Leonardo and Leonardo Foundation ETS: event on defence and security held during STEM week

Leonardo and Leonardo Foundation ETS, as part of the Italy’s STEM Week promoted by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research, hosted an institutional event focusing on the role of scientific and technological disciplines in Defence and Security, with particular attention to today’s challenges and opportunities for new generations.

The event, held today in Rome at Leonardo’s new exhibition space at the Pratibus District, was attended by the Italian Minister for the Family, Birth Rate and Equal Opportunities, Eugenia Roccella; Senator Isabella Rauti, Undersecretary of State for Defence; MP Marta Schifone; Leonardo’s Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Roberto Cingolani; the Director General of Leonardo Foundation ETS and Leonardo’s Chief Digital Identity & Outreach Officer, Helga Cossu; Antonio Liotti, Leonardo Chief People & Organisation Officer; science communicator Alberto Angela; and Antonello Giannelli, from the National Association of School Heads. Students from the fourth and fifth years of upper secondary school also took part.

The meeting provided an opportunity to foster an open dialogue between institutions, industry, academia and the scientific community, giving the young people in attendance a first-hand look at the challenges and opportunities that derive from studying STEM subjects.

“Today, we had the opportunity to illustrate how STEM skills are a fundamental tool for ensuring our country’s security. Research, technological innovation and Defence are key elements in protecting people, critical infrastructure and the democratic values that underpin our society. In a rapidly evolving world, where threats and challenges are increasingly complex and interconnected, it is essential to recognise that the human capital of the future will need strong technical and scientific foundations. Leonardo Foundation ETS shares this vision and aims to spark curiosity and interest among younger generations through a diversified and innovative educational offering, including seminars, series of school-based meetings and other science outreach initiatives, to help build a safer, more sustainable and fair society,” said Helga Cossu, Director General of Leonardo Foundation ETS and Chief Digital Identity & Outreach Officer at Leonardo, during the event.

Leonardo and Leonardo Foundation ETS – through talks, testimonies and outreach experiences – seek to contribute to the dissemination of a conscious Defence culture, highlighting how research, technological innovation and security are central to protecting people, infrastructure and democratic values.

At the exhibition space, a selection of technologies developed by Leonardo’s researchers and engineers was on display.