Francesca is a Consultant at the independent engineering firm Arup, where she also holds the Age and Disability portfolios on the Australasian Diversity & Inclusion Executive. She completed her PhD in tissue engineering, during which she co-founded Fifty50, a student-led movement at the Australian National University (ANU) promoting gender equity in STEM, and named Engineers Australia’s Best Student Group in Gender Diversity in 2017.

Combining her personal experience and love of unravelling, communicating, and solving complex problems, Francesca is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM. She is currently a member of the Expert Working Group for the Australian Academy of Science’s Women in STEM Decadal Plan, and was selected in the 2018-19 Joan Kirner Young and Emerging Women’s Leaders program, named ACT Young Woman of the Year 2017, one of Science&Technology Australia’s inaugural Superstars of STEM, and the 2018 ANU Postgraduate Student of the Year.

Francesca has delivered notable keynotes championing diversity and inclusion, including for the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Male Champions of Change at the National Press Club, Digital Technology Agency, Defence Science and Technology Group, and YWCA She Leads High Conference.

Francesca also holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)/Bachelor of Science (’13) with First Class Honours.