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Unstoppable: International Women’s Day 2025

Unstoppable: International Women’s Day 2025

International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, honors the achievements of women worldwide in social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. It also raises awareness of gender equality issues and advocates for women’s rights. The day serves as a global call to action for accelerating gender parity and empowering women everywhere.

For this occasion, Ulysseus is launching Unstoppable, a series of interviews which highlights inspiring female leaders from Ulysseus European Universities. They share their journeys, challenges, and achievements while offering insights on empowering women in academia and beyond. Their stories aim to inspire the next generation of women to pursue their ambitions with confidence.

Unstoppable

To commemorate International Women’s Day, Ulysseus presents Unstoppable, a compelling series of interviews featuring female leaders from Ulysseus European Universities. In these interviews, inspiring women share their personal journeys, from the motivations that led them to their current paths to the challenges they have overcome—such as breaking barriers in male-dominated fields. They highlight achievements they take pride in and offer insights on how universities can better support and empower women in academia and beyond. Through their experiences and advice, Unstoppable aims to inspire and guide the next generation of young women pursuing their ambitions.

Unstoppable features outstanding female leaders shaping academia, research, entrepreneurship, and sports. From trailblazers in AI, innovation, and sustainability to champions in science and athletics, these women share their journeys, challenges, and achievements. Discover how they break barriers, drive change, and empower future generations. Watch this series of interviews and celebrate the power of women in shaping a brighter future!

Our leaders

Cristina Rubio Escudero

University of Seville

Cristina Rubio Escudero holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and is a professor and researcher at the School of Computer Engineering (ETSI Informática) at the University of Seville, where she also serves as Vice-Rector for International Relations, Communication, and Outreach. With a strong background in Data Science and extensive experience in Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, her research focuses on developing innovative applications in key areas such as healthcare, environmental science, and sustainability. Her work has made significant contributions to advancing knowledge in these fields, promoting technological solutions with a social impact. Beyond her scientific career, Cristina is deeply committed to science outreach and encouraging young girls to pursue STEM careers, actively participating in projects and initiatives that promote gender equality in science and technology.

Sabrina Copin

Université Côte d’Azur

Sabrina Copin is a dynamic professional with a robust background in international relations, media, and communication, currently serving as the Innovation Hub Manager at Ulysseus in Nice, France. With two Master’s degrees—one in International Relations and the other in Media and Communication—Sabrina has honed a unique skill set that bridges global insights with effective communication strategies. Having worked in Agoranov, one of the largest Deeptech incubators in Paris, as well as at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, Sabrina has cultivated a distinguished career at the forefront of technological innovation and entrepreneurial development. At the Chamber of Commerce, she played a pivotal role in leveraging its extensive network to support startups and drive economic growth. Sabrina’s expertise spans across a diverse range of fields including innovation management, market evaluation, and strategic positioning within the tech industry. She is particularly adept at supporting startups in their early stages, helping them navigate the complexities of the market, and ensuring their sustainable growth. Her leadership focuses on amplifying the impact of innovative technologies through comprehensive support programs and fostering a collaborative ecosystem.

Julia Vögele

MCI, The Entrepreneurial School

Julia Vögele is a Doctoral Researcher in the UNESCO Chair in Futures Capability for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the MCI – The Entrepreneurial School. She obtained both her BA degree in Tourism Business Studies and her MA degree in International Business and Management at the MCI. Her research activities focus on futures research, trend scouting, strategic foresight as well as sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship. She worked for the Tyrolean Tourist Board and was engaged in global megatrends research and their implications for transforming the Tyrolean tourism industry and society towards a sustainable future. Along these activities, she has developed close networks to the local entrepreneurship and start-up community in Tyrol. She has the ambition to deepen her academic profile in futures research, sustainability, and entrepreneurship by means of a PhD.

Anastasia Denisko

Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences

Anastasia Denisko is a master student in the new Ulysseus AI for Business Transformation degree. She holds two bachelor’s degrees—one in International Business from RISEBA in Riga and another in Service Development from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki. Her primary research interests lie in artificial intelligence, business process automation, the experience economy, and the impact of cultural differences on entrepreneurship. With a robust entrepreneurial background, she founded a publishing house in Helsinki in 2011 that produced tourist magazines. In that role, she conducted extensive research on Chinese tourist behaviour and supported Finnish companies in adapting their marketing strategies to more effectively engage with Chinese audiences. Through these initiatives, she has cultivated strong connections with Helsinki’s local entrepreneurship community.

Seraphine Wegner

University of Münster

Seraphine Wegner is a full professor at the Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry at the University of Münster, Germany. She obtained her bachelor in chemistry in 2005 at the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey and her PhD in chemistry in 2010 at the University of Chicago, USA. In 2011, she started as an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral researcher under the guidance of Prof. Joachim Spatz at the University of Heidelberg and Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Germany. In 2016, she started her independent research group at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany, which is part of MaxSynBio, the network for bottom-up synthetic biology of the Max Planck Society. She has been awarded several prestigious prizes such Eliteprogramm Fellowship of the Baden-Württemberg Foundation (2014), the Fellowship of the Daimler und Benz Foundation (2016), the ERC Starting Grant (2017) and the ERC Consolidator Grant (2024).

Jovana Peković

University of Montenegro

Jovana Peković is a Montenegrin judo athlete and Olympian. She graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Montenegro. This year, she plans to continue her academic journey by pursuing a PhD at the same faculty. Throughout her sports career, Jovana has achieved remarkable success, including winning the gold medal at the Under-23 European Judo Championship. She competed at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, fulfilling a lifelong dream. She also won a bronze medal at the World Championships for cadets, a silver medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival, and multiple medals at European Open competitions and Balkan Championships. She is a multiple-time national champion in all age categories and has secured 15 medals from European Cups in the cadet, junior, and senior divisions. Beyond her athletic achievements, Jovana has gained leadership and organizational skills through her involvement in the Judo Federation of Montenegro. Balancing sports and academics has shaped her into a disciplined and determined individual, and she strongly emphasizes the importance of education and perseverance in achieving one’s goals.

Interviews

Please keep an eye to this section of the web to watch the mini-interviews of Ulysseus leaders. We will release a daily interview to commemorate International Women’s Day 2025.