Session 3 · Panel Discussion

Converging Perspectives: From Presentation to Conversation

Women in the Smart World Symposium 2026

Thursday, September 10, 2026

15:30 — 16:00

Room: Aula Magna

About the Panel

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and smart technologies is transforming how we live, work, and connect. As these technologies become increasingly integrated into society, ensuring they are designed through diverse perspectives is essential to creating solutions that are ethical, inclusive, and responsive to human needs.

Building on the Congress theme, "Convergence of Minds: Forging Human-AI Partnerships Across Disciplines," this panel discussion extends the conversations sparked by the keynote address and the symposium presentations. Together, these sessions have showcased innovative research and emerging ideas that now serve as a springboard for exploring how diverse experiences, disciplines, and leadership perspectives shape the future of human-AI partnerships.

Bringing together women from fields including AI, engineering, digital health, education, public policy, urban innovation, and ethics, the panel will offer perspectives from different career stages—from emerging researchers to established leaders. Panelists will reflect on their professional journeys, the challenges and opportunities they have encountered, and the ways they have influenced inclusive innovation within their respective sectors.

Through this discussion, the panel will examine how diversity of thought, lived experience, and interdisciplinary collaboration strengthen the development and governance of smart technologies. By highlighting women's contributions to creating equitable, trustworthy, and human-centred AI systems, the discussion will inspire participants at every stage of their careers to become active contributors to a smart world where technological advancement and social progress evolve together.

Moderator

Dr. Lisa Carter

Associate Professor, Athabasca University, Canada

Biography

Lisa Carter earned a PhD in Science from the University of New South Wales, Australia. She is a member of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) at Athabasca University, Canada, and has held several leadership roles, most recently serving over two five-year terms as the inaugural Dean of FST. She has also led provincial and national organizations dedicated to advancing women in STEM. As a Board member for Alberta Science and Technology, she supports the recognition and promotion of excellence in science and technology among researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Throughout her career, she has championed building opportunities for future generations in STEM.

Panelists

Dr. Maria Pia Fanti

Professor and IEEE Fellow, Polytechnic of Bari, Italy

Biography

Prof. Maria Pia Fanti, IEEE Fellow, is Full Professor of Systems and Control Engineering and Chair of the Laboratory of Automation and Control at the Polytechnic of Bari, Italy, where she has been since 1983. She was a visiting researcher at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, New York in 1999. Her research embodies complex systems, intelligent transportation, logistics and manufacturing, discrete event systems, Petri nets, fault detection, and cybersecurity. She has authored over 410 publications and two textbooks and serves as Senior and Associate Editor of leading IEEE journals. She has held significant IEEE leadership roles, including founding and chairing the Technical Committee on Automation in Logistics. She has also served as General Chair and Program Chair of numerous international conferences, including three major IEEE conferences in 2011, 2017, and 2019.

Dr. Miranda Harizaj

Associate Professor, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania

Biography

Miranda HARIZAJ is an Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Tirana and an ICT expert with experience in cybersecurity, digital governance and smart technologies. Her work spans academia and international projects, with a focus on secure, trustworthy and human-centric digital transformation. She contributes to research and initiatives addressing inclusive cybersecurity, digital resilience and responsible technology governance. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, she is particularly interested in how cybersecurity and AI can support inclusive, resilient, and trusted smart societies.

Dr. Karima Boudaoud

Associate Professor, Université Côte d’Azur, France

Biography

Karima Boudaoud is Associate Professor at Université Côte d’Azur. Her main research focus on Human-centric cybersecurity and privacy putting the Human at the heart of Cybersecurity and privacy challenges. She coordinates CyberSec curricula at Ecole Polytechn’Nice Sophia and is responsible for International Relations at R&T department of IUT Nice Côte d’Azur. She is an active member of Femmes&Sciences Association since 2013 and a member of the European Platform of Women Scientist. At the European level, she was also a highly active member of the Cost Action CA19122 EUGAIN (European Network For Gender Balance in Informatics) as leader of 2 WGs, chair of the Minerva Award Committee in 2022 and chair of the EUGAIN’2021 and EUGAIN’2022 workshops. Considering the Human in the heart of her activities, she is also life coach and uses her expertise within a specific course to help students find professional fulfillment.

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