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Who is Anna Farré and what is her first contact with the world of science?
Anna Farré is Assistant Director in the Technical Department of Bella Aurora Labs. My first contact with science came through the games I used to ask for from the Three Wise Men or on my birthday. Cheminova, Metereonova and Mineranova were the beginnings of Anna's scientific career.
- When did she discover that it is a vocation for her and that she would like to devote herself to it?
My vocation for science has also been with me since I was a child. I have always wanted to know the why of things and when I was 12 years old it was very clear to me that I wanted to dedicate myself to the world of research. First I focused on the pharmaceutical industry, but life has led me to cosmetics, where I am immensely happy.
- Have you had any point of reference during your education?
In my formative years I have had different teachers who have made me ‘love’ science subjects. They made me understand that science doesn't have to be difficult, you just have to understand them to end up loving them. Besides, when you understand them, you realise how interesting they are.
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And female?
I think that 90% of the teachers I mentioned before were women. I have the feeling that it has always been easier for them to transmit their passion for science. And within the world of cosmetics, my greatest reference has been Elisabet Norberto, my first person in charge in this world, from whom I learnt all the basics of knowledge and, like my teachers, she knew how to transmit my passion for cosmetics.
- Do you think that science is now also being worked on from the point of view of gender inclusion by giving girls a greater role in science?
Well, my children are still young and I don't think they have reached that point yet, but from what I can perceive, as in other fields, nowadays more visibility is being given to female figures. So I hope that when my children are at that point, work will continue along those lines and we women will have the visibility we deserve.
- What do you think about that?
It really is what should have been done all our lives, because there have always been women in science, but it has always been the male figures that have stood out, and they are the ones that have been reflected in books. Surely, if we were asked to think of a woman in the history of science, the first name that would come to mind would be Marie Curie. But Rosalind Franklin, who was the first scientist to show a photograph of the DNA double helix, or Caroline Herschel, who discovered a comet, are not so often mentioned.
- Why cosmetics? When did you realise that this was a branch of science that interested you?
Well, cosmetics came to me out of the blue, it was not a branch of science that was in my head. But it all came from an internship at university, where I had my first contact with this sector, which I entered and never left. It was all thanks to Elisabet, who immersed me in it and made me love it as much as she does.
- Do you think that cosmetics is something unknown in science?
Totally, I think it is a sector that is given little visibility within the university.... In fact, perhaps it should only be talked about in the pharmacy degree, but I don't have the feeling that in other degrees it is possible to talk about opportunities in this sector. That's why at Bella Aurora we try to reach different institutes to explain our experience in the world of science and make the sector known.
- Is it necessary to present science in a different way to students?
I think so, because it has always had the reputation of being difficult. We have to make them see from an early age that science is not difficult, it is fun, but it has to be understood. And this is where teachers come into play, as they are the ones who are in contact with students and they have the mission to make them see that science is exciting and that it has answers for everything.
- How it discerns the panorama of the science in the next years?
I believe that in this country there is much room for improvement in the world of science. Above all, in terms of financial support. There is very good training in this field and many excellent people with great knowledge, but in general they end up leaving, because in this country it is very difficult to make a living from research. And then, there are many companies that invest in R&D, as is the case of Bella Aurora, but I think many more are needed. R&D is an opportunity to improve the innovation and knowledge of the company, to be able to differentiate yourself in the market, which is fundamental nowadays.
On the occasion of the Day of Science, Girls and Women, Bella Aurora received the visit of the students of the 2nd year of the CFGM of Laboratory Operations of INS Provençana. During the visit, the Bella Aurora Laboratory workers explained what they studied, their professional experience and how they ended up working in a cosmetics company. Afterwards, they were given a tour of the laboratory where they were able to learn from the professionals about the process of creating a cosmetic product. ‘We have been doing this type of action for years on the occasion of this day, on other occasions we had gone to the Institutes, but on this occasion we thought it was a good experience for the students to be able to come and see the laboratory’, explained Bella Aurora.