Librae Dinner 11

Dinner Details

Our Networking Dinner is designed to go beyond traditional, unstructured networking.

Before the event, participants can go through the bios of all attending role models. This allows them to choose the tables they want to join, based on shared interests, career paths, employers or questions they want to explore. As a result, conversations start with intention, not small talk.

During the evening, we serve a three-course dinner with seat rotations between each course. This means both participants and role models connect with multiple groups throughout the night, rather than staying at one table. With a ratio of approximately 1 role model per 3 participants, the setting remains small-scale and personal, creating space for honest conversations, questions, and real exchange.

Address
Lommerrijk
Straatweg 99, 3054 AB Rotterdam

Date
28 May 2026

Time
18.00 - 23.00

Get your ticket!

Rotate your seat after every course

After each course, you will receive a new seat assignment at a different table so you will be able to meet many amazing women who work in STEM fields.

Doors Open from 18.00 - 18.30

Welcome to Librae Dinner 10! Doors are open from 18:00 - 18:30. Once you arrive, you are welcome to find your seat at one of the tables.

Welcome

Learn how the evening will go and hear from our first inspiring speaker.

First Course

Enjoy a delicious first course while getting to know the others at your table.

Main Course

Time to swap seats, meet some amazing new friends, hear from another inspiring speaker and enjoy the main course.

Dessert

Once again, find a new seat, hear from yet another amazing speaker, and enjoy dessert.

Picture Moment + Networking Borrel

We'll take a group picture and then you're free to grab a drink and chat with everyone you met this evening.

Which rolemodels would you like to dine with?

Browse through the role models before making your request in the dinner sign up form.

Claim your seat!

Table 01 Building tech for space missions

Maartje Schelkers

NLR
Strategic Analyst. Future Force Design & Military Strategic Analyst

Space Science and Planetary Research

Aditi Sathe

ATG Europe B.V for the European Space Agency
Satellite System Engineer

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Bsc Management of International Social Challenges; Msc International Management and Public Policy
Born and raised in Rotterdam, with both parents having spent their entire careers at the Ministry of Defence, I never expected to enter the security field myself, yet here I am. I have always loved studying, but for a long time I wasn’t sure which direction to take. After exploring different paths in my studies, I found my way back to the field I grew up around. By combining this with my interest in writing, storytelling, and creative thinking I shaped this direction into my own and found a clear fit in future force design at NLR.

MSc Earth Oriented Space Science and Technology
Growing up in a patriarchal society and working in a male dominated profession was not a forgiving journey for a strong-willed woman like me. Constantly being judged and underestimated, I learned to fight, persist, shed the imposter syndrome and never undersell myself.

Table 02 Precision Deeptech Hardware

TBA

ASML

Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Jasmeen Nespoli

Quantware
Fabrication Engineer

Physics & Materials Science

PhD Materials Engineering
Coming from a working-oriented family, where gender was never defining roles or interests, it was natural for me to develop a career based on learning, challenges and curiosity in whatever I liked. Additionally, my grandmother, mother and father taught me the importance of freedom and independence.

Table 03 Biotech and pharma safely to scale

TBA

DSM

Biotechnology & Bioinformatics

Maria Peña Romero

Centrient Pharmaceuticals
Site Quality Head

Physics & Materials Science

BSc Biotechnology, MSc Drug Development
I was raised in a small city in the suburbs of Barcelona. My parents own a bookshop, seeing their sacrifice and work-ethics made me grow by understanding the challenges in the real life.

Table 04 Turning innovation into impact

TBA

DSM

Biotechnology & Bioinformatics

Judith Heikoop

Mitochondrial Capital
Entrepeneur and investor

Biomedical Engineering

MSc chemistry
Starting my career in 1992 as a researcher at Organon in women's health, I had no idea that I would make several significant career switches. Nevertheless, most of the things I learned during the last decades are still very relevant in my current roles.

Table 05 Finding your place in research

Irene Nagle

TU Delft
Postdoc in Bionanoscience

Biotechnology & Bioinformatics

PhD in Biophysics in Paris and currently postdoc in Bionanoscience
During my PhD and postdoc, my PIs (turns out all women) were not only my supervisors but also amazing mentors who helped me grow and gave me confidence in pursuing an academic career. My path has taught me how research is all about collaboration and should always be open.

Marit Ruitenberg

Leiden University
Assistant Professor

Neuroscience

PhD in cognitive neuroscience
During my MSc thesis, my supervisor suggested that I could pursue a PhD. At the time, I had no idea what this entailed (neither of my parents went to uni), so I'm grateful she saw this potential in me and encouraged me to look into it.

Table 06 AI that solves real problems

Nastaran Bajalan

ING BV
Senior Machine Learning Engineer

AI & Machine Learning

PDEng Software Technology
My career shifted when I realized “innovation” is a buzzword without a team valuing work over credit. I prioritize results over visibility, believing quality thrives through accountability. I love true collaboration where everyone picks up a shovel. My dream: empower others to trade noise for value.

Frederieke Suryapranata

Vocoda (Ambassadors)
Machine Learning Engineer

AI & Machine Learning

BSc Econometrics and MSc Artificial Intelligence
Growing up, I always liked maths, but never really knew what to do with it. That changed during my studies in AI, where
maths and technology come together. What I care about is using AI for
societal challenges, not just to make things faster or more profitable, but
to actually make things better!

Table 07 Unexpected pathways into data

Neha Nadeem

Crystalloids BV
Analytics Engineer

Physics & Materials Science

MSc Data science
Originally from Pakistan, breaking society stereotypes, moved to the UK alone, defying every expectation. I self-funded my university degree through multiple jobs, graduating with a Distinction. I now thrive in a male-dominated workplace, your background never defines your ceiling.

Kally Chung

Adyen
Data Analyst

Data Analytics

BSc Applied and Computational Mathematics
A data analyst, former math lecturer, and former hair salon owner. Deeply inspired and mentored by women who forge their own paths despite hearing more 'nos' than 'yesses.' I hope to empower other women to pursue their passions, redefine themselves when needed, and create their own opportunities.

Table 08 Data driven decisions

Fanny Kassapian

Xebia
Data & AI Strategy Consultant

Transformation + Strategy

BSc in Mathematics and Physics, Master in Management, MSc in Finance
After 10+ years of experience, and as I step into leadership, I want to empower women to grow their careers with
confidence in industries where they remain underrepresented. I believe in
cultivating a network of women who support and champion each other every step of the journey.

Karolina Rotscheid

Rabobank
Lead Business Analyst

AI & Machine Learning

Bsc and Msc Econometrics
Originally from Poland, I moved to NL nearly 10 years ago to study and shape my own path in technology. I began as a data scientist, drawn to problem solving, but along the way discovered that my real drive lies in creating clarity, guiding people, and building structure where things feel uncertain.

Table 09 Deeptech research into products

Joanneke Groen

SonicPrecision
Chief Product Officer

Physics & Materials Science

MSc Applied Physics
I always had an interest in medicine and physics, combining the two and the desire to contribute to peoples quality of life brought me to my career choices. Always had a neck for translating physicians desires and needs to technical solutions and medical devices.

Radhika Jagtap

Axelera AI
Senior Technical Product Manager

AI & Machine Learning

MSC Electrical Engineering
I'm a researcher turned product manager. My product motto is Power lies in proximity to the problem you're trying to solve. I am originally from India, have lived in Cambridge UK and now I'm a happy Dutchie.

Table 10 User-centered digital products

Parastou Raeis Ghanavati

BackBase
Service Designer

Transformation & Strategy

MSc Industrial Design
Engineering (Integrated Product Design)
A few years ago, at the start of my career, I
became part of communities where women supported other women. It shaped how I see growth: not as something you achieve alone, but something you pass on.
My mentors helped me changed the narrative for myself and I want to help
others do the same.

Kyrmyzy Kaliyeva

Bunq
Android developer

Software Engineering & Cybersecurity

MSc in Cyber security
STEM is a universal language that transcends national borders, unlike fields like law or medicine. It offers the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world, granting me the power to have a seat at the table and open new doors

Table 11 Community & belonging in tech

Iarina Tudor

Uber
Software Engineer and Women in Tech Lead

Software Engineering & Cybersecurity

BSc Sofware Engineering
I ended up in engineering because I love to
solve problems, but I never felt like I belonged there. When I started my career, I was the only women in the team, the youngest too. I felt lost and decided to dedicate my time to bring women in tech together and make sure no one feels underrepresented.

Simone Mink

Siemens & The Mentor Effect
Head of Portfolio Mgt @ Mendix (Siemens), Founder @ The Mentor Effect

Software Engineering & Cybersecurity

BSc Business Administration
Ended up in tech by chance (and an unlimited growth mindset). After 15 years in the industry now focusing on helping the next generations of women in tech navigate their careers.

Table 12 From interface to product

Els ter Haar

Fabrique Invent, Somnox
Industrial Designer, Repair Agent

Design

BSc Industrieel Product Ontwerpen
I've always wanted to be challenged
theoretically and practically in my life and career. This led me to a professional environment where I'm not only challenged in means of design and engineering, but also faced with sexism and finding my place. I feel very lucky I’ve found my way as a female bèta.

Duygu Baki

Frog | Capgemini Invent
Lead Digital Product Designer

Design

MFA Visual Effects and Motion Graphics
I’m a digital product designer working at the intersection of healthcare and AI. Early on, seeing how design decisions impact patient outcomes shaped my focus on meaningful work. Today, I’m driven to make complex technology intuitive and accessible.

Table 13 Technical career on your own terms

Arooba Aqeel

Radboud University
PhD Candidate

Software Engineering

BS and MS Software Engineering
I come from a small village in Pakistan and am the first in my family to pursue a Master s degree on a full scholarship in the UK. I come from a society where women are often made to feel guilty for earning, and where being highly educated without a husband or child can make you seem ”less” of a woman.

Gabriele Tombakaite

Nearfield Instruments
Software Engineer

Software Engineering

BSc in Robotics and Mechatronics, MSc in Systems and Control
Growing up in Lithuania, I was always drawn to math and physics, which led me into engineering. I started working at 16 and have been working as an engineer since 19, supporting myself throughout my studies. That experience shaped a practical, self-driven approach to my career, which I continue today.

Table 14 Unconventional tech routes

Edine Olijve-Watkinson

InSpark
AI Consultant

Software Engineering

mbo4 systems administrator, unfinished BSc Information Management
Had difficulty finding my place in the world as a neurodivergent woman. I got told in high school that a technical career wasn't for me. Landed in IT at 25 and developed myself from shy woman in a male-dominated workplace to a loud, visible woman in a (still) male-dominated workplace.

Mahboubeh Pourniazi

Exact
Senior Software Developer

AI & Machine Learning

Masters degree
Coming from a background with numerous limitations, I learned early on that obstacles are not dead ends, but catalysts for growth. These challenges have forged a resilience in me that defines my professional journey and proves that toughness is built through overcoming.

Table 15 The human side of cybersecurity

Algina Grigaliunaite-Bouman

Stedin
Cybersecurity Advisor

Software Engineering & Cybersecurity

BSc & MSc (*) in Psychology
When choosing a career, I didn’t even know cyber was an option. I found myself in the field almost by accident, but over time I came to see it differently. What I once thought was overthinking turned out to be exactly the mindset this work demands. In cyber, that is actually a skill.

Sanne Vonk van Denderen

Radbound University
CISO (Chief Information Security Officer)

Software engineering & Cybersecurity

BSc communication management and MSc Riskmanagement
Cyber security was never my plan, until the DigiNotar crisis in 2011 changed my direction. What began as curiosity about something I didn’t yet understand grew into a career. Through a winding path across different roles and perspectives, I’ve arrived at my current position as CISO.

Table 16 Engineering for a changing planet

Maria Curria

Everox
Lead Scientist

Physics & Materials Science

MEng Chemical Eng. /PhD Civil & Environmnetal Eng. + Materias Science
Raised in Argentina in the 1990s, I did not grow up surrounded by messages telling young women they belonged in STEM. Watching my single mother succeed through sheer strength and determination in male-dominated environments taught me that barriers are not signals to stop, but challenges to overcome.

Anneke Hibma

Van Oord
Product Line Manager & Program Manager Innovation

Civil & Offshore engineering

BSc communication management and MSc Riskmanagement
My professional passion lies in the world of hydraulic engineering and in a rapidly changing world, I am eager to contribute to the challenges of climate change.

Table 17 Chemical process engineering

Evgenia Gylou

Damen naval 
Systems requirements engineer

Chemical Engineering

Master in chemical engineering
I grew up & studied in Greece. During the financial crisis moved to Germany and got a job as manufacturing engineer. I think the fact that I was Greek was tougher than being a woman at that point So I moved back to Greece with my daughter, but as a single mum was no development, so Rotterdam here I am!

Sadaf S. Savadkouhi

Cargill
Process Engineer

Chemical Engineering

BSc: Chemical Engineer , MSc and EngD (bio) Process Engineer
I was born and raised in Iran and moved to the Netherlands in 2017. After graduating, I started my career here and settled in the country. I strongly believe that small actions can create a powerful ripple effect, shaping meaningful change over time.

Table 18 Leading projects built in the world

Kürba Öztürk

Drees & Sommer Netherlands B.V. 
Senior Project Manager in the built environment

Architecture & Design

BSc Architecture & MSc Management in the Built Environment
Born and raised in Dordrecht in 1993, I was shaped by a mother with a migration background who took on both parental roles. Despite only completing primary school, her perseverance allowed her to give us opportunities far beyond her own. She remains my greatest inspiration and example of resilience.

Ruth Korthals Altes

Van Oord
Project & Structural Engineer

Civil Structural & Offshore Engineering

BSc and MSc Civil Engineering (Structural)

Table 19 Engineering smarter food systems

Mahshad Dezhsetan

Blue-Radix 
Software QA Engineer

AI & Machine Learning

MSc of biomedicalEngineering, BSc Electrical Engineering
I am proud to be a lifelong learner. Despite migrating to various countries, I have never allowed this to hinder my progress. I have transitioned careers, revised my objectives, and continued moving forward, one step at a time!

Marta Kowalczuk

Infinite Acres
HVAC & system Engineer

Agriculture & Agritech

Master Building and Architectural Engineer
Working in international and multidisciplinary environments strengthened my belief that curiosity, resilience, and continuous learning are key drivers of both personal and professional success.

Table 20 Sustainable design futures

Sharina Ligtelijn

Philips
Sustainable Design Expert

Sustainable Design

BSc Mechanical Engineering MSc ME - BioMechanical Design
After more than three years of studying Mechanical Engineering, I realized sustainability was not mentioned once -despite being one of the biggest challenges of our time and an area where engineers can make a real difference. Since then, my work has been driven by innovation with purpose and impact.

Anne Loes Nillesen

Delft University of Technology
Professor of urban design, CEO of Defacto Urbanism

Sustainable Design

MSc in architecture & urban design and PhD in urbanism
When I started my career around 2006 it was said that my passion for climate adaptation was too much of a niche market to be working on full-time (and more of a hobby), super proud to have started my own business that is now a market leader in urban climate adaptation.

Table 21 Tech strategy through communication

Lian Boerma

EWOR
Chief Product Officer

AI & Machine learning

BSc in Biology, MSc in Neuroscience, MSc in Education, MBA
Lian is the Chief Product Officer at EWOR, a startup accelerator with a focus on DeepTech & AI. She previously worked as a consultant at OC&C and later as the Chief Learning Officer at Udayy (rebranded to ZeZe) - an India-bases Startup.

Vanessa Verplancke-Vigar

Independent consultant for Envision Technologies B.V
Chief marketing officer

AI & Machine learning

BSc Physiotherapy
I am an experienced marketer with a 25+ year track record building tech brands across clean, media, security and assistive sectors. As someone who is low vision, I advocate for accessibility.

Table 22 Entrepreneurs

Kathy Mulders-Vredeveldt

InPhocal
Serial Founder

Entrepreneurship

MSc. Health Food Innovation; MBA
Learning to embrace the "stay in solution mode with what you have" has become the cornerstone of my career. It can be as big as a full pivot or as small as using a accordion cable for sports. This attitude is allowing me to lead teams through uncertainty with confidence.

Lenneke de Voogd-Claessen

TU Delft
Program Lead 6G Ecosystem - FNS

Entrepreneurship

MSc Industrial Design Engineering
My career spans applied research, entrepreneurship, and innovation management, often in male-dominated technical environments where I felt I had to prove myself as a woman. That experience shaped how I think about growth, confidence, and the importance of being yourself in any situation.

Table 23 Entrepreneurs

Marisa Monteiro Borsboom

Women in Tech Netherlands
CEO & General Counsel

Entrepreneurship

Law degree
Marisa Monteiro Borsboom is a true Renaissance woman with an entrepreneurial mindset. In her professional capacity she has managed to combine the 3 constant dimensions of her life, legal, business, and humanism.

Mona Daylamian

nbeyond
Product Manager

Software Engineering & Cybersecurity

BSc Software Engineering
Following my Tech passion, I stepped into this world 20 years ago after graduating as a software engineer. Building a career in a male-dominated field wasn’t always easy. Persistence, resilience, and loving what I do kept me going and shaped the career I’m proud of today.

Are you a future role model?

Our Networking Dinner brings together women+ in STEM with relatable role models from industry and academia. Role models play a key role in creating open, honest conversations about careers, challenges, and growth.

What we look for in role models
We aim to invite role models who:

Have a STEM background or currently work in a STEM role
Have at least 3 years of professional experience
Are open to sharing personal experiences, including challenges, doubts, and lessons learned
Are motivated to support and inspire the next generation of women in STEM

If this description resonates with you, please sign up for our interest form for future events!

Diversity and representation
We aim to create a diverse and well-balanced mix of role models across sectors, backgrounds, and experiences. To keep perspectives fresh and ensure broad representation, we:

Prioritise a strong mix of new role models for each event
Typically invite role models to participate once per academic year, to create space for others
Actively expand our network to include new companies, roles, and career paths

As a non-profit, Librae relies on long-term partnerships to organise these events. For organisations that would like to stay involved more structurally, we are happy to explore collaboration opportunities

*Registrations may be declined or cancelled if the applicant does not fall within the intended target group, if certain fields are already sufficiently represented, or if the applicant is affiliated with an organisation that is already participating or partnering with the event.