At the close of 2025, NATO Science and Technology Organization’s (STO) Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), had the privilege of hosting the winners of the NATO STO Women & Girls in Science 2025 (WGS25) challenge. The three scientists: Dr. Mirjam de Bruin-Hoegée, Dr. Beatrise Berzina, and Dr. Nicolette Moreau, have spent the last weeks and months in La Spezia, Italy, using the Centre’s specialised facilities and equipment to further their research.

At NATO’s world-leading laboratory, the research scientists benefitted from access to immense amounts of data, diverse expertise, and a unique international environment. They enriched the Centre’s work by contributing distinct expert perspectives from their respective fields, inspiring colleagues at CMRE in their constant work to innovate and push the boundaries of maritime science.

Now, a bit about the scientists, their winning proposals, and experiences at CMRE…

Dr. Beatrise Berzina, Latvia – Research Scientist at Iowa State University’s Department of Chemistry

Dr. Berzina’s proposal focuses on developing a fit-for-purpose water purification and sensing system for households with limited access to clean water, or for deployment by the military and disaster relief organisations during emergency situations or military missions. The portable system would use electrokinetic or electric field-based methods to purify water from emerging contaminants.

At CMRE, Berzina gained insight into current technological challenges and associated future research opportunities, especially when it comes to operation and sensing in extreme environments, such as the Arctic or deep sea. She also highlights that she enjoyed meeting a diverse group of people and learning about their work, culture, and traditions. Berzina notes, “I have learned to cook several local Italian dishes which will be a wonderful addition to my menu back home.”

“The engineering and support team at CMRE is excellent and everyone is an expert in their field. It is amazing to see how quickly the team can come together to build custom experimental setups and implement changes in designs on-the-go … it made me rethink some of the features of my device design to simplify adaptation and implementation in the field.”

Dr. Mirjam de Bruin-Hoegée, Netherlands – Scientist in Forensic Analytical Chemistry at TNO

Dr. De Bruin-Hoegée’s research proposal centres on enhancing tactical combat casualty care following chemical weapon attacks through the development of portable diagnostic kits, thereby improving the rates and accuracy of intoxication detection, and ultimately strengthening NATO’s operational capabilities.

At the Centre, De Bruin-Hoegée benefited from access to data from a wide range of optical detectors. She emphasised the exceptional proficiency of colleagues at CMRE, reflecting that “the team excels in building experimental setups and analyzing large datasets. It is fascinating to understand how they coordinate these tasks within the team and in collaboration with international partners.”

“On a personal level, I truly enjoyed engaging in conversations with colleagues at CMRE, which broadened my knowledge on diverse topics, from food and sports, to workplace culture and technology.”

Dr. Nicolette Moreau, United Kingdom – Principal Scientist in Engineering Biology at QinetiQ

Dr. Moreau’s proposal was put forward under the energy security challenge and was based on the concept of using synthetic biology tools to create new living battery systems. As NATO seeks to secure critical infrastructure, this would provide a scalable and portable solution for energy production.

Working at CMRE is an invaluable opportunity to understand how NATO advances knowledge in the maritime domain. For Moreau, a particular highlight was touring the NATO Research Vessel Alliance, which provided insight into how missions are planned, executed, and supported through at-sea experimentation. This expanded her awareness of the types of experimental methods that could be applied to her own field of synthetic biology.

“I’ve deepened my understanding of several technical areas within the maritime domain — from modelling and simulation to autonomy, ship management, and emerging quantum technologies. One of the highlights has been connecting with the incredible network of scientists and experts who were generous with their insights and enthusiastic about exploring the future impact of Engineering Biology.”

Moreau’s experience working alongside researchers from defence organisations worldwide, offered a unique insight into global priorities and problem-solving approaches. She underscored how the breadth of knowledge within CMRE fostered a highly collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment.

CMRE regularly hosts visiting researchers as part of its Visiting Researcher Programme (VRP), which is designed to support the Research Division and the Engineering and Information Technology Division in developing their programme of work. The Programme offers the best and brightest students and university researchers from NATO nations the opportunity to participate in a dynamic, scientific team, conducting research on subjects of interest to both the researcher and to NATO. Monitor the NATO Talent Acquisition Program (NTAP) website, to see when a new call for applications is launched.