Ubiali Maria

Maria Ubiali is a prominent Italian theoretical physicist and a professor at the University of Cambridge, where she leads research projects on proton structure and collaborates closely with CERN in Geneva. Born in Villasanta (Monza and Brianza), she attended the Frisi Scientific High School in Monza, where her initial interest in medicine was transformed by a pivotal encounter with a particle physics researcher—an experience she describes as a “revelation” that redirected her path toward theoretical physics.

She graduated with honors in Physics from the University of Milan and earned a joint PhD in Theoretical Particle Physics from the University of Edinburgh and the Université Catholique de Louvain. In 2010, she began her first postdoctoral position at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, later moving to Cambridge in 2013. Since 2017, she has taught in Cambridge’s Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and in 2022 she was appointed Professor of Theoretical and Phenomenological Particle Physics.

Ubiali’s research focuses on high-energy particle phenomenology, especially the internal structure of the proton and its implications for physics beyond the Standard Model. She has received an ERC Starting Grant for her project *Physics Beyond the Standard Proton* and has contributed to the Cambridge SUSY working group.

In 2024, she was named one of the “Inspiring Fifty Italy” – a list celebrating the 50 most influential Italian women in technology and innovation. Alongside her academic career, Ubiali is a mother of three and balances her family life with a deep commitment to scientific research.