Two Researchers from Federico II Honored at FORUM PA 2026

Among the fifty women professionals honored at FORUM PA 2026 with the “Innovation, A Woman’s Touch” award are two researchers from the University of Naples Federico II: Cristina Improta and Lidia Marassi. The award, sponsored by the FPA Strategic Committee for Gender Policies on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of women’s suffrage, recognizes the contributions of women who are driving the process of innovation in public administration through their expertise, research, and project management skills.

The initiative was created to recognize professional women who have successfully transformed technological and organizational innovation into tangible value, placing the needs of citizens and businesses at the center. The fifty winners were selected based on their ability to generate a significant impact in public administration, their contribution to innovation, the development of collaborative networks, and the role they have played in promoting improvement processes.

Cristina Improta, a computer engineer with a Ph.D. in Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, is a researcher in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (DIETI). She was honored for her contribution to the security and reliability of the public administration’s digital systems in the era of artificial intelligence. Her research focuses on developing innovative approaches to ensure the quality and robustness of code generated by advanced technologies, promoting “security by design” models. Through her work, she helps make public services more resilient, efficient, and secure, strengthening the public administration’s ability to manage technological risks and protect data, citizens, and trust in digital institutions.

Lidia Marassi, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from DIETI, focuses on the ethical aspects of cybersecurity and hacking, the protection of personal data and privacy, as well as the impact of the digital world on society and communication. She received this recognition for her contribution to defining reliable and responsible models for the adoption of artificial intelligence in the public administration. Through her academic research and work at ACCREDIA, she has developed innovative approaches to translate ethical principles into technical standards and certification procedures, promoting a safer, more transparent, and compliant use of AI. Her work helps promote a sustainable and informed adoption of artificial intelligence and build a public administration capable of governing technological innovation while ensuring citizens’ rights, equity, and trust.

Discover all the award recipients and the reasons for their selection in the Women Innovation Gallery.