Short biography*

Carlotta Parisani (1868-1926), daughter of Count Giuseppe Parisani and Princess Emilia Gabrielli, descendant of Lucien Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother), married Nazareno Strampelli on April 28, 1900 in St. Bernard Church in Rome.
In 1903, she and her husband moved from Camerino to Rieti with a two years old daughter and expecting their second child. In doing so, Carlotta accepted a life and a fate that could be considered too humble for a noble-woman.
​In Rieti, Strampelli had a very difficult period, and she helped and supported him in his scientific work. Carlotta worked to improve the performance of hybridization, acquiring a fine dexterity and a perfect skill in ‘artificial pollination’ of the grain.

Carlotta Parisani Strampelli, was not just a wife and mother, but also the most valuable and assiduous collaborator of Nazareno who, in recognition of her value, gave her name to three wheat varieties, the "Carlotta Strampelli" variety, the most famous one, for which Nazzareno Strampelli was awarded the "Premio Santoro" by Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei on 1918, and later, to two other varieties named" White Carlottina " and "Red Carlottina.", respectively.
​​
Surely, the figure of Carlotta Strampelli was overshadowed by the increasing attention given to her husband.  Carlotta acted as a "trailblazer" for all women, as a technical assistant at the beginning and as a researcher later.  She has been “a proof” of how significant the contribution of women to genetics and breeding of cereals is.
Now, it is time to acknowledge her value and distinction through a public Award and recognition.

Thanks a lot to the Director Roberto Lorenzetti for allowing the publication of these historical photos preserved at the State Archive of Rieti.