From 3 September 2025, seminars, films and workshops to discuss sustainable mobility, the energy transition, the design of more comfortable, inclusive and resilient urban environments, the redevelopment of the building heritage, the redesign of Trieste's seafront and the reconfiguration of open spaces and landscapes to be water and heat resistant.

These are the themes to be addressed through Let's change! The climate is changing. Let's talk about it. This social responsibility project, which is organised and run by the Department of Engineering and Architecture at UniTS and co-funded by the University, aims to offer an open discussion based on the researchers’ work and reflections.

In recent decades, the effects of climate change have become increasingly tangible in Trieste. Negative impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems as well as extreme weather events such as flooding and heat waves are causing increasingly significant damage to the territory, infrastructure and public service buildings, economic activities, and health. From this perspective, we must make sure we are prepared to face present and future challenges. Key and increasingly urgent measures for ensuring this include sharing scientific knowledge about the transition underway, and promoting awareness and supporting mobilisation initiatives within administrations and society as a whole.

Let's change! is for everyone, but focuses particularly on young people, from school students to university students. All activities are free of charge and multidisciplinary in nature. Each topic will be discussed from different perspectives, using clear and accessible language.

More details at: letschange.dia.units.it 

The project, is currently set to run until early 2026 and the activity schedule will be progressively updated on the website. Citizens have the chance to shape the content of activities by completing the following questionnaire: https://dsvunits.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3rZXOENS4Xh8dAG

Let's change! will be accompanied by the publication of Quaderni, a bulletin which can be downloaded free of charge from the website, containing a summary of the activities developed by the project and the results from the questionnaires. This publication promises to be a useful resource for organising further meetings and debates between the University and the city on the kind of future we would like to see.

Programme of events

3rd September 2025, at 18:00
San Marco Café, Trieste
Trump, electric buses and alternative transport
Speakers: Alois Bonifacio and Andrea Mio
Moderator: Simona Regina

It may seem strange, but international geopolitical imbalances are linked to the fact that the new electric buses in Trieste are manufactured in China, and, more generally, to the energy transition. At the heart of the matter is group of raw materials, including rare-earth elements and lithium, which we all use on a daily basis, often without realising it. So perhaps it would be better to use other innovative means of transport, such as cable cars? Even in this case, however, certain conditions must be met in order to avoid serious repercussions. This talk offers attendees a light-hearted way to learn about issues that affect us all and our future.

23rd September 2025, at 18:00
Knulp bar and bookshop, Trieste
The city that suffocates and overwhelms us
Speakers: Eleonora Ceschin, Paola Cigalotto and Cristiano Cozzolino
Moderator: Fabio Del Missier

As in many other cities around the world, the impacts of climate change have become increasingly tangible in Trieste in recent decades. Extreme events are causing significant damage to urban spaces and the health of citizens, infrastructure and community facilities, and economic activities. Among the most noticeable effects are those caused by rising temperatures and flooding. To adapt to these changes and ensure well-being, we need more green spaces in the city. We will discuss the many possible solutions for transforming Trieste into a more beautiful, comfortable and liveable city.

17th October 2025, at 18:00
Stazione Rogers, Trieste
The energy transition: what is the role of technology?
Speakers: Alessandro Massi Pavan and Carlo Antonio Stival
Moderator: Giovanni Carrosio

The new millennium is characterised by an energy transition in which fossil fuels gradually replace renewable energy sources. The exponential global growth of renewable energy sources is linked to numerous factors, including the limited availability of fossil fuels, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the need to reduce the costs of the energy system. During this talk, global scenarios will be presented along with the technologies that can enable the transition, including: the role of photovoltaics, energy storage, electric mobility, renewable energy communities and energy saving.

6th November 2025, at 18:00
San Marco Café, Trieste
Not just construction: does living differently help reduce climate impact?
Speakers: Marco Manzan, Chiara Bedon and Ronelly De Souza

What are the environmental impacts of daily energy consumption in our homes? And what are the more general impacts related to our lifestyles and the ways in which we move around? The aim of this talk is to raise awareness of these issues, which are closely linked to individual choices, and to offer some practical ideas on possible habits with a lower environmental impact.

Film screenings

21th October 2025, at 21:00
Cinema Ariston, Trieste
Snowpiercer
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, starring Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton,  Jamie Bell. South Korea, USA, France, 2013
Introduction by Elena Marchigiani (DIA) and Daniela Terzoli (Cappella Underground)

2031. In a world decimated by a new ice age caused by failed experiments to stop global warming, a group of survivors remain alive inside a train, the ‘Snowpiercer’, which continues to travel around the Earth and obtains the energy to do so through an apparently perpetual motion engine. The train is a microcosm of human society divided into social classes; the poorest live in the rear carriages, where they feed exclusively on the ‘protein’ bars that are given to them; the richest live in the front carriages. Coexistence between them inevitably leads to struggles and revolutions.

18 th November 2025, ore 21:00
Cinema Ariston, Trieste
2040 – Let's save the planet!
Directed by Damon Gameau, starring Damon Gameau, Eva Lazzaro, Zoë Gameau, Davini Malcolm, Paul Hawken. USA, 2019. 
Introduction by Elena Marchigiani (DIA) and Daniela Terzoli (Cappella Underground)

What hopes for life and what future will our planet have? Imagining a better future for his daughter – who will be 21 in 2040 – Australian director Damon Gameau travels to discover areas of the world where men and women are working every day to actively tackle climate change.

Educational workshops (secondary schools) organised in collaboration with Immaginario Scientifico – Science museum
Dates to be confirmed in September - tentatively between October 2025 and January 2026
 

Are we building smart&green?
Chiara Bedon and Marco Fasan
Workshop

The construction sector is characterised by the increasing use of technology and advanced tools, which civil engineers use to support design, maintenance, monitoring and diagnostics in the context of continuous innovation. The workshop aims to introduce young people to civil engineering, teaching them about commonly used materials, models and tools, including through practical demonstrations.

The energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources
Alessandro Massi Pavan
Workshop

The new millennium is seeing an energy transition where renewable sources are replacing fossil fuels. The growth of renewables is due to factors such as the scarcity of fossil fuels, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the need to lower energy costs. The workshop describes one of the possible energy chains useful for the transition, including solar energy production, its storage using hydrogen and its conversion into electricity with a fuel cell. The activity also covers other enabling technologies for managing the intermittent nature of renewables.

Playing with climate?
Sergio Pratali Maffei
Discussion Game

The activity consists of a series of workshops using the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology, led by a certified facilitator. The aim is to involve all participants in a ‘hands-on’ reasoning process, accessible to all, which looks at possible future scenarios resulting from climate change. Participants will define possible actions, which will take shape in a ‘text/landscape’ where the individual models produced will interact with each other.

Participation in Trieste NEXT 

26th September 2025, at 9:00
Trieste Next, school outreach activities 
In the water, in the heat. Cities in transition
Speakers: Fabio Del Missier, Federico Roman and Eleonora Ceschin
Moderator: Raoul Kirchmayr

In Trieste, as in many cities, weather and climate change are having a tangible impact on spaces, public health, economic activities and infrastructure. Extreme events, such as rising temperatures and heavy rainfall, are putting the liveability of the urban environment at risk. This activity illustrates the links between mental and physical health and the changes taking place, proposing solutions to make cities more resilient. The aim is to communicate the urgent need to adopt a conscious and responsible attitude towards the transition of cities into adaptive environments.

Enrolment for the 2025/2026 academic year is now open for the 25 master courses offered by the University of Trieste, with 11 first-level master degrees (vocational masters) and 14 second-level master degrees (advanced masters). The course catalogue, offered by eight departments, addresses topics in a cross-disciplinary manner across the fields of medicine, economics and management, law, socio-politics, and education, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinarity and sustainability.

This year, seven new innovative masters with a strong vocational focus have been added to the course catalogue.

NEW COURSES FOR 2025-2026

Labour Law for Human Resources Management and Consulting (first-level)
This course integrates labour law with criminal, tax, European and corporate law. The aim of the course is to train students to support human resource management in digital, environmental and social transitions. The programme is divided into five modules ranging from legal fundamentals to interdisciplinary focuses, with practical seminars conducted by professionals in the field and a concluding final lecture. It combines theoretical rigour, practical applications and an interdisciplinary perspective.

Bioethics and Paediatric Palliative Care (first-level)
This course addresses the clinical, ethical and relational dimensions of caring for children with incurable chronic diseases. It integrates clinical bioethics and palliative care skills, developing decision-making and communication skills with the dignity of the child and the family at the centre. It proposes an approach that values interprofessionality and promotes a culture of paediatric palliative care as an essential part of care, in line with the principles of humanisation of medicine and professional responsibility.

Land-Side Connections in Ports (second-level)
This course combines technical skills in rail and intermodal transport with economic knowledge for cost analysis and scenario forecasting, and legal knowledge for the correct setting of flows in compliance with tax and customs regulations. The focus on statistics and digital technologies is an integral part of the course, with particular attention paid to the use of data and performance indicators. The course trains participants to face the new challenges of port logistics and international land-side connections.

Robotic Surgery (second-level)
An advanced course for doctors interested in robot-assisted pelvic and renal surgery. It involves progression from basic skills, acquired on animated and inanimate models, to ultra-specialised skills in the operating theatre. This course is a travelling and international master, with experience in three robotic surgery centres, one of which is in Slovenia, thus offering participants direct exposure to a range of environments and broadening their professional horizons.

Aesthetic Medicine (second-level)
This master course integrates knowledge of plastic surgery and dermatology with the most modern non-invasive and non-surgical techniques. The use of fillers, botulinum toxin and lasers are incorporated into the specialist's clinical practice through responsible and informed use, with the aim of responding to the growing demand for aesthetic medicine. This course combines scientific progress, ethical awareness and technical skills.

INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENTS AND SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Within the new courses, there are two programmes developed under the agreement signed with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies:

Social and Companionship Care – PiCAS (first-level)
This course is designed for social workers, educators and psychologists, and seeks to strengthen the skills of multidisciplinary teams working in local social services. It focuses on the integrated care of individuals and families in vulnerable or poor conditions, using up-to-date operational and assessment tools. The course promotes the co-construction of interventions, evidence-based social planning and a ‘side by side’ participatory approach, in line with the National Inclusion Plan and LEPS.

Planning, management and evaluation of social services (second level)
An advanced course to develop skills in planning, programming, implementing and monitoring the integrated system of social interventions and services. In line with the National Inclusion Plan and LEPS, it promotes critical and systemic approaches to social policies, supporting co-programming, co-design and participatory governance. Participants will acquire the operational and theoretical tools needed to build inclusive and sustainable territorial networks capable of responding to the complex needs of communities.

Both Master's programmes are currently awaiting approval from the Ministry, so the relevant enrolment procedures are not yet active. Details will be provided as soon as possible.

For information about the course Social Care and Support – PiCAS (Level I): master.mlps1@units.it, for Planning, Management and Evaluation of Social Services (Level II): master.mlps2@units.it

Finally, as part of the special agreements, the fourth edition of a well-established course, organised in collaboration with the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, has been confirmed:

Third Sector Law and Management – DMTS (second-level)
The master programme is aimed at those who have already obtained a master's degree (laurea magistrale). The course, offered by the Department of Political and Social Sciences, provides comprehensive and multidisciplinary training, preparing participants to guide organisations through regulatory, management and fundraising challenges. The programme combines theory and practice, and students gain practical experience through project work and internships. The partnership with the FVG Region guarantees a strong link with the territory, promoting the creation of collaborative networks and social innovation. Participants will have the opportunity to develop skills in governance, leadership, resource management and communication, with a focus on social impact and sustainability.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be submitted via the online Student Academic Services (Esse3). For deadlines, procedures and requirements, please consult the official call for applications.

The University of Trieste is one of five of research institutions participating in the INSIDE oceanographic mission (Unravelling the lithosphere-asthenosphere system of the Tyrrhenian back arc basin through geological, petrological and geophysical data, integration and geodynamic modelling), a campaign coordinated by the national research centre (CNR) that brings together an international team aboard the research vessel, the Gaia Blu. The campaign aim is to improve knowledge of the Tyrrhenian seabed and the underlying geological structures. 

Some of the most important activities include the measurement of terrestrial heat flow and the application of advanced seismic imaging techniques. The latter of which allows researchers to obtain high-resolution images of the bathymetry and seabed, making it possible to identify active faults, recent sedimentary deposits and ongoing deformations. Heat flow measurements, on the other hand, mean the heat rising from the Earth's mantle towards the seabed can be quantified. This is a decisive parameter for assessing the thermal state and tectonic activity of the basin.

The new data acquired is unprecedented in its accuracy and will offer new insights into the thermodynamics of the Tyrrhenian region and its relationship with seismic and volcanic phenomena.

On board the Gaia Blu are Prof. Magdala Tesauro, professor of Solid Earth Geophysics, and research assistant Dr Racine Abigail Basant, both from the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences. The Trieste group contributes to the choice of data acquisition points, data collection and laboratory analysis. 

'The interpretation of these results,’ emphasises Prof. Tesauro, 'will allow us to estimate the physical properties of the crust and upper mantle of the Tyrrhenian basin, achieving one of the main objectives of the project.’

The INSIDE mission is coordinated by Dr Maria Filomena Loreto of the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR) and involves the participation of UniTS, the Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences at the University of Genoa (DISTAV), the Rome2 INGV section on 'Geomagnetism, Aeronomy and Environmental Geophysics', and the Université de la Sorbonne (UPMC, Paris).

Results were presented in Trieste from the cross-border clinical research project X-BRAIN.net - Network for cross-border cooperation aimed at the rehabilitation of stroke patients with innovative technologies, funded by the Interreg Italy-Slovenia Programme with a total budget of €750,000.

Coordinated by the Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences at the University of Trieste, the project involved the participation of the Science and Research Centre Koper (ZRS Koper), the Neurological Clinic of ASUGI’s Cattinara Hospital and the Neurology Unit of Izola General Hospital.

The aim of the project is to make stroke rehabilitation more effective, a crucial challenge for today's healthcare system, by activating a targeted protocol in the very first days, enhanced by the use of innovative technologies. ‘The multimodal approach,’ explains project coordinator Professor Gianni Biolo of the University of Trieste, ‘combines nutritional integration, cognitive training through virtual reality and prehabilitation activities to ensure the maintenance of muscle mass and strength and to modulate the reorganisation processes within the central nervous system that are typical of immobility, promoting a more rapid recovery at the end of the period of inactivity.’

The experimental phase was conducted on healthy volunteers, with an average age of 68, who had to stay in bed for ten days. ‘From a nutritional point of view,’ continues Biolo, ‘we intervened by increasing protein intake from 0.8 to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per day and introducing a daily intake of 3.5 grams of the amino acid leucine, in order to ensure the maintenance of muscle mass.’

‘Through immersive and multisensory environments,’ explains Dr Luka Šlosar of the Science and Research Centre Koper, ‘the volunteers underwent mental training that preserved the flow of neuromuscular information and modulated the reorganisation processes within the central nervous system. In this way, it was possible to promote the maintenance of muscle strength and accelerate recovery times.’

‘Strokes are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide,’ emphasises Professor Paolo Manganotti, director of the Neurological Clinic at Cattinara Hospital, ‘with consequences that profoundly affect daily life. Intervening in the first few days with targeted rehabilitation programmes is essential for recovering compromised functions and improving quality of life. Thanks to the project, we were able to set up an active room entirely dedicated to the acute phase, equipped with virtual reality devices that allow for safe, stimulating and personalised exercises. The immersive and interactive aspect increases patient motivation and consistency, which are decisive factors in a successful recovery.’

A portable, inexpensive sensor capable of detecting the presence of chemical pollutants (PFAS) in water in just a few minutes. This is the result of a study coordinated by Marcello Berto of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UniMoRe), in collaboration with Pierangelo Metrangolo of the Polytechnic University of Milan (PoliMi) and Lucia Pasquato of the University of Trieste (UniTS). The research has just been published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials and is part of the PRIN-Nifty project funded by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR).

PFAS, poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances, are chemical compounds used in numerous consumer products, from non-stick pans to waterproof fabrics. Resistant to degradation, they accumulate in living tissues and spread into the environment – water, soil and air – even over long distances, making them one of the most insidious pollutants for health today.

The sensor developed by the three universities responds to this need: it is based on an organic electrolyte modulation transistor, capable of distinguishing different types of PFAS thanks to a special molecular coating designed by the UniTS research group.

'The heart of the sensor,' explains Lucia Pasquato, professor of organic chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 'is a gold electrode coated with a mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) consisting of two types of molecules. Our group has been working on these coatings for over 15 years, particularly those containing fluorinated molecules, and we have developed the expertise to design them in such a way as to make them stable, reproducible and effective. In this case, the aim was to create a SAM that would bring the water to be analysed into contact with the electrode and at the same time be able to interact with PFAS. To do this, we combined two components: fluorinated thiols, which promote the recognition of contaminants thanks to fluorine-fluorine interactions, and hydrophilic thiols, which improve the wettability of the surface. This combination, together with the expertise of the UniMoRe and PoliMi groups, has resulted in a portable, inexpensive and high-performance sensor.’ 

The full article on Advanced Functional Materials

The DIGILAFS project (Digitisation of the Antonio Fonda Savio Legacy), promoted by the University of Trieste’s Library and Museum Services, seeks to enhance and preserve the documentary section of the Antonio Fonda Savio Legacy, held within the Writers and Regional Culture Archive.

DIGILAFS is one of the projects funded by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region as part of the regional call for proposals for “Interventions aimed at promoting the use of ICT solutions and augmented reality for the benefit of cultural operators” under the PR FESR 2021-2027 funds.

The approved €63,440 of funding will cover all expenses for the duration of the project, which is set to last 24 months. Project activities began on 1 July and will include the purchase of a professional planetary scanner for the purpose of document digitisation.

The documentary section of the Antonio Fonda Savio Legacy consists of personal documents and heterogeneous materials of particular importance, including a collection of letters by Pietro Nobile (414 items), historiographical documents relating to the world wars, family documents, records, postcards, photographs and 313 historic documents (parchments, papal bulls, proclamations).

The collection’s variety and historical interest coupled with the extremely fragile condition of most of the paper documents mean that its digitisation and online promotion are essential if this particular piece of cultural heritage is to be valorised and made accessible to potential interested parties.

The long-term objective of the project is to complete the digitisation of the cultural heritage preserved in the Archive of Writers and Regional Culture and, in the short term, to scan at least 40% of the documentary section of the Fonda Savio Legacy, in order to make it accessible to the public via the regional portal and the University Museum Services portal.

The EAES Research Grant has been awarded to Professor Silvia Palmisano, Associate Professor of General Surgery at the University of Trieste, and her team, for the project Teaching Rectal Surgery through Artificial Intelligence Navigation – TRAIN Study. This is an international recognition conferred by the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES).

The study, which involves an international network of experts, aims to enhance training in rectal surgery through the integration of artificial intelligence–based navigation systems.

Founded in 1990, the EAES is one of the leading international organizations in the field of endoscopic surgery and related interventional techniques, engaged in promoting training, research, and development activities, as well as organizing high-level scientific congresses.

The grant, worth a total of €30,000 and awarded annually to two or three carefully selected projects, supports clinical and translational research activities to promote safe and high-quality minimally invasive surgery.

For Professor Palmisano, who also serves as Medical Director of the Complex Structure of Surgical Clinic at the Giuliano Isontina University Health Authority (ASUGI), the award of the grant “highlights the value of teamwork and international collaboration.”

Starting from the academic year 2025/26, the University of Trieste will activate a second Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene at the Pordenone campus, alongside the one already offered in Trieste. The publication of the admission call for the Health Professions degree programs confirms the new developments in the educational offer anticipated in recent weeks.

The total number of places for the Dental Hygiene degree program (CLID) will therefore increase from last year’s 30 to 50, equally distributed between Trieste and Pordenone. This further expands the University’s presence in Pordenone, following the launch of the Dietetics degree program last year.

Separate rankings will be drawn up for the Trieste and Pordenone Dental Hygiene programs: applicants may indicate both campuses and, if eligible, may be admitted to their second choice through ranking shifts.

For the a.y. 2025/26, UniTS has planned the training of 460 future healthcare professionals, through the activation of ten first-level degree programs: Health Assistance (40 places, Gorizia), Dietetics (30 places, Pordenone), Physiotherapy (40 places, Trieste), Dental Hygiene with 25 places in Trieste and 25 in Pordenone, Nursing (200 places, Trieste), Speech Therapy (30 places, Trieste), Environmental and Workplace Prevention Techniques (20 places, Gorizia), and Psychiatric Rehabilitation Techniques (30 places, Trieste).

Among the inter-university programs with the University of Udine, which alternate annually between the two institutions, this year the Midwifery degree program returns to Trieste, with 20 available places, four more than in the previous UniTS call (2023). At UniUD, the Biomedical Laboratory Techniques and Medical Radiology Techniques for Imaging and Radiotherapy degree programs will be offered, each with 40 places available.

In addition, the new rules regulating admission to Master’s Degree programs in Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine provide for reserved quotas of up to 20% of the planned places in related health profession degree programs, available to candidates who are not admitted in the merit ranking at the end of the filter semester. At the University of Trieste, this will allow for up to 40 additional enrollments in Nursing, 8 in Health Assistance, and 4 in Environmental and Workplace Prevention Techniques.

Applications must be submitted exclusively online by 1:00 p.m. on 28 August, according to the procedures indicated in the official call. Each applicant may select up to three different degree programs, for which they will be considered in the rankings.

The admission test, common to all degree programs, will take place on Monday, 8 September 2025 in Trieste, at the Piazzale Europa campus (buildings H3 and C1), starting at 11:00 a.m., with identification procedures beginning at 8:30 a.m. The test will last 100 minutes and will consist of 60 multiple-choice questions, covering reading skills and acquired knowledge, logical reasoning and problem solving, biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.

The Italian Ministry of Universities and Research has granted Maurizio Prato the prestigious title of Professor Emeritus.

The decree, signed by Minister Anna Maria Bernini on 5th August 2025, recognises Maurizio Prato’s extraordinary academic and scientific career as a former full professor of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Trieste.

The Emeritus Professorship is the crowning achievement of an extremely successful career full of awards. Prof. Prato began his career in 1983 at the University of Padua and continued from 1992 at the University of Trieste, first as an associate professor and, from 2000, as a full professor, until his retirement in 2023.

A member of the Accademia dei Lincei and Ikerbasque Research Professor at CIC biomaGUNE in San Sebastián (Spain), Maurizio Prato has made fundamental and interdisciplinary contributions to the field of nanoscience, particularly in the design and synthesis of carbon nanostructures for applications in bio-nanotechnology and in the conversion and storage of solar energy. 

His research has become an important point of reference for the scientific community thanks to his work on innovative, controlled and reproducible synthetic protocols and analytical methods for the functionalisation and design of carbon nanostructures – an area of research which, in recent years, has also been extended to include graphene and carbon dots. His contributions have significantly advanced the understanding and control of the chemistry of carbon nanostructures, placing them at the centre of a number of developments in technology.

Prof. Prato has received numerous national and international awards, including the prestigious Raffaele Piria Medal awarded in 2024 by the Italian Chemistry Society, reserved for scholars who have honoured Italian organic chemistry and represent a continuation of its distinguished traditions. He has also obtained significant research funding, including two ERC Advanced Grants, in 2008 and 2020, and was appointed a member of the Accademia dei Lincei in 2010, a member of the European Academy of Sciences in 2013, the Academia Europaea in 2015, the Venetian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts in 2018, the National Academy of Inventors (USA) in 2021 and the Royal Academy of Sciences of Spain in 2022. He is an honorary professor at Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.

Over the years, Prof. Prato has formed a veritable school. His research group at the University of Trieste has trained over 230 students, PhD students, post-docs and visiting professors, many of whom come from abroad. Numerous former members of his group have embarked on successful scientific careers and now hold prestigious positions in high profile universities and research centres. The success of his colleagues and students is a testament to his ability to inspire and guide young scientists towards innovative and unexplored paths.

His intense research activity has led him to publish over 800 articles in high-impact international journals, with a total of over 82,000 citations and an h-index of 132 (Scopus). He has conducted research at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA (1980), University College, Dublin, Ireland (1983), Yale University, New Haven, USA (1986-87), and the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA (1991-92). He was a visiting professor at the Chemistry Departments of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris in 2001, the University of Namur, Belgium, in 2010, the University of Strasbourg in 2014 and the University of Mons (Belgium) in 2018. 

Maurizio Prato has also contributed to the community at the University of Trieste by holding important institutional roles. He was Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, leading the merge with the Department of Chemistry in 2010, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy from 2002 to 2013, PhD Coordinator for the Pharmaceutical Sciences programme for two three-year periods, and Vice PhD Coordinator for the Chemistry programme for an additional two three-year periods.

A chemist and scientist of the highest calibre, Maurizio Prato is internationally recognised for his scientific contributions, but also for his humanity and kindness. The ministerial conferral of the title of Professor Emeritus is a well-deserved recognition of an extraordinary career which has contributed significantly to strengthening the prestige of the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and our university, both nationally and internationally.

Rector Donata Vianelli congratulates Prof. Prato on this important recognition, expressing gratitude for his contribution to the scientific prestige, internationalisation and, more generally, growth of the University of Trieste on behalf of the entire academic community.

On August 10, Pio Nodari passed away. He was a former Full Professor of Economic and Political Geography and Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Trieste from 2000 to 2003.

The Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics "Bruno de Finetti" (DEAMS) remembers him for his academic work, carried out with great passion and dedication, and for his political commitment, which made him a leading figure in the civic and political life of Trieste.

Professor Nodari’s teaching activity was primarily dedicated to undergraduate and doctoral degree courses within the Faculty of Economics.

His scientific production focused mainly on the study of migration phenomena, but also addressed a wide range of themes and disciplines, such as territorial planning, sustainable economic and tourism development, economic and political dynamics in the north-eastern border area of Italy and the Balkans, political-economic territorial organization processes of the European Union, and the study and development of cartography and Geographic Information Systems applied to economic decision-making and territorial planning. In this context, it is worth recalling his promotion of the interdepartmental centre of excellence in telegeomatics “GeoNetLab.”

For many years, he led the working group of the Association of Italian Academic Geographers (A.Ge.I.) on foreign immigration to Italy, effectively coordinating the national inter-university research on the subject, benefiting over the years from PRIN funding—reserved for projects of significant national interest—and from CNR grants.

He was an tireless promoter of initiatives aimed at enhancing research activities, with particular attention to involving and supporting young emerging scholars. In this spirit, in addition to creating the Laboratory of Economic and Political Geography—still active at DEAMS—he was among the founders of the “Ezio Vanoni” Centre for Economic and Political Studies in Trieste and the “Giorgio Valussi” Centre for Tourism Studies in Gorizia.

He was a mentor to more than one generation of students, many of whom have gone on to hold academic positions at the University of Trieste and other universities.

Pio Nodari was also the organizer of many national and international seminars, meetings and conferences, including the Italian–Romanian Colloquia, and numerous events held as part of Interreg Italy–Slovenia projects.

His commitment and the esteem he enjoyed within the Italian academic geography community are also evidenced by the fact that he served for many years as an elected member of the A.Ge.I. Governing Council.

Those who worked with him remember him with respect, affection and gratitude.