The meeting was chaired by Raquel Yotti, General Secretary for Research of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, who highlighted the decrease in the number of women in clinical-scientific itineraries and pointed out the need to identify the barriers they face, such as the lack of institutional support and professional development opportunities.
Among the attendees was also present Fátima Matute, Health Minister of the Community of Madrid, who expressed her support for female talent in the field of innovation in Health and thanked the role of health technology companies in the system.
The event was attended by Gotzone Sagarduy, Minister of Health of the Basque Country, who congratulated Marian Ibarrondo, one of the winners, and highlighted the importance of innovation and health research to meet the needs of the system and the population.
At the ceremony, five awards were given to women with recognized careers in Health and Innovation in different categories. One of the awards was given to Susana Marcos, Research Professor at the Institute of Optics of the Scientific Research Council (CSIC) and David R. Williams Director of the Center for Visual Sciences of the University of Rochester, for her work on non-invasive techniques for the evaluation of optical and structural properties of the eye.
Currently, one of her projects seeks to develop an intraocular lens that emulates the eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects to combat presbyopia.
The event also included a round table entitled ‘The role of women in the reindustrialization and transformation of the healthcare system’, in which the importance of gender equality in the healthcare technology sector was discussed.
The Smart Woman Forum & Awards is part of the “Innovation in Health Technology and Women” project promoted by Fenin to advance gender equality in the health sector, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5: Gender Equality).

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