Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we want to highlight the talent and career of Susana Ruano, a researcher who found at the Grupo de Tratamiento de Imágenes (GTI) at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid the starting point for a brilliant career in artificial intelligence and computer vision.

Since she was little, Susana has been fascinated by puzzles and mathematics. The support of her mother and a teacher who made learning come naturally were key to her vocation. She chose a double education in mathematics and computer science, two disciplines that, according to her, "complement each other perfectly and allow exploration from theory to practice."

Susana, computer engineer and mathematician from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, joined GTI to develop her doctoral thesis in augmented reality applied to improve the situational awareness of UAV operators. Her time at the group not only allowed her to work on cutting-edge projects in collaboration with the industry but also provided her with a research environment that marked her professional growth. "At GTI, I had the opportunity to learn from great professionals and work on a project that combined academic research with real-world application in the business world. It was a key stage that gave me the confidence to continue my journey in research and innovation," she recalls.

Thanks to the solid foundation that her time at GTI gave her, Susana continued her career internationally, working as a postdoctoral researcher at Trinity College Dublin, in the V-SENSE group, where she delved into areas such as 3D reconstruction and machine learning. Currently, Susana leads artificial intelligence at Aitaca, developing innovative projects, such as a system that, using AI, calculates ring size with just a photo of the hand, revolutionizing the online commerce of the jewelry industry.

In addition to her work in AI, Susana is a role model for young women who want to enter STEM fields. "Many times, when starting, you feel like an oddity for being a woman in this field. But the reality is that we are increasingly more, and the best advice I can give is to study what you are passionate about without putting up barriers. Artificial intelligence and computer vision are the future, and we need more women leading their advancement."

The GTI continues to be a benchmark in research applied to computer vision, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, collaborating with both universities and companies to drive technological innovation. Since its inception, the group has trained great professionals like Susana, who, with their experience and talent, continue to make a difference in the field of technology.

On this 11F, her story is a reminder that innovation knows no gender and that more and more women are ready to lead the future of science and technology.