Paola De Padova is a senior scientist at the National Research Council's Institute of the Structure of Matter (ISM-CNR) in Rome, Italy. She studies surface science and leads the investigation of silicene, a two-dimensional (2D) allotrope of silicon analogous to graphene. She is the author of numerous influential manuscripts published in high-impact international journals and serves on the editorial boards of reputable journals such as Journal Physics Condensed Matter and 2D Materials. She is a pioneer in the synthesis and study of silicene, making significant contributions to the field of 2D materials beyond graphene. She primarily uses ultra-high vacuum (UHV) techniques at large-scale synchrotron radiation facilities to investigate the growth and properties of these novel materials. Her research topics mainly include silicene synthesis, 2D nanostructures, synchrotron radiation, and the Post-Graphene Era.