Bridging Discovery and Impact in Plant Science With Prof. Alessandra Devoto
Breaking barriers in STEMM: Prof. Alessandra Devoto on women, power networks, and building a more equitable scientific future.
Article
Published: March 19, 2026
Laura Hemmingham, PhD
speaking with
Alessandra Devoto, PhD
Credit: iStock
Read time: 3 minutes
Professor Alessandra Devoto is a molecular plant biologist, whose research bridges fundamental discovery with real-world impact on agricultural resilience and sustainability. Born and educated in Italy, she came to the UK in 1997 as a Marie Skłodowska Curie fellow and has since built a distinguished career at Royal Holloway, University of London, where she now serves as Professor of Molecular Plant Biology and Director of Research. Her groundbreaking work has helped establish foundational frameworks for understanding how plants perceive and respond to environmental stress—research that continues to guide the field today and holds vital implications for addressing climate change.
In this interview, she reflects on her journey in academia, her role as Athena Swan Champion in advancing gender equality, and the barriers women still face in accessing informal power networks in STEMM. She finishes with strong advice to early-career scientists: lead with curiosity, courage, and the understanding that uncertainty is not a weakness, but a sign you're working at the edge of knowledge.
Laura Hemmingham, PhD (LH):
Alessandra Devoto, PhD (AD):
LH:
AD:
LH:
AD:
LH:
AD:
LH:
AD:
LH:
AD:
Can you tell us a bit about your career path to date and your current research?
Alessandra Devoto, PhD (AD):
I am Professor of Molecular Plant Biology and currently Director of Research at the Department of Biological Sciences. Born and educated in Italy, I came to the UK in 1997. After appointments with one of the best institutes for plant sciences in Europe, The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, thanks to a prestigious Marie Skłodowska Curie fellowship, and the University of East Anglia, I joined Royal Holloway in 2006 as a Senior Lecturer and then worked my way up to Professor. I am involved in both research and teaching spanning from biochemistry, molecular biology, precision genomics, gene editing, and bioinformatics to plant responses to stress and climate change, as well as biotechnological applications for human and plant health and energy production.
LH:
Did your early experiences as a woman in STEMM help shape your career path?
AD:
When I joined Royal Holloway, I was the third female academic staff member out of 30+ academics. I covered several administrative roles, and one I am particularly proud of was the role as Athena Swan and Equality and Diversity Champion between 2012 and 2021, which brought two awards to the Department in 2014 and 2018, starting from scratch, shaping the achievement of the Silver Award in 2024. Several activities to support personal and professional development of female students, researchers and staff were developed in collaboration with the Women in Biology (@RHULWiB) scheme set up by my wonderful colleague Prof Julia Koricheva. I am also very proud of having trained PhD students from different backgrounds and nationalities, and mentored numerous undergraduate students as well as researchers. I believe that science should be equally accessible to everyone, and whilst things have certainly improved from my youth in terms of female representation, there is still an enormous amount to do to ‘give a voice’ to early-career female students and researchers.
LH:
Was there a particular person or experience that motivated you to choose a career in science?
AD:
I have always been passionate about nature, and particularly the molecular mechanisms regulating plant responses to the environment. Despite being born and raised in a big city like Rome, I have always dreamt of ‘making a difference’ by working with plants to help people and the planet! I chose to study Biology at the University of Rome ‘Sapienza’ where I earned a B.Sc. and M.Sc. before embarking on a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology. I have never regretted my choice and have been enjoying the curiosity-driven process that underpins fundamental research ever since, having also been inspired by fantastic and dedicated mentors throughout my career. An obvious woman to admire for me is Dr. Barbara McClintock, who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983 for discovering mobile genetic elements, establishing the grounds for breakthroughs in plant breeding and genetic engineering.
LH:
What barriers exist for women in STEMM, and what could be
done to better support them?
AD:
Women are often mentored but excluded from ‘informal power networks’. Diversity initiatives need to be evaluated on results and not intentions. Formal mentorship with accountability and transparent sponsorship from leaders actively advocating for women’s promotion, funding, and visibility could bridge the gap! I have been very fortunate in my career, as I had mostly excellent support (that was much needed at times!) from both female and male colleagues literally everywhere I studied and worked. What I mostly admire in people are values such as integrity alongside humanity and creativity, and I continue to be inspired by those with a true enthusiasm for science.
LH:
What do you enjoy most about your work and what would you
say are your proudest achievements?
AD:
What I have enjoyed most throughout my career is combining fundamental discovery with real-world impact and continuously learning new ways to approach complex biological problems. My proudest achievements span different career stages and reflect a consistent focus on producing insights and frameworks that shape understanding and enable others to build on them.
In my current work, I particularly enjoy using large-scale biological data to understand how plants respond to environmental stress and translating this knowledge from model systems into crops. Working at the interface of data, biology, and application has been especially rewarding, as it contributes directly to improving agricultural resilience and sustainability.
One of my most significant contributions was helping establish a foundational framework for how plants perceive and respond to stress hormones, work that reshaped the field and continues to guide research today. I am proud both of these discoveries and of having clarified how plants balance growth and defence through influential syntheses that helped define the field.
More recently, I am especially proud of the research achieved through close collaboration with postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and international partners, revealing new regulatory layers that fine-tune plant stress responses and opening fresh translational directions. Earlier contributions to defining durable disease resistance in crops further illustrate my commitment to impactful, team-driven science and to supporting the next generation of researchers.
In my current work, I particularly enjoy using large-scale biological data to understand how plants respond to environmental stress and translating this knowledge from model systems into crops. Working at the interface of data, biology, and application has been especially rewarding, as it contributes directly to improving agricultural resilience and sustainability.
One of my most significant contributions was helping establish a foundational framework for how plants perceive and respond to stress hormones, work that reshaped the field and continues to guide research today. I am proud both of these discoveries and of having clarified how plants balance growth and defence through influential syntheses that helped define the field.
More recently, I am especially proud of the research achieved through close collaboration with postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and international partners, revealing new regulatory layers that fine-tune plant stress responses and opening fresh translational directions. Earlier contributions to defining durable disease resistance in crops further illustrate my commitment to impactful, team-driven science and to supporting the next generation of researchers.
LH:
If you could give one piece of advice to a woman
considering a career in science, what would you say?
AD:
If you are at the beginning of a career in science, lead with curiosity and courage. You do not need to have all the answers; science advances because people are willing to ask questions, experiment, and explore the unknown. Uncertainty is not a weakness; it is part of the process and a sign that you are working at the edge of knowledge.
Research will challenge you. Experiments will fail, ideas will change, and progress may feel slow. This is normal. What matters is persistence, the willingness to learn from setbacks and keep moving forward. Every difficulty builds skill, insight, and resilience. You belong in science not because it is easy, but because you are willing to engage with its challenges.
Build strong networks of support. Seek mentors, collaborate openly, and learn from those around you. At the same time, trust your growing expertise and speak up. Your ideas and perspectives have value, and science is stronger when diverse voices are heard. Above all, stay grounded in integrity, respect, and confidence in yourself. Success in science is not only about results, but about how you work, with curiosity, honesty, and generosity. If you hold onto these principles, you can build a career that is both impactful and deeply fulfilling.
Research will challenge you. Experiments will fail, ideas will change, and progress may feel slow. This is normal. What matters is persistence, the willingness to learn from setbacks and keep moving forward. Every difficulty builds skill, insight, and resilience. You belong in science not because it is easy, but because you are willing to engage with its challenges.
Build strong networks of support. Seek mentors, collaborate openly, and learn from those around you. At the same time, trust your growing expertise and speak up. Your ideas and perspectives have value, and science is stronger when diverse voices are heard. Above all, stay grounded in integrity, respect, and confidence in yourself. Success in science is not only about results, but about how you work, with curiosity, honesty, and generosity. If you hold onto these principles, you can build a career that is both impactful and deeply fulfilling.
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Meet the Author
Scientific Content Producer
Interviewing
Professor of Molecular Plant Biology
