Lucia Maini is a full professor of chemistry at the "G. Ciamician" Department of Chemistry at the University of Bologna, where she also earned her PhD. With a strong foundation in structure determination through single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, she specializes in solid-state characterization and crystal engineering. Her work spans polymorphs, co-crystals, coordination polymers, and organic materials. A committed promoter of mechanochemistry, she combines modern science with history by collaborating with historians to recreate ancient recipes. She is active in science communication, organizing outreach and educational activities for schools, the public, and international cooperation projects.