Sarà dedicata ai peccati di gola la quindicesima edizione del Bloomsday, in programma da venerdì 14 a domenica 16 giugno a Trieste. 

La manifestazione che celebra, racconta e rivive l’Ulisse, il capolavoro di James Joyce, stavolta affronta l'ottavo capitolo dell’opera, I lestrigoni, ambientato all'ora di pranzo e ispirato ai temi del cibo, dell'appetito, della degustazione e della digestione. 

Tantissimi gli incontri che esplorano il rapporto tra letteratura e gastronomia proposti dai promotori e organizzatori del Festival: il Comune di Trieste con il Joyce Museum, l'Università di Trieste attraverso il Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, il comparto della promozione turistica regionale, il Trieste Convention and Visitors Bureau e LETS – il Museo della Letteratura di Trieste.

L'ospite d'onore di questa edizione sarà un grande divulgatore della cultura letteraria, anche triestina, Piero Dorfles. Il celebre ospite presenterà una speciale “puntata” del suo famoso format televisivo, Per un pugno di libri (in questo caso di Joyce), presentato da Martina Vocci e Riccardo Cepach, direttore del Museo Joyce.

All'interno del ricco programma dell'edizione 2024, non mancano gli appuntamenti originali made in UniTS, che vedono coinvolti i docenti del DiSU Laura Pelaschiar (Letteratura inglese) e Paolo Quazzolo (Storia del Teatro). 

Venerdì 14 giugno alle 11 la sede della Lega Navale Italiana, al Molo Fratelli Bandiera, ospiterà la conferenza-spettacolo Lestrigoni in mezz'ora a cura di Laura Pelaschiar e Ester Galazzi del Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia

Sarà targato UniTS anche l'ormai tradizionale walking tour joyciano, un itinerario cittadino sui passi dello scrittore irlandese, che sarà guidato da Laura Pelaschiar con la collaborazione di Francesca Scarpato. L'evento è in programma sabato 15 giugno alle 11, con partenza da piazza Hortis.

I due docenti UniTS sono anche protagonisti dell'adattamento drammaturgico e della regia di Lestrigoni: gorgoglii, denti, mascelle e gorgonzola cheese, pièce dedicata all'ottavo episodio dell'Ulisse, che andrà in scena nella Sala Bartoli del Politeama Rossetti (largo Gaber, 1).
Sul palco ci saranno gli attori del Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia Emanuele Fortunati, Ester Galazzi e Riccardo Maranzana, affiancati da alcuni studenti dell’Università di Trieste e da alcuni allievi-attori dell’Associazione Culturale StarTS Lab. Due le repliche previste: sabato 15 giugno alle 19.30 e domenica 16 giugno alle 21.

Tutti gli appuntamenti del Bloomsday sono a ingresso gratuito, tranne quelli che coinvolgono le degustazioni enogastronomiche. 

Il programma completo è consultabile sul sito del Museo Joyce di Trieste.

L’università di Trieste vuole esprimere il suo sentito cordoglio per l’improvvisa scomparsa del Presidente di Fincantieri, Claudio Graziano. 

Classe 1953, laureato in Scienze Internazionali e Diplomatiche nel nostro ateneo e al veritice del colosso cantieristico dal 2022, Graziano veniva dal mondo militare, dagli studi all'Accademia di Modena fino a ricoprire dal 2015 al 2018 l'alto incarico di Capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa.

Il legame di UniTS con Fincantieri, da sempre fecondo, comprende strette collaborazioni in ambito didattico e professionale in particolare nei settori dell’Ingegneria navale, elettrica, meccanica, chimica, dei materiali, idraulica, informatica e chimica applicata, oltre che in varie attività nel Maritime Technology Cluster FVG.

Da sottolineare l’essenziale supporto finanziario e didattico di Fincantieri alla Laurea Triennale e Magistrale in Ingegneria Navale.

L’Università di Trieste ha compiuto 100 anni!

L’8 agosto 1924, con il Regio decreto n. 1338, fu fondata la “Regia Università degli Studi Economici e Commerciali di Trieste” che avrebbe poi dato vita all’Ateneo multidisciplinare di oggi.

Lo storico compleanno è stato festeggiato dalla comunità UniTS nella sede centrale di Piazzale Europa con uno spettacolo – evento condotto con brio dall’attore Davide Calabrese.

Come un nuovo Benjamin Button, l’Ateneo promette agli studenti, alla città di Trieste, alla comunità scientifica e al personale che lo mantiene vivo e vitale di …ringiovanire, continuando a investire in innovazione e ricerca.

Il simbolo di questa spinta al futuro è la Capsula del tempo, un contenitore sigillato ermeticamente che contiene degli oggetti simbolici del passato, del presente e del futuro di UniTS. La scatola metallica, che è stata interrata nel cortile interno del Campus di Piazzale Europa, sarà riaperta tra cinquant’anni dagli “eredi” dell’Ateneo che ne scopriranno finalmente il contenuto. Nelle vicinanze sono stati anche piantati un ulivo, simbolo di pace e prosperità, e una rosa del Roseto del Parco di San Giovanni.

Un altro seme per il futuro, stavolta recuperato dal passato, è la Campana delle Lauree che veniva suonata in occasione del conferimento del titolo: una tradizione interrotta da trent’anni che è stata rinnovata dal Rettore Roberto Di Lenarda con un nuovo “squillo” grazie all’opera di restauro dello strumento in occasione del Centenario. 

Emozionante infine il racconto del Libro d’onore, l’antico volume che contiene firme e messaggi delle grandi personalità che nel tempo hanno visitato l’Università di Trieste. Tra i tanti ricordiamo Giuseppe Ungaretti, il Dalai Lama, Rita Levi Montalcini, Liliana Segre, Papa Giovanni Paolo II, i Presidenti della Repubblica Sandro Pertini e Sergio Mattarella, tornato anche lo scorso 12 aprile a firmare il nuovo Libro d’Onore assieme al già presidente sloveno Borut Pahor, fino all’ultima firma apposta da Papa Francesco.

“Abbiamo voluto dedicare al nostro Ateneo un momento di festa che unisse passato, presente e futuro e raccontasse la storia di un ateneo che, attraverso tante prove, si è evoluto ed è diventato migliore e più competitivo – spiega il Rettore, Roberto Di Lenarda – in questa giornata così speciale voglio ringraziare chi lavora e studia con noi, oltre le Istituzioni, gli Enti di Ricerca e il territorio che ci ospita per la grande fiducia e il sostegno che ci hanno sempre assicurato”.

Al termine della celebrazione è stata annunciata anche la riapertura al pubblico della mostra allestita al Castello di San Giusto “1924-2024. Un secolo di storia dell’Università degli Studi di Trieste. Immagini e documenti”, visitabile fino a domenica 10 novembre 2024 negli orari di apertura del Castello. La mostra è realizzata da UniTS in coorganizzazione con il Comune di Trieste e il contributo della Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia.  

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 Sul canale Youtube UniTS https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLTBTziWWLo3yJjGUTSgw-SHwLZMQd6vR è possibile vedere: 

• #100UniTS: l'anno del Centenario in due minuti

Sintesi delle principali attività realizzate dall'Università degli Studi di Trieste in occasione delle celebrazioni del Centenario (anno accademico 2023 - 2024)

• Buon compleanno UniTS!

Gli auguri per i 100 anni dell'Università degli Studi di Trieste da parte di alcuni rappresentanti del mondo universitario e di tante persone che, a vario titolo, ci hanno sostenuto nel percorso celebrativo e nella costruzione del futuro di UniTS.

• UniTS in una parola

Qual è la parola che meglio rappresenta il valore dell'Università degli Studi di Trieste? L'Ateneo l'ha chiesto ad alcuni rappresentanti del mondo universitario e a quanti hanno contribuito e contribuiranno per il passato, il presente e il futuro di UniTS.

The Mare Sopra outreach project devised by the University of Trieste to raise public awareness of rising sea levels caused by global warming is now in full swing. With almost 100 kilometres of coastline, Friuli Venezia Giulia is particularly vulnerable to risks caused by coastal erosion and flooding that could threaten local communities and infrastructure. Rising sea levels in the region could jeopardise not only the environment but also many of the activities that gravitate towards coastal areas, such as fishing and tourism.

In order to better understand the state of Friuli Venezia Giulia's coastline, researchers involved in the Mare Sopra project have recently begun monitoring the Trieste coastline with a special vehicle, a sort of kayak-pedalo-catamaran equipped with modern technology. In addition to the measurements that will be taken, these marine expeditions will be used to gather a vast collection of images and footage, making use of underwater cameras and drones. All updates and videos of upcoming activities will be made available on the Mare Sopra playlist on the University of Trieste's YouTube channel. 

At the end of the summer, the project will continue with further outreach activities on the beaches for schoolchildren and members of the public. The shooting of 360-degree spherical aerial videos captured by a drone is sure to be of particular interest. Images will be selected from underwater dives in order to create a high-resolution virtual tour.

At the end of all these activities, the main coastal locations will be marked with two lines. A yellow line will mark where the sea will be in 2050 and a red line its level in 2100.

Mare sopra is an interdisciplinary project conceived by Professor Stefano Furlani (UniTS), implemented with the collaboration of several partners and the contribution of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It involves geomorphologists, sociologists and biologists from three university departments (Mathematics, Informatics and Geosciences; Political and Social Sciences; Life Sciences), as well as citizens, schools and associations.

On 8th August, UniTS will celebrate the ‘National Day of Italian Labour Sacrifices in the World’, established to preserve the memory of the 136 Italians who lost their lives in a coal mine in Marcinelle in 1956. This was a tragedy that has become a symbol of Italian emigrants who were victims of accidents at work. 

This day highlights the significance of work as an irreplaceable driving force in the life of every individual: our Constitution, from its very first article, makes work a cardinal principle of our social system and the very foundation of the Republic.

The University is committed to training young people so that they can be the driving force and stimulus of our society in working contexts that guarantee dignity, security and prospects for professional growth.

This morning saw the presentation of the second edition of the further education course in Legal Translation between Italian and Slovenian, set in motion by the University of Trieste in cooperation with the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The presentation took place in the Predonzani Room of the Regional Government Building in Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia, in the presence of the Regional Councillor Pierpaolo Roberti, the Rector Roberto Di Lenarda and the Head of IUSLIT Gian Paolo Dolso.

The main objective of the course, which is part of the Department of Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies (IUSLIT), is to enhance skills in the translation and drafting of legal texts in the two languages and to deepen knowledge of the functioning of local authorities in Italy and Slovenia.

The incoming edition has been revised from an organisational point of view to better meet the needs of working students, while in terms of content, a computer part on computer-aided and machine translation tools and post-editing following the use of artificial intelligence has been included. As far as the legal part is concerned, the course will focus on a comparative approach of the Italian and Slovenian legal systems with particular reference to the functioning of local authorities.

Registration will open on 25th July with a deadline on 10th September, as per the call available online. A bachelor's degree is required. Twenty places are available, and lessons will follow a blended approach.

Thanks to the financing of 50,000 euros by the Department of Local Government, Civil Service, Security and Immigration of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, tuition fees for each participant will be limited to stamp duty.

‘The success of the first edition,’ remarked Rector Roberto Di Lenarda, ‘bears witness to the success of training initiatives that come about in response to the demands of public administrations and the labour market. Besides training young people, universities today also have the task of supporting Long Life Learning and the reskilling of workers who need to update their skills.’

The Head of IUSLIT, Gian Paolo Dolso, emphasised, on the other hand, how the course perfectly reflects the legal and linguistic expertise of the department which is promoting it and how the initiative, by focusing on the translation of administrative acts, places an important emphasis on the effective protection of minorities.

The course, in fact, responds to the needs of public administrations operating in border areas and cultivates new professionalism in the cross-border sphere: the figure of expert translator in the legal sphere, which is very valuable for all public administrations, from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region to the coastal municipalities of Slovenia where the Italian community is present.

All information about the course

The 2024 edition of ’Signals from the climate in FVG’, the popular publication realised by the technical-scientific working group Climate FVG set up by the regional administration in 2022 and coordinated by Arpa FVG, is freely available. 

This work, available online on Arpa's website, aims to inform the regional population – and all public and private stakeholders – about climate change, its effects and the actions that can be taken to tackle it in our region. At the same time, the publication also makes it possible to link the local dimension with the global one, through articles that broaden our view to what is happening on a wider scale.

‘Signals from the climate’ is therefore not a report on the state of the climate in Friuli Venezia Giulia, but rather a description of the situation, how important it is to become aware of it and act, and how society, public administration and the scientific world are already acting.

The ‘magazine’ collects more than 40 articles by 67 authors working at the FVG Climate Group entities: Region, ARPA FVG, University of Trieste, University of Udine, ICTP, OGS and CNR with the two institutes of marine and polar sciences.

The year 2023 was the third hottest year ever recorded in the region: the atmosphere and the sea reached above-average temperatures for many months and extreme events of considerable intensity affected several areas of the region. This year, the story begins of the signs of climate change that we detect in our territory and that translate into diverse effects on the various natural systems and productive sectors, calling us to 'act for the climate'. 

Experts from the various fields – climatologists, geologists, oceanographers, biologists, agronomists, economists, engineers, architects, environmental, public administration and health professionals – from our region accompany the reader on a journey of knowledge that starts in our mountains and winds its way ideally following the flow of water across the plains, to the lagoon and the sea. Returning to the mainland, the articles explore the effects of climate change on plants and animals, both in their natural state and in the agricultural sector.

This issue also concludes with some examples of actions taken by public bodies, primarily the FVG Region, for climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

This edition also hosts a remembrance of Maurizio Fermeglia, former Rector of UniTS who passed away last February, and one of his last popular contributions. A total of six articles are signed by researchers from the Department of Engineering and Architecture and the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste.

Mountains and Climate Change: A Fragile Balance in a Vulnerable Environment (p.43)

Maurizio Fermeglia (DIA) with a preface by Sabrina Pricl (DIA)

The effects of climate change are particularly evident in the mountains, a very vulnerable environment where even 'small' increases in temperature have amplified effects and can compromise the delicate balance that revolves around 0 °C. The consequences are significant, from melting glaciers and permafrost to impacts on ecosystems and mountain activities. Important changes are already being felt by mountain users: hikers, mountaineers, skiers and ski mountaineers.

Freshwaters: Changing Perspective to Cope with a Changing Climate (p.89)

Elisabetta Pizzul, Marco Bertoli (DSV)

Freshwater ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to changes in the environment and climate. A change in the way we perceive and manage them is necessary not only to preserve them, but also to enable them to perform those functions that are effective natural solutions to cope with climate change as well.

Transformation of Reclamation Landscapes and New Friuli Deserts in a Framework of Changing Agricultural and Climatic Patterns (p.105)

Thomas Bisiani, Adriano Venudo (DIA)

The drainage of the Friuli-Isontine plain has shaped the landscape, creating a hydrographic network that today performs important ecological functions. This environmental, historical and cultural heritage is now threatened by new agricultural models and irrigation efficiency methods adopted to cope with climate change. A balance must be found between the needs of agriculture, the environment and the landscape to stem a veritable 'desertification' of the land.

Courageous Mice: The Role of Small Mammals in the Adaptation of Oak and Beech Trees to Climate Change (p.153)

Alessio Mortelliti (DSV)

Up to 90 per cent of plants in an ecosystem may depend on animals for the dispersal of their seeds, as is the case for oaks and beeches, ecologically and economically important trees in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Small mammals, such as mice and voles, perform this vital function in complex and fascinating ways, and some research shows that certain individuals are particularly important in this process.

Climate Change and Well-Being: Summer Temperatures in Living Spaces (p.195)

Marco Manzan, Atlas Ramezani (DIA)

High temperatures, especially when associated with high humidity, can be dangerous for people, especially the most frail. In order to act to protect them, with a view to climate equity, it is important to assess this phenomenon in homes, especially those without air conditioning systems. A UniTS study analysed indoor conditions of comfort and stress in a multi-family building, considering the current and future climate and also the effect of electric fans.

Building and Climate Change: Designing Structures More Resistant to Extreme Events (p. 203)

Chiara Bedon (DIA)

With global warming, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is generally increasing. Many building components and systems, designed to withstand conventional weather events, are deficient for extreme phenomena, such as those recently recorded in FVG. New attention will be needed to adapt building systems, and in particular their most vulnerable components, to make them more resistant to the most intense weather events.

The Wastereduce project, which involves Croatia and Italy as part of the VI European Territorial Cooperation Program Interreg 2021-2027, was presented at the University of Trieste.

The green project, lasting two and a half years, involves collaboration between research institutes, local administrations, environmental protection and resource management agencies, non-governmental organizations, and service companies. The goal is to improve waste management in protected areas and Natura 2000 Network sites. The initiative aims to implement joint actions to combat waste abandonment using innovative detection and intervention methods.

Eight partners from the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, and Istria are participating in the project: the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism of Poreč, the consortium leader, the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste, the Istrian Region, the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Veneto, the managing body of the natural reserves of the Istrian region "Natura Histrica", the Association for Nature, Environment, and Sustainable Development "Sunce" based in Croatia, ETRA SpA - a benefit company based in Bassano del Grappa (Treviso), and Etifor – Valuing Nature, a spin-off of the University of Padua.

Wastereduce, funded with over 1.6 million euros by the European Union, was created in response to recent alarming data provided by the European Community. This data predicts that, in a "business-as-usual" scenario, the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems will nearly triple by 2040, rising from the current 9-14 million tons per year (2016 data) to a forecast of 23-37 million tons per year.

It is estimated that about 80% of this marine debris comes from land-based sources: waste inadequately managed in landfills, litter left on beaches and coastal areas, river runoff, coastal tourism, and waste directly disposed of at sea (e.g., illegal dumping or accidental release from ships).

These materials, especially plastics, cause severe economic damage, impacting coastal communities, tourism, navigation, and fishing. They also pose health risks to humans and biodiversity, affecting public health and resources like drinking water.

The project's approach aims to minimize human activities' pressure on protected areas and Natura 2000 sites by proposing solutions to reduce waste dispersal and developing cross-border cooperation mechanisms to monitor and identify critical areas where waste accumulation requires targeted management efforts. Complementary studies in behavioral psychology will be conducted to understand how to promote habit changes among those who use protected areas and may unknowingly contribute to environmentally harmful actions.

According to Dr. Barbara Sladonja of the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism of Poreč, the project coordinator, "Wastereduce aims to involve as many local entities, institutions, and individual citizens as possible from the outset, who can actively support societal change towards a more sustainable and low-impact future."

The use of advanced technologies, including satellite imagery, will be crucial for necessary territorial analysis to optimize waste collection points. "An important challenge we will face is understanding how the development of artificial intelligence can support remote monitoring systems to control waste accumulation in areas of natural value," says Professor Giovanni Bacaro, Professor of Environmental and Applied Botany at the University of Trieste and project referent for the Department of Life Sciences.

Finally, citizen involvement at various levels will be essential for the project's success. Education and awareness actions will focus on citizens, whose feedback will guide new waste management policies by the project partners. These policies are expected to translate into concrete actions to reduce, mitigate, and prevent pollution from waste in our natural reserves, rivers, and seas. Another result will be increased attractiveness for visitors to natural reserves, thereby enhancing the tourism value of the involved territories.

UniTS TREELAB has been enhanced with a laser ablation (€ 366,000) and a methylmercury analyser (€ 72,000), thanks to a partnership with ASUGI and PNRR-PNC funding for the analysis of environmental and occupational trace pollutants. 

The laser ablation enables the analysis of metals on surfaces and other substrates, while the methylmercury analyser checks the presence of mercury in water, air and hair.       

The new instruments add to the laboratory's equipment, enabling in-depth investigations into heavy metals in the region. By collaborating between doctors, chemists and geologists different skills have been combined to strengthen and deepen environmental and workplace investigations.

Also thanks to PNC-PRR funding, a further piece of equipment is being acquired that will enable the identification of trace organic molecules and make the ASUGI-UniTS laboratories complete.

TREELAB is a collaboration between the Clinical Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences. The activities within the laboratories are carried out and coordinated by Professors Francesca Larese Filon, former Director of the Department of Integrated Activities for Health and Safety, Gianpiero Adami, Matteo Crosera and Stefano Covelli, together with their collaborators and technicians.
 

As the 50th Social Week of Catholics hosted in Trieste came to a close, Pope Francis received a UniTS delegation composed of students, young researchers from the University's ten departments accompanied by their heads of department, the Rector, Vice-Rector Valter Sergo, the Director General and a representation from the governance.

The meeting, in the spirit of the theme of the Social Week, "At the Heart of Democracy," aimed to emphasize confidence in the ability of young people - engaged in training in the various disciplines that create universitas - to build a more just and solidarity-based society also through the development of knowledge. The historic meeting, experienced in the UniTS Centenary year, will also be remembered by the Pope's signature on the University's Book of Honour. 

PHOTO (Credit: Vatican Media)

Holy Pope Francis signs UniTS Book of Honour