On March 22, 2026, John Cabot University psychology professor Elisa Puvia was honored by the Municipality of Carrara, Tuscany, during the event “Carrara Celebrates Its Women.” The event, part of the celebrations for International Women’s Day, was co-sponsored by the city’s Equal Opportunities Committee, which recognizes women from Carrara who have distinguished themselves in various fields, including research, culture, and social impact.
Professor Puvia was recognized for her research on objectification and dehumanization.
“It is a great honor for me to be included among this year’s awardees,” said Professor Puvia, who was interviewed during the ceremony and invited to reflect on her personal and professional journey. In particular, she discussed her work on gender-based violence, her academic career in Italy and abroad, and her research in cognitive science.
The ceremony took place at the Teatro Animosi, the city’s main theater, and was attended by municipal officials, members of the local community, and Professor Puvia’s friends and family.
Elisa Puvia is a Lecturer in Psychology in the Department of Psychological and Social Sciences at John Cabot University in Rome. She earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive Sciences from the University of Padua and a second-level master’s degree in Analysis, Prevention, and the Fight against Organized Crime and Corruption from the University of Pisa. Over the course of her career, she has worked at the University of South Florida, the University of Kent, the University of Melbourne, and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).
Her primary research interests focus on the objectification of women. She has extensively investigated its cognitive and existential underpinnings, its implications for perceived humanness among those who are objectified, its cultural foundations, and its impact on the perpetration of gender-based violence.
Professor Puvia places special emphasis on the societal implications of her work and on alternative modes of disseminating academic research. She is a member of The Power of the Other Hand project, which seeks to raise awareness of domestic violence against women through art exhibitions.
