Meeting our Leadership

MRS:

Hi, I’m Dr. Maria-Ribera Sancho, the Manager of Education & Training at Barcelona Supercomputing Center. I’m a tenured professor at the Department of Service and Information System Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and have been active in the Software Engineering field for over 25 years.

Sports have always played an important role in my life. As a teenager, I practiced artistic gymnastics quite intensely, and this shaped key parts of my character, like discipline and perseverance. Family means everything to me, and I love celebrating even the smallest moments — I truly believe that celebrating good news is the best way to invite more good things to happen.

Another fun fact: since I was a child, I’ve collected pencils with erasers, and yes, I still can’t resist adding to the collection whenever I find a new one! And finally, gardening is my daily joy. I have countless plants and flowers.

Looking forward to sharing this EVITA adventure with all of you!

KL:

Hi, I am Dr. Kevin Lüdemann from the GWDG – Gesellschaft für wissenschaftliche Datenverarbeitung mbH Göttingen (GWDG, and we also struggle to pronounce it in English, it works better in German) and I am an expert on the EVITA Skill Tree.

My work on the project is to develop and update the Skill Tree, and establish examinations and certifications for the courses we recommend, together with my colleagues. I finished my Ph.D. in Physics in 2023 and have been working for the GWDG and on the Skill Tree since 2024 with the HPC SPECTRA project.
Outside of work, for more than 20 years my passion has been photography, and my favourite subjects are animals. The best pictures I have ever seen or taken have something living, expressing an emotion. I especially enjoy telling a story by framing emotions in postures or actions – those are the highlights in photography trips. Generally, I take pictures of every type of animal I can find, whether it’s a deer in the woods or my neighbour’s cats. Recently, I have been photographing seals at beaches in the North Sea, which are still endangered species and are also extraordinarily cute.

Since the EVITA project allows me to travel a lot more than my physics job before, I am looking forward to photographing many animals in our partner countries.

Want to see more of my animal photography? Follow me on Instagram: @physikerkevinphotography

CBS:

Hi, I’m Dr. Claudia Blaas-Schenner from Austrian Scientific Computing (ASC), hosted at Technische Universität Wien. I’m responsible for everything related to training and education in High-Performance Computing (HPC) and related fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Although I started my career as a physicist, I’ve been working in HPC for more than 30 years and teaching it for over a decade.

Within EVITA, I focus on developing the Competence and Qualification Framework (CQF) and integrating it into the European HPC ecosystem. For me, the CQF is taking shape as a structured framework that explains how all the different pieces fit together – skills, modules, courses, learning pathways, and the overall skill tree. My goal is to bring these elements into a coherent and meaningful structure that gives real value to learners. Ultimately, the CQF will be something that can be adopted and implemented by individuals, instructors, and institutions beyond EVITA.

I love my work, I love HPC, and I love teaching it – but the place where I truly recharge is in nature. I’m especially drawn to the mountains, hiking year-round and ski touring in winter. Fun fact: I actually prefer going up to coming down! One of the best moments is breaking through the clouds into clear blue skies.

Cats are my favorite companions – not only my own, but also those that “adopt” us when we travel. I’m also passionate about photography and love capturing whatever catches my eye, especially water, movement, color, and unusual perspectives. Maybe one day, I’ll even publish a photo book about the plants and animals in my garden.Looking forward to sharing this EVITA adventure with all of you!

KP:

Hi, I’m Karina Pešatová, and I lead the Training and Education Department at IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center, part of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava in Czech Republic.

I joined IT4Innovations in 2012 as part of the communications department and gradually advanced to become its head. After returning from maternity leave in 2021, I was tasked with building the Training and Education Department, where I now focus on developing inclusive and impactful educational activities in High-Performance Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Quantum Computing.

Within EVITA, I’m responsible for the cascade funding scheme that supports the development of new training materials, as well as for helping trainers adopt and use these resources effectively. I lead the international collaboration task, strengthening connections between projects, institutions, and training providers to grow Europe’s HPC training ecosystem and foster long-term partnerships.

In addition to EVITA, I serve as the training champion for EuroCC Czechia, contribute to shaping training activities within the LUMI AI Factory, and collaborate on the EUMaster4HPC programme — all initiatives aimed at building a coordinated and accessible European HPC education landscape.
I’m also the co-founder and current leader of the Central European Chapter of Women in HPC, a cause very close to my heart. Promoting diversity, visibility, and equal opportunities in HPC and STEM is something I deeply care about.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my two daughters, who remind me every day why it’s worth inspiring the next generation. I’m happiest in the mountains — hiking in summer and skiing in winter — and I also enjoy being creative in quieter moments: knitting and sewing help me relax. Fun fact: I’ve been collecting photos of myself with supercomputers since I joined IT4Innovations. This is the first picture with a supercomputer I have from 2013 at Barcelona Supercomputing Center.

I’m excited to continue this journey with the EVITA team — building together a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable training community for Europe’s digital future!

YM:

Hello everyone, I’m Yinyin from HLRS – High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart, where I work as a science communicator.

In EVITA, my role is to drive the project’s communication and outreach together with my colleagues. Before joining HLRS, I completed my PhD in biology. As an HPC end user, I relied heavily on high-performance computing to complete my dissertation. Seeing how HPC could reduce workloads from years to a single night left a striking impression on me – and it helps me genuinely relate to researchers who are new to HPC but eager to use it to advance their work. It also made me truly appreciate the importance of what EVITA is doing.

During my PhD, I realised that what inspires me most is communicating science. Science shouldn’t be wrapped in mysterious terminology; it becomes meaningful only when it can be understood and benefit everyone. I’m particularly passionate about visual communication, as I find that visuals often speak more powerfully and directly than words.

A fun fact about me: I’ve been playing the violin since I was four and recently started playing the cello last year. I have experience in chamber music and orchestra, and I’d be thrilled to form a small ensemble with anyone who enjoys classical, jazz, tango, or any music that simply feels cool.