EJWP is connecting in Italy, as some southern parts of Europe hold potential but still lack a number of opportunities for young engagement in the development of sector skills. Planning is underway with Maria Cristina Pasi to hold an EJWP training week in Lombardy, Italy, in January 2023 to integrate with organizations and actors in the region, including planning for an upcoming Open Innovation Platform to further support new initiatives.
The Open Innovation is an interactive digital platform of the Lombardy Region focused on research and innovation topics of the industrial and research & technology organizations landscape, covering all the traditional and most innovative sectors. The platform supports and stimulates enterprises and multidisciplinary networking initiatives, representing a real open instrument toward sustainable progress in Lombardia.
“Recognizing water challenges and impacts, we are convinced that the European Junior Water Programme, together with Izar, a recognized territorial and European partner, could benefit Lombardy from a global approach, designed upon its strategy and philosophy and interpreted according to the regional entrepreneurial features,” said Maria Cristina about planning for future collaboration.
In her 30 years’ experience in specialty chemicals, advanced industrial habilitating technologies and water management, Maria Cristina has covered a wide cross section of activities from business and strategy development, to enabling innovation for large scale markets including cross fertilization actions.
She developed as a manager at Sun Chemical DYK group, Merck KGaA and Lamberti Group, covering roles from R&D to Business Direction at international level. Since 2020, she has been a Member of the Body of Knowledge for Water Scarcity in the EIT (European Institute of Technology and Innovation) and Co-leader of the Water Smart Industry VLT at Water Europe.
Recently she has been appointed European Recycling & Sustainability leader for the IPCEI EuBatIn (European Batteries Innovation for a circular battery value chain), representing 15 European organizations operating actively at international level with a specific focus on Sustainability and Recycling in the novel electromobility value chain.
Maria Cristina is a qualified expert in habilitating industrial technologies for the European Innovation Council EIC and Finlombarda and Scientific Expert in Competitive Industrial Research for the MIUR, the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
In 2022 she qualified as Master in Sustainability Leadership at the Imperial Business School in London. And in 2012, she founded a Consulting firm, Izar, operating internationally with Industries, Academies and public institutions towards a sustainable and equality-based Accountable Growth.
Maria Cristina holds a PhD in Chemistry from the Università degli Studi di Pavia, Italy, she is qualified as MSc in photochemistry at the University of Kent, England, and holds a master’s in Innovation Management and Economics and Business International Management.
