Sarah Embacher

Francesca is one of the organizers of SPARK (Advancing Research and Knowledge), a new format for scientific meetings at DIPC. Each year, one or more events will bring together around 30 scientists for a four-week self-organized program focused on a selected research topic.

Participants will engage in small-group collaborations, informal seminars, tutorials, and lectures. They will, in principle, be hosted at DIPC, facilitating active participation of local researchers and fostering exchanges between scientists with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, potentially leading to new ideas and collaborations.

This format has been designed to provide the ideal setting for the exchange of ideas among researchers from different fields and with diverse perspectives, fostering collaboration and the development of new research approaches.

The program will also include a satellite workshop open to the whole scientific community.

Find more information here.

We were delighted to see Francesca at the gala podium at FFG Forum 2026, bringing together leading voices from business, research and innovation to discuss the future of Austria’s economic and technology landscape.

This year’s forum focused on the potential of key technologies and the ecosystems needed to successfully bring innovation into application. The discussions highlighted both the opportunities and challenges ahead — and the importance of creating the right conditions for innovation to thrive.

Each year, Forbes Italia selects its 100 most successful women — executives, scientists, athletes, and artists who are leading and transforming the country. In 2026, Francesca is one of them. Congratulations to Francesca on this well-deserved recognition of her outstanding work! See the full list here.