Explore the profiles of each Advisory Board Member. Discover the people behind our vision, and learn more about the contributions they make to shape the future of STE(A)M Learning Ecologies.
Mario De Mauro
Istituto d’Istruzione Superiore “Galileo Galilei” di Jesi (AN)
Science Teacher
Mario De Mauro is a biologist with a PhD in Molecular Biology and Cellular Biotechnology, with a research focus on science education. With a strong background in education, he has been working as both a science and special education teacher since 2006. His dedication to STEM education has led him to take on various advisory roles.
Since 2021, as a member of the STEM Careers Advisers Network, he has collaborated with STEM professionals, teachers, and researchers to enhance the understanding of emerging STEM careers and the skills they require. He has contributed to designing hands-on, ready-to-use materials to support teachers in career guidance activities. In the same year, he took on the role of evaluator for the training program at AMGEN Biotech Experience (ABE) in Italy.
Additionally, since 2020, as a Scientix Ambassador, he has been actively involved in promoting Scientix activities at the national level, supporting innovation in STEM education, and strengthening a community centered on the sharing of effective teaching practices, particularly in STEM fields.
Roberta Trapani Maggi
Secretariat for Catholic Education – Malta
Head of the Department for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills
Roberta Trapani Maggi is a STEM educator, engineer, and digital education specialist dedicated to transforming learning through technology. She holds a Master’s in Digital Education and serves as Head of the Department for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills within the Secretariat for Catholic Education in Malta. With a background in electrical engineering and secondary physics education, she integrates innovative technologies to enhance STEM teaching and learning. A Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert and Fellow, Scientix Ambassador, eTwinning Ambassador, and EU Code Week Leading Teacher, Roberta is committed to equipping educators with the skills needed to engage students in coding, AI, game-based learning, and STEM education. Passionate about technology-enhanced STEM education, she has co-led initiatives such as Code4Earth and STEMMERSION, creating inquiry-based, immersive learning experiences that incorporate virtual and augmented reality. Actively involved in eTwinning and Erasmus+ projects, Roberta continues to shape the future of STEM education through training, conferences, and collaborative research.
Maurizio Gentile
Lumsa University – Italy
Associate Professor in the Department of Human Studies
Maurizio Gentile is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Studies at Lumsa University, Italy. His research focuses on teacher professional learning and development, scientific research in education, and educational innovation. At Lumsa, he supervises the instructional design for the Center for Secondary Initial Teacher Education, where he also serves as the Director of STEM courses. Recently, he joined the EERA NW01 team as a convenor and became a reviewer for the European Journal of Teacher Education. In addition, Gentile has acted as an evaluator for national research agencies, including the National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes, as well as international organizations such as the Swiss National Science Foundation. He collaborates with schools and educational organizations on educational innovation projects focused on literacy competence and STEM education.
Letizia Jaccheri
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) – Norway Professor at the Department of Computer Science
Letizia Jaccheri (PhD from Politecnico di Torino, Italy) is a Professor at the Department of Computer Science of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Ms Jaccheri has been teaching courses in software engineering at various levels and acted as one of the independent directors of Reply S.p.A., the largest Italian IT company with 9059 employees. From 2013 to 2017 she was department head for the Computer Science department at NTNU. She is ACM Distinguished speaker. Jaccheri participates and leads several research projects at National and International level. She is Action chair of COST Action CA19122 European Network for gender Balance in Informatics. Jaccheri has plans to continue to contribute to address the issue of diversity in computer science.
Manuela Lavezzari
Lenovo Italia – Italy Communication and Change management Specialist
Manuela Lavezzari is the EMEA Marketing Director at Lenovo since 2016, currently holding a specific position in education. With +23 years in ICT, she has held roles from marketing strategy development, brand management, digital communication. Ms Lavezzari has been recognized in various lists of innovative women in the digital economy, including Forbes Italia’s 100 Winning Women in 2018 and StartupItalia’s Unstoppable Women since 2016, whose aim is highlighting women able to drive innovation in Italy. At Lenovo, she is part of the EMEA D&I board, consistently advocating for women’s empowerment. Personally, Ms Lavezzari aspires to contribute to D&I policies leaving future generations a world with greater opportunities.
Mariangela Giunti
Gestore Servizi Energetici (GSE) – Italy Communication and Change management Specialist
Mariangela Giunti, employed at GSE – Gestore dei Servizi Energetici, is an integral part of the Italian entity dedicated to managing energy services. GSE’s mission, under Ms Giunti’s guidance, revolves around promoting and facilitating the transition to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. With a focus on providing expertise, incentives, and resources, Ms Giunti actively encourages the adoption of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency practices, and sustainable technologies. Since 2015, Mariangela Giunti has been committed to educating students in Italian schools, contributing significantly to the nation’s progress in achieving its energy and environmental goals.
Samuel Branco
School Externato Cooperativo Da Benedita – Portugal Scientix Ambassador (Secondary school teacher)
Samuel Branco, a Master in Educational Sciences with a specialization in Educational Informatics, serves as a distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the Externato Cooperativo da Benedita (Portugal). As a seasoned educator, he imparts knowledge as a teacher trainer in Educational Technologies and Didactics. The teaching methodology that he most applies is the project-based methodology, challenging his students to develop robotic projects that solve real problems existing in the school context. Beyond the classroom, Mr Branco is the dynamic Coordinator of the Programming and Robotics Club, fostering innovation. Recognized for his commitment to advancing digital literacy, he is an Ambassador Scientix, an EU Code Week Leading Teacher, and a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert. Mr Branco passionately combines education and technology, shaping the future of learning.
Veronica Ward
School Dublin 7 Educate Together – Ireland Scientix Ambassador (Primary school teacher)
Veronica Ward is a primary school teacher with over 20 years experience in education. She has a passion for inquiry based learning (IBL), an approach she has adopted throughout her teaching career. She also lectures in the area of IBL in early childhood education and for more than 10 years she has worked on the development and facilitation of continuous professional development courses in the area of STE(A)M. Most recently as part of the Digital Schools Excellence Fund, (an initiative of the Department of Education and Skills Ireland to promote the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment) she has been lead coordinator for a cluster of schools implementing a range of collaborative STE(A)M projects.
