about reaching new worlds, we need to start taking care of our own, and I hope that the tools learnt during this journey will have an impact on the way we do science. It is one of the greatest adventures ever and I’m just thrilled to be part of it!”, she added.

What is the Homeward Bound project?

The Homeward Bound project was created in Australia in 2016. This project aims to build a global collaboration of 1000 women with backgrounds in STEMM for over ten years so they have the opportunity to take up leadership roles globally and to proactively contribute to a sustainable world, both individually and collectively. They will be visible, collaborative, networked and impacting the decisions made in many quarters for the greater good.

Who is Dra. Ferré-Mateu?

Dra. Ferré-Mateu’s research has been focused on the study of the cosmic evolution of galaxies of different types. They are a crucial building block to constrain the current galaxy formation and evolution paradigm. Moreover, to some degree, they are also a crucial piece of understanding a bit better the most fundamental question of human beings: where do we come from?

Caption: Anna Ferré-Mateu
Credits: Anna Ferré-Mateu

For this, she has been studying the fossil record of the stars in galaxies, to understand how they were and how they have evolved over cosmic time, in a similar way an archaeologist would reveal how the ancient populations lived by examining their remains. This quest has taken her to live, literally, all around the globe: the Canaries, Hawaii and Australia. This has allowed her to carry her science in forefront facilities while enjoying the wonders of such places by doing her favourite hobbies such as surfing, diving, hiking and traveling. Since 2018, Dra. Ferré-Mateu holds a Postdoctoral Junior Leader Fellowship at ICCUB, where she is one of the members of the Galaxy Structure and Evolution research group. 

Her contribution to disseminating science to younger generations and advocating for women equity has become a very important part of her work participating in chats and events like “Chatea con una Astrónoma” and “100tífiques” motivating young girls into pursuing STEMM careers or being part of “Journey through the Universe” that brings astronomy to the classrooms in Hilo, Hawaii.

You can follow her journey to Antarctica on Twitter by means of the hashtag #annetainantarcticahb6 and her instagram account @annetainantarctica.hb6.

Links

– IEEC
– Dra. Ferré-Mateu’s website
– Homeward Bound project
– Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB)

More information

The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC  — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) promotes and coordinates space research and technology development in Catalonia for the benefit of society. IEEC fosters collaborations both locally and worldwide and is an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. As a result of over 20 years of high-quality research, done in collaboration with major international organisations, IEEC ranks among the best international research centers, focusing on areas such as: astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and Earth Observation. IEEC’s engineering division develops instrumentation for ground- and space-based projects, and has extensive experience in working with private or public organisations from the aerospace and other innovation sectors.  

IEEC is a private non-profit foundation, governed by a Board of Trustees composed of Generalitat de Catalunya and four other institutions that each have a research unit, which together constitute the core of IEEC R&D activity: the University of Barcelona (UB) with the research unit ICCUB — Institute of Cosmos Sciences; the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) with the research unit CERES — Center of Space Studies and Research; the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) with the research unit CTE — Research Group in Space Sciences and Technologies; the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) with the research unit ICE — Institute of Space Sciences. IEEC is a CERCA (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya) center.

Image: Homeward Bound Project
Caption: The Homeward Bound Project is an international leadership program for women scientists, culminating in a journey aboard a ship bound for Antarctica.
Credits: Homeward Bound Project.

Contacts

IEEC Communication Office
Barcelona, Spain
Ana Montaner and Rosa Rodríguez
E-mail: comunicacio@ieec.cat 

Lead Researcher at IEEC
Barcelona, Spain
Anna Ferré Mateu
Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB)
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
E-mail: aferremateu@iccub.ub.edu