Meet Roberta Gamarino

Turning Challenges into Accomplishments 

That makes our employees tick, and how do they bring our purpose - Touching lives, for a better world – to life? In this interview, R&D Manager Roberta Gamarino reflects on her career and offers advice for the next generation of chemists.  

What is your educational and professional background? 

I am a chemist by vocation, with one master's degree in chemistry and pharmaceutical technology, and a second master's in pharmacy. I've been working in R&D management for 30 years in many of the world’s leading chemical companies.  

How long have you been with Stahl? What first attracted you to the company? 

I joined Stahl in 2014 when they acquired the leather business of my previous company Clariant. I found Stahl to be a very attractive company for the many opportunities it offered, summarised in its motto – which I still love – 'If it can be imagined, it can be created'. That really appealed to me, considering I have dedicated my career to my passion for R&D.  

What is your current role, and what are your main responsibilities? 

I am the R&D Manager for Stahl Italy, where I manage a qualified and motivated R&D team within our wet-end leather business line. We’re focused on the research and development of innovative products with outstanding properties and a better toxicological and ecological profile.   

What is a recent important accomplishment, and which challenges have you overcome? 

I’m very proud to say that together with my R&D team we have contributed to realising a technological revolution in the world of leather tanning and retanning, replacing 100-year-old chemistry. The new innovative products not only perform excellently but also bring significant sustainability benefits.  The leather industry, especially in wet-end segment is quite conservative and it's not easy to introduce breakthrough technology, so in that way, my biggest challenge became my biggest achievement.  

What are the biggest R&D trends in the world of chemistry at the moment?  

There are many active trends in chemistry, but I believe the top three are around green chemistry, innovative materials and artificial intelligence.  

Firstly, increasing attention is being paid to the problems of resource depletion and chemical pollution, which calls for sustainable solutions that make use of renewable materials and energy. We are increasingly designing our processes in a way that is energy efficient, reduces waste and uses environmentally friendly substances.   

Secondly, there is growing innovation in materials like, for example, nanomaterials containing nanoparticles that can fight cancer cells, microprocessors that consume less energy, or products with a neutral carbon footprint that overcome the negative effects of petrochemicals. I also see exciting challenges in this field to design and produce materials that can monitor health and athletic performance, store and convert energy, or protect against flames and microorganisms.  

Thirdly, artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most cited areas in chemistry and is already being widely used in various areas, such as molecule design and the prediction of reaction conditions and results. In the pharmaceutical industry, AI is being used in drug discovery and development, with fantastic results.  

It sounds like an exciting field to work in. What advice would you give to young people starting their careers? 

My advice is to set yourself challenging professional and ethical goals. There are so many opportunities for a chemist to develop outstanding products that can improve our lives. So, we must use our skills to try to make the world a better place. That’s my dream!  

Finally, how do you like to spend your free time? 

I like to spend quality time with my family and enjoy being in nature.  Especially in the winter, I have a lifelong passion for skiing in my beloved Valle d'Aosta (Italy). In general, I'll always find something superb in natural landscapes, even during simple walks in the Monferrato hills where I live. Honestly, that’s where I like to loosen myself to come up with ideas for my professional challenges. 

Thanks for your insights, Roberta! We are proud of our people who make a difference every day and strive for excellence together.