FOUNDATIONS OF A LIFE IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE The Career Trajectory of Prof. Luljeta Bozo

This paper examines the career trajectory of Prof. Luljeta Bozo as a pioneering woman in civil engineering in Albania. Using a qualitative case study approach based on document analysis and a semi-structured interview conducted in 2022, the study explores her contributions to geotechnical engineering and her role in shaping women’s participation in science. The findings highlight how early academic excellence, particularly in mathematics and physics, combined with institutional pathways, enabled her entry into a traditionally male-dominated field. Drawing on existing research on gender and STEM, the paper situates her trajectory within broader patterns of gender inequality, while also emphasizing the importance of female role models in strengthening women’s confidence and engagement in scientific disciplines. The analysis further connects this individualcase to broader structural dynamics, including evidence that developing contexts may display narrower gender gaps in STEM participation. The case of Albania during the socialist period provides a relevant illustration, where state policies expanded women’s access to higher education, partly in response to workforce demands. The findings suggest that women’s participation in STEM is shaped not only by individual ability and institutional support, but also by wider policy frameworks and socio-economic conditions. In this regard, the study underscores the importance of early engagement with science education. As argued by Nathanaili (2024), the foundations of scientific interest must be established from the earliest stages of education in order to support more inclusive and sustained participation in STEM, particularly among girls.