International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Meet some of our talented women in STEM.
The women in STEM at the forefront of our transformation
Our women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are at the forefront of our transformation. Their talent and ingenuity will help us solve today’s most pressing and complex problems.
As PMI becomes a leader in science and technology through our development of smoke-free alternatives, we will continue to harness their skill, creativity and innovation to help drive through our transformation, and deliver a smoke-free future.
Meet some of our talented women in STEM.
Esma Elmazaj
Vice President, PMO, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
As a young girl, science was my favorite subject. I always looked at things and thought I can make it better and will make a difference. Now, as an adult, I apply my love of science and engineering to deliver innovative solutions for today and tomorrow. It is such a rewarding experience that it hardly feels like work.
Loredana Erra
Manager, Lab Global Footprint Strategy, Zola Predosa, Italy
STEM is a means to nurture my curiosity and push myself to discover more to shape a better future for the world.
Maryann Johnson-Hill
Director, Operations, Category Management, CC, Lausanne, Switzerland
In STEM, every experiment—even with setbacks—is a step toward progress. Embracing the humbling journey of learning, we stumble upon unintentional discoveries which unveil endless possibilities. As a scientist, I’m always amazed at how little I know but how much I can learn. I really wouldn’t have it any other way!
Caterina Magnani
Deployment Lead, Digital Engineering, Crespellano, Italy
For me, being a woman in the STEM arena means not only challenging the status quo but turning it into an opportunity. I've always loved numbers, finding patterns and investigating to connect the dots in everything. In STEM, I see the possibility of shaping innovation with unique perspectives and revolutionary solutions.
Sara Olson
Manager, IT, Consumer, Operational Governance, Lausanne, Switzerland
A career in STEM has given me a place to solve complex problems, test my ideas, and improve outcomes for both my colleagues and our consumers. It has offered me the space to continuously learn, grow and cultivate curiosity in my everyday life.
Karthikayini Pragasam
IT Solution Manager, Singapore
I’m drawn to STEM because it provides a platform for problem-solving and creativity. The logical thinking and hands-on experiences inherent in STEM align perfectly with my professional pursuits in the IT field.
Tanja Zivkovic Semren
Lab Scientist, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
STEM is my comfort zone. From elementary school on, chemistry and mathematics were the easiest and most interesting subjects for me, so it was natural that I continued in this direction. Today, I’m working as a scientist and I feel happiest when I have a problem to solve. I need to think, innovate, read, and connect, and I enjoy every minute of this process. I cannot just disconnect—solutions sometimes appear in my brain while I am cooking or hiking. Being a scientist is not a job, it is a way of life.
Tugce Yeltekin
Manager, Analytics Projects & Delivery, Krakow, Poland
STEM for me is curiosity, conducting research, developing new ideas, solving problems, and working in teams collaboratively while literally building the future, generating many innovations, and pushing our understanding of the universe.
Poliana Zorzal
Senior Scientist, Product and Technology Intelligence Drug Device, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
STEM embodies the future for me. Back when I chose my career, I was not aware of the magnitude of this field and its importance for the progress of humanity. As a curious girl, I wanted to work with breakthrough technologies, which led me to become a biologist. Nowadays, in my position at PMI, I’m happy to not only work with the cutting-edge technologies I always dreamt of, but also support the innovation process and the inventors developing new products, including our brilliant women in STEM.
Read more on DEI at PMI
