Bridging healthcare and space exploration with over a decade of experience, a PhD in engineering, and global collaborations to drive innovation and impact.
I am committed to enhancing healthcare through the opportunities provided by space exploration.
Below is my professional impact:
1st generation graduate in my family, being the first woman to earn both a degree and a PhD.
1st generation professional in both the healthcare and space sectors within my family.
One of the select few globally to hold a PhD in engineering and be recognized as a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association.
Over a decade of experience in healthcare and space exploration roles across research organizations and small to medium-sized enterprises.
Authored 50+ scientific publications and served as editor for 2 special issues and a book.
Distinguished with 15+ awards from renowned entities, including the European Patent Office and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, for significant contributions to the field.
Sought-after keynote speaker at 43+ international scientific events and 10+ gender equality forums hosted by prominent institutions and corporations, including the United Nations and major embassies.
Leader of 10+ exploration activities in remote locations such as the Utah, Mojave, and Arctic deserts since 2015.
Here is a list of my previous activities for you to browse.
2024
UNOOSA invited Ilaria to present her Arctic exploration mission and discuss space sustainability at the United Nations/WHO Regional Conference on Space Technology for Advancing Global Health.
UNOOSA invited Ilaria to present the educational curriculum on space and global health, developed in collaboration with the UN, the University of Geneva, and the Space and Global Health Network, at the United Nations/WHO Regional Conference on Space Technology for Advancing Global Health.
Ilaria was invited to speak on the Exogeography panel at the Festival of Diplomacy, where she discussed space exploration and space diplomacy.
The Piemonte Region and the Women in Aerospace Turin Chapter have invited Ilaria as the keynote speaker for "Galactic Conversations" at the International Astronautical Congress.
Ilaria served as the Crew Commander for a team of seven on an Arctic expedition with The Mars Society on Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada.
Ilaria was the vice-chair of the Curriculum on Space and Global Health part of the Space and Global Health Network, which is supported by the Geneva Digital Health Hub (gdhub).
Ilaria was invited to speak at the XI Rotary District 2072 Conference in Riccione, Italy, on the panel "The Future is What We Create: Women, Youth, Innovation."
Ilaria was a panellist at the Analogue Frontiers 2024 Conference, held at the Italian Space Agency and discussed medicine and life sciences in analogue missions.
Ilaria was a keynote speaker at the "24th Convegno Nazionale Associazione Italiana Ingegneri Clinici / 24th National Conference of the Italian Clinical Engineers Association" about "From Orbit to Operating Room: How Space Medicine is Reshaping Healthcare."
Quotidiano Nazionale highlighted Ilaria in the special #QNXLeDonne section during the week commemorating International Women's Day. The interview was also showcased in Open Magazine.
IODonna interviewed Ilaria in the "At work with..." section.
Ilaria was a special guest at the Spes Fest, the festival of women's literature in Lucca (Italy).
The Italian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, invited Ilaria to serve as a testimonial for the "Science: She Says!" event. This event garnered support from various organizations, including the Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Egypt, the Delegation of the European Union in Egypt, the Embassy of Italy in Cairo, and UN Women. The event was also showcased on Innovitalia.
The Italian Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands invited Ilaria to speak as a keynote speaker on space healthcare and nutrition at the VIII Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, "A space engineer in the kitchen."
Diver(City) interviewed Ilaria in Seeds of Florence about her career and featured her on their cover.
Marie Clarie magazine interviewed Ilaria about Terre Des Hommes's art exhibition "Straordinarie, protagonist del presente / Extraordinary. Protagonists of the Present." The interview also appeared in The International Magazine.
Foresight Frontier invited Ilaria to speak at their first Space Tech Workshop about innovation in space medicine.
StartupItalia invited Ilaria as an inspiring woman in science to participate in the 21st L'Oréal —UNESCO Award For Women in Science, and Elle Magazine interviewed me.
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs invited Ilaria to appear at a virtual side event to represent the Space4Women network.
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs invited Ilaria as a speaker at the Working Group on Space and Global Health about my work on "Space for healthcare, healthcare for space ";
Deascuola and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) invited Ilaria as a guest speaker on Earth’s Day;
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs invited Ilaria to speak at the Space4Women Mentors' Work and Project Session;
Ilaria spoke about healthcare and space exploration at the XVIII ENEEB - National Meeting of Biomedical Engineering Students (Portugal);
SeedsofFlorence invited Ilaria to present "AI for Space" at Humanising AI.
2022
The Italian Space Agency invited Ilaria to participate in the "The Italian Journey in Space Exploration" panel at Farnborough International to speak about deep space crew missions;
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs invited Ilaria as a speaker at the Working Group on Space and Global Health about her work on "Advances in Space Medicine Applied to Pandemics on Earth";
The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (Boeretang, Belgium) invited Ilaria to share her work, which was published in The Role of AI in Space Healthcare, as a keynote speaker.
Before 2020
The XPOMET 360° Next Generation Healthcare Conference invited Ilaria to speak about Space Medical Capabilities;
Ilaria presented the Lunar Night Survival Project (run by the International Space University – Space Studies Program 2018) at the Lunar Night Survival Workshop – Universities Space Research Association in 2018;
University talks and seminars about space medicine and analogue missions: University of Southampton (UK) | 2018; University of Porto (Portugal) | 2018; University of Pisa (Italy) | 2017; Crea(c)tivity (Italy) in 2017 and 2021.
Ilaria was invited as a speaker at the ESA Moon-Mars workshop (The Netherlands) in 2017, 2018 and 2019;
Ilaria was invited as a guest at Harvard University (USA) in 2019;
Ilaria was invited as a speaker at the Xpomet (Germany) in 2019;
Ilaria was invited as a guest at MIT New Space Age Conference (USA) | 2019;
Ilaria delivered "Don't fight, explore" for TEDx Padova in 2017;
Ilaria invited as a speaker at the International Space Medicine Bellagio Summit II (Italy) in 2017;
Crew Commander for analogue missions, responsible for training and supervising teams of up to 40 individuals.