From cosmic rays to the proteins of the future: these are the topics that took center stage at FameLab Trieste 2026, the international science communication talent competition. Winning the local selection, held on April 23 in a packed Teatro Miela, were Pietro Monti-Guarnieri and Roberta Pratolini, who will advance to the national final of FameLab Italia.

The event was organized by Immaginario Scientifico, in collaboration with the University of Trieste, the University of Udine, SISSA, and the Municipality of Trieste, as part of the “Trieste City of Knowledge” protocol.

In just three minutes, the 18 contestants transformed complex topics into accessible and engaging stories, demonstrating how science can be clear, surprising, and even entertaining. Hosting the evening was Simone Kodermaz, a physicist, violinist, and winner of the first Trieste edition in 2013.

This year’s first-place winner, Pietro Monti-Guarnieri, is a PhD student in astroparticle physics at the University of Trieste and INFN Trieste. Enthusiasm, humor, and high energy define Pietro, who presented the effects and applications of cosmic ray physics in an unusual and captivating way, from climate processes and the “creation” of clouds to muon tomography.

Second place went to Roberta Pratolini, a PhD student at the University of Udine, who clearly and playfully explored the frontiers of food science, including hybrid proteins and… a raspberry cake.

The two winners will represent Trieste at the national final scheduled for the autumn. The Italian champion will then move on to the international FameLab final in November, competing against participants from around the world.

Third place and the audience award went to Smritirekha Talukdar (Area Science Park), who combined neuroscience and sustainable energy in a brilliant presentation on neuroplasticity and possible alternatives to fossil fuels.

The contestants were evaluated by a jury composed of Nicola Bressi (Civic Museum of Natural History of Trieste), Vieri Candelise (University of Trieste), Giulia Casasole (SISSA), and Valeria Filì (University of Udine).

On the occasion of the 2026 edition of World Creativity and Innovation Day, the University of Trieste joins the international community in celebrating the value of ideas and their ability to turn into concrete actions.

Creativity means imagining new solutions. Innovation means making them real. Within this ongoing dialogue lies the role of the university, which works every day to share knowledge and make it available to society. It is a complex process, built on responsibility, sustainability, and collaboration, that takes shape in what is known as Technology Transfer.

Professor Erik Vesselli, Delegate of the Rector for Technology Transfer and Relations with Research Institutions, explains this commitment:

“Making the results of the University’s research—at a level of international excellence—available to society is essential. But that is not all. The University plays a key role in education, in developing those creative and generative abilities that today risk being stifled by bureaucracy and standardization. UniTS works in this direction through training and co-working activities, such as the Innovators Community Lab (ICL), supporting entrepreneurship with dozens of active start-ups and spin-offs, and developing over one hundred collaborations with local institutions and companies.”

A dynamic ecosystem, therefore, where ideas, people, and skills come together. This is also confirmed by Salvatore Dore, head of the Innovators Community Lab at UniTS:

“Students who take part in ICL activities share a common trait: they know how to turn intuition into action. They are diverse profiles, united by courage, independence, and the ability to take risks consciously. In recent years, we have seen a clear shift: from simpler digital services to high-tech projects, where artificial intelligence, blockchain, robotics, and augmented reality are everyday tools. There is also growing attention to real impact: it is no longer just about doing business, but about solving concrete problems with sustainable and scalable models. Finally, what stands out is the increasingly international dimension. ICL has become a true crossroads of global talent, where the exchange between different cultures generates more innovative and robust solutions.”

Through the contributions of faculty, researchers, and students, the University of Trieste continues to build open and shared knowledge, capable of generating value for the local area and for society as a whole.

Antonio Luca Cucchiara, a resident physician in the Dermatology Specialization School of the Università degli Studi di Trieste, is the winner of the “Current topics in acariasis” section of the 4th Logofarma Award conferred by SIDeMaST.

“The idea of presenting the clinical case that won the award came from observing an atypical presentation of scabies with involvement of the nail apparatus, which made diagnosis and treatment particularly complex,” explains Cucchiara. “Scabies is an increasingly common parasitic infection in the general population and represents a highly relevant current issue. This work highlights the role of dermoscopy and the importance of a careful evaluation of the nails as well, in order to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.”

SIDeMaST is the leading Italian scientific society in the field of dermatology. It brings together dermatologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals engaged in the study, prevention, and treatment of skin diseases and sexually transmitted infections. The organization aims to promote scientific research, disseminate up-to-date knowledge, and improve the quality of dermatological care in Italy.

Enrollments open earlier this year at UniTS, which is opening its doors already in April instead of June, as per tradition.

“We have responded to students’ requests, as they want to secure a place at our university even before taking their final high school exam,” explains Rector Donata Vianelli. “We are also seeing increasing attractiveness in our Master’s degree programs. More and more students, including those from other universities, are choosing UniTS to continue their studies.”

The main novelty this year is the removal of limited enrollment for degree programs in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, and Earth Sciences for Sustainable Development: admission will be open to all students who meet the requirements, with possible initial assessments of competencies.

Also noteworthy is the strengthening of UniTS’s international outlook, offering numerous courses entirely in English and Double Degree programs with the Universities of Rennes, Paris Cité, Regensburg, KU Leuven, Ljubljana, Alicante, Seville, Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg, and Rouen.

With its 36 Bachelor’s programs, 7 single-cycle Master’s programs, and 35 Master’s programs, the University offers education aligned with labor market needs in the fields of science and technology, life and health sciences, and social sciences and humanities.

It does so at the highest possible level, as confirmed by its recent accreditation in the excellence tier among Italian universities, together with only four others out of the 33 evaluated so far by the National Agency for the Evaluation of the University and Research System (ANVUR).

LINK – Course offerings 2026/27: Course offerings 2026/2027 | University of Trieste

The 2026 edition of “The Mathematics of Young People” is currently taking place at IC Roli in Trieste, a long-standing educational initiative promoted by the University of Trieste through CIRD – the Interdepartmental Center for Educational Research.

Founded in 1996, the project engages students aged 5 to 18 in an active, cooperative learning experience based on peer interaction. The students themselves take center stage, explaining mathematical concepts to their peers through workshops, hands-on activities, and interdisciplinary pathways, helping to make the subject more accessible, concrete, and engaging.

Over the course of the two days, classes from kindergarten, primary, and secondary schools lead 12 mathematics-focused workshops, some of which include interdisciplinary content. The activities, repeated every 30 minutes and accessible at different school levels, offer participants the opportunity to directly experience concepts and tools, ranging from dynamic geometry to connections between mathematics and the humanities.

Preparing the event required months of work by both students and teachers, involving a total of around 250 participants from the provinces of Trieste and Pordenone. The effort was supported by school teachers and university lecturers, with particular attention to educational and communication aspects. Bookings for workshop visits came from schools of all levels in Trieste, Udine, and Piran (Slovenia), with a total of approximately 750 visitors over the two days.

The event, which has no competitive purpose, aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and to highlight mathematics as a universal language and a tool for collaboration. It represents an educational model that fosters the development of transversal skills and stimulates interest in STEM disciplines.

The project is coordinated by Professor Valentina Beorchia as part of the activities of CIRD and the National Plan for Scientific Degrees – Mathematics Project, with the support of the CRTrieste Foundation.

Nearly seventy local organizations and companies, as well as multinational corporations, took part, alongside seven hundred students and recent graduates who submitted over 5,000 CVs and participated in 3,000 job interviews. These are the figures that characterized the 2026 edition of JOBUniTS, the Career Day of the University of Trieste.

Now in its 15th edition, JOBUniTS confirms itself as the University’s main event dedicated to connecting students, graduates, and the world of work, with increased company participation compared to last year.

Among this year’s new features was speed mentoring: an informal session designed to offer participants a quick exchange with Alumni of the University of Trieste—former students now working in various professions—from whom participants received last-minute advice before facing interviews with companies.

During the event, three outstanding students were awarded scholarships funded by companies: the Danieli Award went to Luz Marina Traetta and Samuele Battistella, while the Innova Award for female innovation was presented to Diana Sofia Pacchione. The three students will also have the opportunity to undertake an internship period.

Companies and organizations participating in JOBUniTS 2026:
AcegasApsAmga – Gruppo HERA • Adecco • Alfa Sistemi S.p.A. • ALLIANZ • Apleona Italy S.p.A. • Area Science Park • Autamarocchi • Autostrade Alto Adriatico S.p.A. • Banca Mediolanum • BAT Trieste • BCC Venezia Giulia • Biko Meccanica • Bluenergy • Carpe Diem • Chiomenti • Cimolai • Cooperativa Il Portico • Cooperativa Itaca • Coral Audit S.r.l. • Costa Crociere S.p.A. • CRIF S.p.A. • Cybertec • Europe Direct Trieste – Eurodesk – Informagiovani of the Municipality of Trieste • EY • Fincantieri • Friulia • Generali • Gruppo CDP • Gruppo Danieli • Gruppo ICM S.p.A. • Gruppo Pittini • HHLA PLT Italy • Honeywell • In Situ S.r.l. • Innova S.p.A. • Italia Marittima S.p.A. • La Quercia Social Cooperative • Lafarmacia. • Lafert S.p.A. – Member of Sumitomo Heavy Industries • Lidl Italia • Manpower • Marchesini Group – Schmucker Division • MAW • Modine • Mondi Duino • MSC Cruises • Nidec ACIM • PMP Industries Group • PwC • QUIN S.r.l. • Randstad • Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia – Employment Services and EURES: European Employment Services • Rhoss S.p.A. • RINA • Roncadin S.p.A. SB • Segula Technologies • Servizi CGN S.r.l. Società Benefit • Sisecam • SMS Group S.p.A. • StarTech Trieste S.r.l. • Taghleef Industries S.p.A. • Trieste Airport Friuli Venezia Giulia • Turin Tech • UMANA • UniCredit • Valmet • Volkswagen Group Italia • Walter Group • Wärtsilä Italia

Nearly 600 students registered for Porte Aperte Magistrali, the orientation event dedicated to the postgraduate.

Participants had the opportunity to explore all the key aspects needed to make an informed choice about their study path, including admission requirements and the career opportunities associated with the various Master’s degree courses.

HERE you can find all the useful information on how to enroll at UniTS and on upcoming orientation initiatives.

On the occasion of the 2026 edition of the International Day of Human Space Flight, the University of Trieste joins the international scientific community in celebrating the value of space exploration as a collective endeavor of humanity, emphasizing the importance of cooperation among countries and the crucial role of scientific progress for the global future.

In a period marked by intense international conflicts, looking toward space offers an opportunity to rediscover a broader perspective: research in the space field reminds us of our place in a vast, complex, and still largely mysterious cosmos. It is precisely this shared dimension of knowledge that continues to unite researchers and institutions around the world, beyond divisions.

Prof. Stefano Borgani, professor of Astrophysics and Cosmology, explains UniTS’s commitment to this fascinating field of research.

“Observing the Universe with satellites from space makes it possible to remove the ‘opaque veil’ of the atmosphere, achieving a clarity in our understanding of cosmic structures that is difficult to obtain with ground-based telescopes. One such space telescope, Euclid of the European Space Agency (ESA), was launched on July 1, 2023, and is now providing an overview of the structure of the Universe on scales of several billion light-years, with a level of detail never reached before. By measuring with great precision the distance of tens of millions of galaxies and the effects of gravitational lensing for over a billion galaxies, Euclid will make it possible to address fundamental questions concerning our understanding of the Universe. A group of researchers from the Department of Physics of our University, in collaboration with colleagues from INAF – Astronomical Observatory of Trieste and SISSA, are active members of the Euclid Consortium, a collaboration of more than two thousand researchers, mostly European, with a significant component of colleagues from the United States and Canada. Researchers from our University play a key role, which also translates into responsibilities for coordinating working groups, in the study of the distribution of galaxies and galaxy clusters, also using advanced statistical ‘Machine Learning’ methods and high-performance computing infrastructures to create ‘digital twins’ of the Universe observed by Euclid. The ultimate goal of these analyses is to help shed light on the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, on the fundamental laws governing the evolution of the Universe, as well as on the conditions that determined its very origin.”

Through the active contribution of its researchers in major international collaborations, the University of Trieste reaffirms its commitment to building shared knowledge capable of overcoming borders and tensions, and of providing us with a more aware and unified vision of our place in the Universe.

PHOTO: rendering Euclid. Credit: Thales Alenia Space

In occasione della Giornata Mondiale del Fegato (World Liver Day), che si celebra il 19 aprile 2026, la comunità scientifica richiama l’attenzione sull’importanza della prevenzione e della promozione della salute epatica attraverso il tema di quest’anno: “Solid Habits, Strong Liver” (Abitudini solide, fegato forte).

Promossa dalle principali società scientifiche internazionali di epatologia (EASL, AASLD, ALEH, APASL e SOLDA), la campagna mira a sensibilizzare cittadini, istituzioni e operatori sanitari sull’impatto globale delle malattie epatiche e sul ruolo determinante degli stili di vita.

Un problema globale in crescita. Le malattie del fegato rappresentano una sfida sanitaria di rilievo: circa 1,5 miliardi di persone nel mondo che convivono con patologie epatiche croniche, ogni anno si registrano circa 2 milioni di decessi, fino a un terzo della popolazione adulta globale è affetto da MASLD (steatosi epatica associata a disfunzione metabolica).  Si tratta spesso di condizioni silenti, che possono evolvere in fibrosi, cirrosi e tumore del fegato se non diagnosticate e trattate precocemente.

“La campagna 2026 ci ricorda che anche piccoli cambiamenti quotidiani possono avere un impatto importante sulla salute del fegato", spiega la prof.ssa Lory Crocè, professore associato di gastroenterologia dell’Università di Trieste e direttore della SC UCO Clinica Patologie del Fegato di ASUGI. "Le indicazioni principali sono quattro: seguire un’alimentazione equilibrata, ricca di frutta, verdura, cereali integrali e grassi sani, limitando zuccheri e alimenti ultra-processati; praticare attività fisica con regolarità, perché il movimento aiuta a ridurre il grasso epatico e a migliorare il metabolismo anche senza una perdita di peso significativa; ridurre o evitare il consumo di alcol, che resta una delle strategie più efficaci per prevenire danni epatici; e sottoporsi a controlli periodici, essenziali per individuare precocemente eventuali danni, soprattutto nei soggetti a rischio".

In questa occasione, la UCO Clinica Patologie del Fegato, in collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Chirurgiche e della Salute dell'Università di Trieste, la Lega Italiana Lotta Tumori LILT, e la Fondazione Italiana Fegato, promuove un’iniziativa rivolta alla popolazione di Trieste, Monfalcone e Gorizia, con attività di prevenzione, informazione e screening gratuiti programmata in data 20 aprile.

WEBINAR INFORMATIVO
L’iniziativa sarà presentata in modalità webinar l’8 aprile 2026 alle ore 14:30 dalla sede dell’Ordine dei Medici Chirurghi e Odontoiatri della Provincia di Trieste.
Saranno presenti o in collegamento rappresentanti ASUGI (Clinica Patologie del Fegato, Dipartimento Dipendenze Legali), Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Chirurgiche e della Salute dell'Università di Trieste, Lega Italiana Lotta Tumori LILT, Fondazione Italiana Fegato, Associazioni Pazienti.

SCREENING GRATUITI
Saranno offerti gratuitamente:
- Screening per Epatite C (prelievo ematico per nati 1969 –1989 e test capillare per altri cittadini non coinvolti per fascia di età nello Screening Regionale);
- Utilizzare una chatbot di intelligenza artificiale generativa per chiedere informazioni in tempo reale sull’infezione da Epatite C;
- Fibroscan (elastografia epatica) per valutazione della fibrosi epatica;
- Interventi di educazione alimentare e promozione di corretti stili di vita con dietista esperto nel trattamento della steatosi epatica;
- Valutazione attività fisica con la Presenza del dott. Alex Buoite Stella, Fisiologo dell’esercizio;
- Informazioni sulla ricerca corrente in collaborazione con FIF.

PRENOTAZIONI
Telefono: 040-3992953
Dal 7 aprile al 15 aprile 2026
Dal martedì al venerdì, ore 11:00–12:00

“Quantum technologies will define the coming decades, not only for states and territories but also for businesses and individuals: the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region understood this as early as 2018 and has since continued to invest resources and support projects developed by our university system. Q-Connect FVG and Quasar-FVG address highly strategic aspects such as connection security and the creation of quantum computers.”

This was the summary provided today by the Regional Councillor for Universities and Research, Alessia Rosolen, during a press conference presenting the two new projects coordinated by the universities of Trieste and Udine, in collaboration with Cnr-Ino, Cnr-Iom, Sissa, and the Synchrotron.

“Quantum technology, together with hydrogen,” Rosolen recalled, “is the key trajectory on which Friuli Venezia Giulia has focused to remain at the forefront from a system development perspective, in which the benefits must extend to the entire range of stakeholders, from research institutions to public bodies, from businesses to individual citizens.”

“Collaboration with the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region has been essential in recognizing the potential of the quantum technology sector, in which we have made significant territorial investments. The projects presented today position the University of Trieste as a leading player at the national level, with international opportunities both for fundamental research and for applications with companies across various sectors. We are already one step ahead nationally thanks to our strong partnership with the regional ecosystem,” added the Rector of UniTS, Donata Vianelli.

The role of UniTS

The University of Trieste, with Professor Angelo Bassi, coordinates the QUASAR FVG project, which aims to develop new experimental, theoretical, and algorithmic protocols for quantum computation and simulation. This role has been assigned to UniTS due to the laboratories of the university’s ArQuS group (Artificial Quantum Systems), led by Professor Francesco Scazza and Dr. Matteo Marinelli.

Professor Scazza leads a laboratory focused on the simulation of complex quantum systems, using the cooling, trapping, and control of two-electron atoms. By employing high-precision optical manipulation techniques and spectroscopy, it is possible to achieve control at the level of a single atom.

The new laboratory currently under development is coordinated by Dr. Marinelli and will specifically focus on creating new interfaces between atoms and photons for modular quantum computing.

These laboratories, unique at the national level for their research areas, together with the theoretical expertise that earned the UniTS Department of Physics the “Excellence” certification from the Ministry of Universities and Research, provide the ideal experimental and technological environment for the development of the QUASAR FVG project.

UniTS also participates as a partner in the Q-Connect FVG project, thanks to the existing quantum link between UniTS and UniUD, inaugurated in February 2025 at the Trieste campus. This link represents the first step toward an infrastructure that aims to become a model for Italy and Europe.