Spanish female scientists
Science is female
When Spanish science looks in the mirror, its reflection shows a growing number of women. Many of them are also leaders in their fields and inspire their successors while honouring their predecessors. Who are the most relevant Spanish female scientists today? Below, we put their talent under the microscope.
Science has historically been a field dominated by men, but this is slowly becoming more balanced. Also in Spain, where increasingly more women choose science. Despite this, the gender gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) still exists. How can science attract female talent? Perhaps one of the keys is having female role models that girls can see themselves reflected in. We can look for them in the past, focusing on figures like Margarita Salas —the expert in molecular biology who made significant contributions to how DNA functions—, Josefina Castellví —the biologist and oceanographer who led the first Spanish base in Antarctica— or Sagrario Martínez Carrera —the chemist who introduced computer programming into crystallography in Spain—. But, above all, we can look for them in the present, where Spanish female scientists keep smashing milestones. In fact, 2026 started with Galicia’s Mar Capeáns as the new Director for Site Operations at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), which operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. At Talento a bordo, we invite you to learn more about some of the most relevant Spanish female scientists today.
Margarita del Val
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the name Margarita del Val (Madrid, 1959) gained prominence. As an expert in virology and immunology, she became a voice of authority, clearly and rigorously explaining the evolution of the virus and immunization strategies. But her career, dedicated to researching immune system response to viral infections, transcends that period. Consequently, she is one of the greatest experts on the development and improvement of vaccines.
Elena García Armada
The first paediatric exoskeleton in the world, indicated for children with cerebral palsy and neuromuscular diseases, was designed by a Spanish doctor in Industrial Engineering. Her name is Elena García Armada (Valladolid, 1971). An achievement developed by her own company (Marsi Bionics) which won her the European Inventor Award in 2022. An international leader in robotics applied to rehabilitation, her inventions improve the mobility of many patients.
Elena García Armada’s paediatric exoskeletons are aimed at improving the lives of thousands of children around the world. © Courtesy of Marsi Bionics
Nuria Oliver, a doctor in Artificial Intelligence at MIT, researches the social impact of this technology at ELLIS Alicante. © Courtesy of Nuria Oliver
Nuria Oliver
When no one was talking about artificial intelligence (AI), Nuria Oliver (Alicante, 1970) was already an expert. A doctor in AI at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), her research has focused on the social impact of this technology. That is, how to use it to improve our lives. In 2020, she started heading ELLIS Alicante, where she developed a project that contributed to public decision-making based on scientific criteria during the COVID-19 pandemic.
María Vallet Regí
An institution within Spanish and international science. That is María Vallet Regí (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1946). A professor in Inorganic Chemistry, it is in the field of Materials Science where her research has represented a turning point. Specifically, research linked to the pioneering development of bioceramics applied to regenerative medicine. As recognition, in 2019 she received the Medal of Merit in Research and University Education.
Alicia Calderón Tazón
An expert in particle physics, the career of Alicia Calderón Tazón (Santander, 1982) is linked to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). That is where she assembled the team that confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson, a fundamental milestone to understanding the origin of the universe, which also won Peter Higgs and François Englert the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013. Specifically, this female physicist from Cantabria specialized in analysing the data collected by the CMS Experiment, a tool built on the Large Hadron Collider.
Sara García
In November 2022, Sara García (León, 1989) was selected out of more than 22,000 candidates by the European Space Agency (ESA), becoming the first Spanish female member of the Astronaut Reserve. An expert in molecular biology, she is much more than “an astronaut” and has already made a difference to Earth. In fact, since 2019, she works at the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), alongside biochemist Mariano Barbacid, developing experimental cancer therapies and drugs.
As an expert in public health, Cristina Linares co-leads the Climate Change and Health Observatory (OSCC) since March 2024. © Rafael Fabrés
Preserving the oceans is the main goal of marine biologist Ariadna Mechó and her work was recognized by the Mujeres a Seguir Awards. © Santiago Ojeda and Ana Escribano
Clara Grima
If Clara Grima (Coria del Río, Sevilla, 1971), had been our maths teacher, we would love the subject. This doctor in Mathematics conveys an uncontrollable passion for her discipline. She specializes in graph theory, which has many applications, even dedicating one of her educational books to it: En busca del grafo perdido (Ariel, 2021). Through her writing, she has brought mathematics to the general public, proving that maths can be both accessible and fascinating.
Mara Dierssen
Even though her surname makes us think of northern latitudes, neurobiologist Mara Dierssen (Santander, 1961) is one of the most relevant Spanish researchers worldwide. Her studies on the neurobiological foundations of intellectual disabilities, especially those linked to Down’s syndrome, are pioneering in the field. She is also a university professor, loves music and offers charity concerts to encourage research projects.
Obviously, these are not the only noteworthy Spanish female scientists. We have other role models in such diverse fields as biopharmaceuticals (María José Alonso), biomechanics (Montserrat Calleja), robotics (Teresa de Pedro), biomedicine (Jaione Valle), chemistry (Pilar Mateo, winner of the 2025 Talento a bordo Mujeres a Seguir Award), virology and immunology (María José Buzón), public health (Cristina Linares), astronomy (Julia de León, focused on planetary defence), quantum physics (Sonia Fernández-Vidal), biology (Vanessa Valdeiglesias), veterinary science (Margarita Marqués), the history of science (Carmen Magallón), mathematics (Marta Macho Stadler), organic chemistry (Rosa Menéndez, the first female chair of the Spanish National Research Council - CSIC), theoretical physics (Alicia Magdalena Sintes), biochemistry (María Ángela Nieto), marine biology (Ariadna Mechó), medicine (Guadalupe Sabio)… Future female scientists can look up to all of these women.
