Current research and recent funded projects.
Current research
Communication technology and gender norms in twentieth-century Italy
Why have Italy’s gender norms changed so slowly, despite decades of rising education, European integration and policy reform? This line of research uses the spread of the telephone across Italian municipalities as a natural experiment. Faster communication could carry new ideas about women’s roles. It could also strengthen ties within traditional communities and families. I am building new historical data on the telephone network, with civil registers and census records, to find out which effect won.
The telephone also created one of Italy’s first large technical occupations for women: the switchboard operator. These women were trained to run complex equipment at a time when they could not vote, and many lost their jobs on marrying. I study their careers and whether their presence changed local views of what women can do.
Recent projects
| Project | Years | Funder | My role |
|---|---|---|---|
| HARMONIA – Harmony in Hybrid Decision-Making: knowledge-enhanced perspective-taking LLMs for inclusive decision-making | 2024–2025 | PNRR (FAIR) | Co-I; lead of Work Package 3, Behavioural Studies |
| IN-HABIT – Inclusive Health and Wellbeing in Small and Medium-Sized Cities | 2020–2025 | Horizon 2020 | Co-I; lead of Work Package 6, Enabling behaviour change with a focus on gender and diversity |
| Infant feeding decisions, return to work and maternal wellbeing | 2022–2025 | Nuffield Trust | Co-I |
| MINDtheGEPs – Gender Equality Plans in research institutions | 2021–2025 | Horizon 2020 | Member, Gender Equality Implementation Board, University of Turin |
| CUBE – Contrasting Implicit Bias in Education | 2021–2025 | PNRR and PRIN, Italian Ministry of Universities | |
| #GenerazioneParità | 2021 | Pearson Italy |
HARMONIA
Developed methods that use large language models, enriched with behavioural, statistical and social media data, to support inclusive public decisions. My work package built a linked dataset on urban mobility, social conditions and daily life in Turin.
IN-HABIT
Tested ways to promote inclusive health and wellbeing in four cities: Lucca, Córdoba, Nitra and Riga. My work package covered gender landscaping, behaviour change and measuring inclusive wellbeing.
Infant feeding and return to work
The first study of the conflict between breastfeeding and returning to paid work, and of its effects on maternal wellbeing across groups of mothers. Read the public report.
CUBE
Designed a visual tool for recognising bias and evaluated, through a randomised controlled trial, a training programme against implicit bias in primary schools. It follows a pilot with Pearson Italy (2017–18) and an earlier UK intervention (2015–16).
#GenerazioneParità
Research, teaching materials, webinars, teacher training and school interventions on gender parity in Italy, with Pearson Italy. Press coverage in Corriere della Sera, November 2021.
Earlier projects
Funding from the British Academy (gender, productivity, pay and promotion in higher education, 2010–2012), ESRC, HEFCE (Learning Gain, 2015–2017), Tearfund (2016–2017), EuropeAid and MIUR. I have also evaluated development projects for the Inter-American Development Bank and UN-ECLAC, and UK government policy for the Home Office.