Opening tomorrow in Zuglio (Udine) Luci Celesti Radici Terrestri + Stelutis Alpinis, FVG's first astronomy-themed science festival, which will continue until 19th October 2024. The scientific contribution will be made by the Physics Department of the University of Trieste and the INAF-Trieste Astronomical Observatory, while the artistic direction is by the Amalgama Collective. Among the organisers is the Municipality of Arta Terme.

The initiative, created to investigate the relationship of human beings with the starry sky, which spans from the myths of antiquity to the most recent discoveries, will propose lectures, astronomical observations, installations, performances and workshops combining scientific and cultural aspects and local history. The next four months will also feature the theatrical and musical performances of the Amalgama Collective and a series of activities involving local associations. The programme includes meetings with UniTS lecturers, visits to historical and natural sites, immersive experiences with virtual reality visors, orienteering activities with the stars, art installations and performances. Participants will also be involved in an experiential teaching workshop organised by the Amalgama Collective, starting with Gianni Rodari's work ‘Via Lattea Quaraquarinci’, which will lead them to create stories and nursery rhymes. The works will then be collected together with drawings and thoughts of the children to form the Almanac of the New Poetic Astrophysics School. A rich and varied programme of free events will offer multiple approaches to the astronomical theme.

The University of Trieste, with the Department of Physics, is the lead partner in the project ‘Stelutis Alpinis. Let's discover the Cosmos from the Mountains of Carnia’, financed by the University through the Public and Social Commitment - Third Mission call, a new initiative of the University created to support with ad hoc funding projects that have an impact and a relationship with the community, in this case the regional one. The initiative complements Luci Celesti/Radici Terrestri, a festival funded by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region in which the University participates as a partner and which has Alexandro Saro as its scientific director.

For more information

Programme:

Saturday 8th June, 21:00, Zuglio, Polse di Côugnes 

‘Is there life in the galaxy?’ lecture by Prof. Giovanni Vladilo. Followed by astronomical observation.

Sunday 9th June, 21:00, Rivalpo 

‘Close Encounters with the Second Kind’ performance with artistic incursions, by the Amalgama Collective, Daniele D'Agaro and Marzio Tomada. The evening is held at Rivalpo, which celebrates the traditional Festa della Madonna on the morning of the same day.

Tuesday 25th June, 21:00, Valle, Social Centre 

‘Three walks in the woods of stars’ lecture by Fabrizio Fiore, director INAF Trieste, artistic interventions by the Amalgama Collective.

Wednesday 26 June, 17:00, Zuglio

Municipal Archaeological Museum guided tour of the museum and the Roman forum.

Thursday 27th June to Saturday 29th June

Rivalpo, Zuglio Archaeological Museum, 14:00: opening of the festival's art installations.

Friday 28th June, 17:30, Zuglio 

Archaeological Museum guided tour of the museum and the Roman forum.

Thursday 29th June

17:30. Rivalpo ‘Close Encounters with the Second Kind’ performance with artistic incursions by the Amalgama Collective.

21:00. Zuglio, Polse di Côugnes Astronomical observation at the observatory.

Saturday 13 July, 11:00, Rivalpo 

'Food and wine walk' at the fair. Visit to exhibitor stands and tastings.

Saturday 10 August, 21:00, Zuglio, Polse di Côugnes 

‘Star Maps Carved on a Protohistoric Stone: The First Astronomer?’ lecture by Prof. Paolo Molaro. Followed by astronomical observation.

Saturday 14 September, 21:00, Zuglio, Polse di Côugnes

‘The variable sky: Exploring the frontiers of contemporary astrophysics’ lecture by Prof. Francesco Longo. Followed by astronomical observation.

Saturday 19 October, 21:00, Zuglio, Polse di Côugnes

‘Journey to the dark side of the universe: from Einstein to Euclid’ lecture by Prof. Stefano Borgani, UniTS. Followed by astronomical observation

From Monday 14th to Friday 18th October: educational week for pupils and teachers of the schools of the Istituto Comprensivo Linussio - Matiz

The book ‘Prehistoric Caves of Friuli Venezia Giulia’ maps, describes and places in a precise but explanatory scientific context the caverns from which artefacts and animal remains exhibited in the museums of our territory originate.

Readers of the free downloadable publication, will also find some easily accessible itineraries for total immersion in one of the most fascinating and mysterious treasures of our natural heritage.

The book is the final act of a collaboration between the Central Directorate for Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development, the Geological Service and the Interdepartmental Centre for Science and Technology Applied to Cultural Heritage SCICC of UniTS for the implementation of the Regional Cave Database (CSR) with data on caves of archaeological interest related to the CRIGA (Computerised Annotated Database of Archaeological Caves) project, developed in the past for the Karst caves by UniTS. In the realisation of the project and the drafting of the publication, coordinated by UniTS, it was essential to collaborate with the Scientific and Archaeological Museums of Trieste and Udine, the Speleological Groups and Associations, as well as scholars from different scientific fields, who made it possible to extend the database to the entire region.

In animals, as in humans, each individual has its own personality. The personality of small mammals – i.e. the boldness, curiosity and aggressiveness of an individual – influences all stages of seed dispersal. This has been shown by numerous studies conducted by Alessio Mortelliti, Associate Professor of Ecology at the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste and former Associate Professor in Wildlife Habitat Conservation at the University of Maine.

The relationship between rodents and plants is ambivalent. In some circumstances mice are antagonistic as they prey on acorns, in other circumstances both mice and trees benefit and then the relationship is termed mutualistic. Past studies have shown that certain individuals, the more daring or curious ones, are more likely to disperse seeds, meaning that these individuals are particularly important for the functioning of an ecosystem. Understanding which characteristics are crucial to ecosystems and how to conserve them is of primary importance for the adaptation of species to global changes. 

The aim of the research project is to study this relationship between the individual personality of small mammals and seed dispersal. The project is entitled ‘Predicting the range-shifts of woody plant species by incorporating the critical role of small mammal scatter-hoarders’ and is financed by a PRIN (Research Projects of National Interest) – NRRP. Research is currently underway in the Alba Valley, but will be conducted for the first time in Europe by the research group from the University of Trieste, under the leadership of Professor Alessio Mortelliti and in collaboration with the Sapienza University of Rome and the Julian Pre-Alps Park.

The hypothesis is grounded on numerous studies that Professor Alessio Mortelliti's research group has conducted over the past decade in Maine (USA). In particular, the researchers have discovered that courageous individuals are those who travel greater distances with their seeds and hide them in optimal sites for germination. Within a species and an ecosystem, therefore, some individuals are particularly important for seed dispersal and, consequently, also for a plant's adaptation to climate change. It is these individuals, in fact, that will allow plants such as oaks and beeches to adapt to climate change by migrating in latitude and altitude.

The researchers will conduct two field experiments, also helped by scholars from the University of Maine, who are visiting Italy in early June. In the first phase they will measure the personality of rodents and expose them to new seeds. The chosen seeds belong to a woody species not yet present in the ecosystems under investigation, but which may arrive in the future precisely as a response to climate change. The hypothesis is that the boldest individuals will be the ones to interact the most with these new, unfamiliar seeds. By tracking the seeds with a fluorescent powder and measuring germination rates, the researchers will associate each individual rodent with the final arrival point of the seeds. In addition to assessing whether certain personality traits increase the likelihood of dispersal, the researchers will also identify seed traits (e.g. mass, shape) that increase the likelihood of seeds being preyed upon or dispersed. Finally, by conducting a series of simulations, they will evaluate the potential effects of personality on the composition of forest communities and the adaptability of species to global changes.

The project will also lead to the creation of a guide on how to exploit the role of rodents to improve assisted migration, (i.e. the human-assisted movement of plants to more climatically suitable habitats) and a checklist of traits and plant species with a high probability of successful expansion.

Alessio Mortelliti has cultivated 20 years' experience in studying the ecology and behaviour of mammals and how this knowledge can facilitate their conservation. In the past, he has carried out numerous field projects in Italy, Austria, the United States, Indonesia, Kenya, Tunisia and Mauritania.

Yesterday, Thomas Parisini, Full Professor of Automation at the Department of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Trieste, was dubbed a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Cavaliere al Merito della Repubblica Italiana).

The honour was awarded to the UniTS professor on 2 June in Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia, during the official ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. The insignia was presented by the Prefect of Trieste Pietro Signoriello and UniTS Rector Roberto Di Lenarda.

The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (OMRI), established in 1951, is the highest of the orders of the Italian Republic and is intended to ‘reward merits acquired on behalf of the Nation in the field of literature, the arts, economics and in the performance of public service and activities carried out for social, philanthropic and humanitarian purposes, as well as for long and distinguished civil or military service’.

This prestigious civil award sits alongside a number of other awards that have characterised Thomas Parisini's academic career, which began at the University of Genoa, where he graduated with honours in Electronic Engineering (1988) and a PhD in Electronic and Computer Engineering (1993).

He subsequently became Associate Professor at the Politecnico di Milano and is currently Full Professor of Automation at the University of Trieste, a position affiliated with the Danieli Group. He is also holds positions as the Chair of Industrial Control, and as the Head of the Control and Power Group at Imperial College London (UK).

Parisini was also Deputy Rector for Business Relations at the University of Trieste from 2009 to 2013.

In 2018, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Aalborg University (Denmark).

Some of the main positions held by Parisini include President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Control Systems Society in 2021-2022 and Chairman of the Editorial Board (Editor in Chief) of the international journal IEEE Trans. on Control Systems Technology.

He has also received several scientific awards such as IEEE Fellow, IFAC Fellow, the 2007 IEEE Distinguished Member Award, the IFAC Best Application Paper Prize from the Journal of Process Control, Elsevier, and the 2004 Outstanding Paper Award from the IEEE Trans. on Neural Networks.

The University of Trieste is opening enrolment for the next academic year fromMonday 3rd June: students can find all the information on the UniTS website https://portale.units.it/en/study/courses-and-programmes. 

A wide-ranging and multidisciplinary course catalogue will be made available to all future students, including 43 bachelor’s and integrated master’s degrees, as well as 37 master's degrees in the three main areas of technology and science, life and health sciences, social sciences and humanities.

NEW COURSES

The University of Trieste's educational offerings are extremely dynamic, with 8 new degree courses having been activated in the last three years. 

The first level course in Dietetics (awaiting official accreditation) will be new for the 2024/25 academic year, and will be running at the Pordenone Campus. 

The course qualifies students as dieticians, a profession which aims to promote proper nutrition in the various stages of life and in both preventive and clinical settings, including catering, research and teaching. There are 30 places available and the student must pass the National Health Professions Test. 

The University of Trieste is organising a free preparation course on 17th and 18th July for the admission tests to healthcare courses (Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics and Healthcare Professions). Prospective students can enrol so long as places are available (460 places in total) by filling in the form on this page no later than 15th July 2024: https://portale.units.it/en/studiare/orientarsi/preparazione-test-area-medico-sanitaria. 

On 1st July, the Master's degree courses in Engineering for the Energy Transition and in European Policies for digital, ecological and social transitions will be officially introduced, two absolute firsts respectively at international and national level.

NO TAX AREA RAISED TO 30,000 EURO, SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE AND MERIT-BASED GRANTS

For the academic year 2024-2025, UniTS has further increased the no-tax area (accessible to all students with an Equivalent Financial Situation Index – ISEE – specific for universities up to € 30,000), and has maintained its comprehensive system of total and partial exemptions, fee reductions and merit-based grants.

The total tax and fee exemption for the winners of ARDIS scholarships (Regional Agency for the Right to University Education) remains in force. In recent years these scholarships have been awarded to 100% of eligible candidates.

Merit-based grants have also been confirmed, which account for half of the total contributions for partial exemptions and fee reductions. This reflects both the excellent results achieved by UniTS students and the University's commitment to rewarding deserving pupils.

TOP EMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG GRADUATES

The employment rate of UniTS bachelor’s graduates twelve months after graduation was 81.6%, compared to the national average of 75.4% and 80.2% in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Finally, 90% of master's graduates are employed five years after graduation (88.7% national figure) and 83% one year after graduation, surpassing the Italian average of 77.1%.

This is the clearest picture emerging from the Almalaurea 2023 report. 

GUIDED TOURS OF THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AND ORIENTATION TALKS

During the summer, the Unit for Prospective Student Support and School Liaison are organising guided tours of the Campus in Piazzale Europa by course tutors. Booking is compulsory at https://portale.units.it/en/studiare/orientarsi/vieni-a-conoscerci.

Students can also meet UniTS guidance professionals and student tutors in person at their front office, open Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 12:30 and, additionally, on Mondays from 15:00 to 17:00. They are also available remotely in a virtual classroom on the days and times indicated in the compulsory booking form, available at https://www.units.it/aula-virtuale.

Lastly, two free sessions of Summer Training Modules (Moduli Formativi Estivi) have been scheduled (in July and September). This is the orientation initiative dedicated to third- and fourth-year high-school students who want to get to knowthe University of Trieste better and learn more about their favourite topics, test their interests and get a taste of the university world. All information on programmes and timetables can be found at https://www.units.it/moduli-formativi. Enrolment is still open!

Brochure on UniTs course catalogue

For more information please contact the Unit for Prospective Student Support and School Liaison, tel. +39 040 3473787, mail: orientamento@units.it

Inclusive and accessible tourism to meet the needs of people with disabilities and elderly people with limitations due to age and health problems: this is the aim of the new project ‘DATIS: Digital Frontiers for Inclusive Tourism’, involving the Department of Political and Social Sciences (DiSPeS) at UniTS.

The kick-off meeting of the two-year project, financed with over one million euros from the Italy-Slovenia Interreg Programme 2021-2027, was held on 28th May in Ljubljana, at the Beletrina publishing house.

The actions planned aim to improve digital accessibility and social inclusion in tourism in the cross-border region through an innovative, multidisciplinary and participatory approach, including the definition of guidelines and shared strategies.

Other matters planned include organising training workshops for tour operators, setting up a web portal on the accessibility of tourist services and implementing two pilot actions at the museums of San Michele sul Carso and the industrial heritage of Aidussina to test innovative solutions for users with different types of disabilities.

The project is led by Beletrina, a leading Slovenian organisation in the field of publishing and digital innovation, and sees as partners, in addition to DiSPeS, the regional agency PromoTurismoFVG, the consortium of social cooperatives Il Mosaico, the Tourist board of Nova Gorica and the Vipava Valley, and the Union of the Blind and Partially Blind of Slovenia. They are joined by the Municipality of Sagrado and Aidussina.

The DiSPeS, under the scientific direction of Prof. Moreno Zago, professor of Tourism Analysis and Planning and of Cross-border Relations and Local Development, will contribute to the administration of quantitative and qualitative questionnaires on travel experiences, the identification of best practices, and the analysis of the potential of the tourism sector.

He will also be responsible for the development of guidelines and a multilingual handbook on digital accessibility for tourist and institutional operators and for communication and dissemination activities of the results.

The project aims to reach a wide catchment area and to raise awareness among institutions and operators on the importance of digital accessibility and social inclusion.

The Installation ‘In the Garden of the (in)visible’ (curated by Roberta Altin and Giuseppe Grimaldi) collects everyday objects left by migrants at the borders during the journey of the ‘Balkan route’ and will be visible from 27 May to 7 June on the Ground Floor of the Central Building in Piazzale Europa, Right Wing. The exhibited materials were collected by the students of the DISU Department and the University of Primorska, Koper.

The students walked the borders between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy where they found and collected abandoned objects in the woods or on the edge of towns. These objects are left in border areas after a long and difficult journey on foot by people from various places in Asia and Africa. There are everyday objects for eating, sleeping, wrapping up warm and personal care, but also objects that portray the intimate and spiritual realm. 

These objects, which we ignore or treat as rubbish, project us into a fundamental political and moral issue of our times. 

The students have selected a small part of them to set up the exhibition, which aims to stimulate an encounter between those who cross borders and those who live there. And which poses a fundamental question: what (don't) we want to see?

The exhibition is supplemented by two events which provide more insight:

27/05/2024

Opening of ‘the Garden of the (In)visible’

Piazzale Europa 1.  - GROUND FLOOR of BUILDING. A - RIGHT WING external colonnade

(in case of bad weather Room ‘0’ Ambrosino, ground floor Right wing)

Followed by the seminar: Frontiers of Research and Research at the Frontier

17:00 – 18:30

The opening of the installation becomes an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of borders and their multiple configurations. In a cross-border collaboration with the University of Ljubljana, we will dialogue with a group of anthropology students and professors from various contexts of the African and South American continents to reason about the impact of contemporary borders in the possibility of doing research.

Programme

• 17:00 Institutional greetings:

prof. Ilaria Micheli, UniTS deputy Rector for international cooperation

prof. Roberta Altin, anthropologist, University of Trieste

• 17:15 Presentation of the installation ‘The Garden of the (In)visible’ by the students of the Archive of the Borderland
• 17:30 Seminar ‘Frontiers of Research and Research at the Frontier. Between Europe and Africa’

Prof. Uršula Lipovec Čebron, anthropologist, University of Ljubljana with visiting foreign delegation

06/06/2024

Trieste, a Border City?

Perspectives on reception from the screening of the mini documentary ‘Umar’ by Francesco Cibati

 17:00 – 18:30 Building A, Room “M”, ground floor, right wing (screening)

Followed by a discussion at the external colonnade of Piazzale Europa 1 - GROUND FLOOR Building. A - Left wing under the external colonnade.

The narrative about Trieste as a border city has spanned the centuries. Today the city finds itself implicated in a broader migratory process - forced migration from the global South - as a crossroads. What response is it giving to the people arriving? How is the city's population reacting?

17:00 presentation meeting with Student Council representatives, Prof. Roberta Altin and Giuseppe Grimaldi, organising committee

17:15 Umar screening with Francesco Cibati, director and volunteer of the Linea d'Ombra association.

17:30 “Trieste, a Border City? Perspectives on immigration”

with Lucio Prodam, Honorary Judge of the Juvenile Court of Trieste, Valentina Masotto, UNICEF and Tiziana Bongiorno, Vice President of the FVG Voluntary Guardianship Association

 The exhibition-installation is part of the cultural events of the T4EU (Transform for Europe) alliance for UniTS, funded by DiSU (Department of Humanities), in cooperation with University of Primorska, Koper and the Graduate institute for International and Development Studies.

The free guided tours of the Rectorate Art Gallery organised by FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano – the Italian Heritage Trust) are back.

The event is on Saturday 25th May with a choice of three morning time slots: 10:00 (https://bit.ly/FAIUnits_10_11), 11:00 (https://bit.ly/FAIUnits_11_12) and 12:00 (https://bit.ly/FAIUnits_12_13).

The tours will last approximately one hour.

Visitors will have the opportunity to admire contemporary works of art from the National Exhibition of Italian Painting, which was hosted by the university in 1953. They will also be able to admire the two foyers of the University and the ‘Cammarata’ Hall which houses the Academic Senate.

Sabrina Pricl, professor of Chemical Engineering and scientific director of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology at the University of Trieste, is the new Friuli Venezia Giulia delegate of WWF Italy. Professor Pricl will continue the work and dedication of the previous delegate, Maurizio Fermeglia, professor in Principles of Chemical Engineering at UniTS, who recently passed away.

In her new role, Prof. Pricl presents herself as a chemist with extensive experience in nanomedicine and nanotechnology: her work focuses on how nanoscale technologies can also be exploited to minimise the environmental impact of new materials as well as in the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems. 

“In WWF, I see a tremendous opportunity to use my expertise to introduce technological innovations to monitor and conserve biodiversity more effectively. 

Among the topics that are closest to my heart are climate resilience and the use of green technologies to mitigate the effects of climate change. I find it crucial to provide young people with environmental education on the importance of biodiversity and sustainable practices.”

This is the appeal that Sabrina Pricl wants to share with UniTS students:

‘Our university is a place of excellence and innovation, and I am convinced that you are a vital force for change. Your enthusiasm, creativity and commitment are essential to address the environmental challenges our planet is facing. As a WWF regional delegate, my goal is to promote environmental awareness and sustainability. I want to encourage you to be active players in protecting the environment. Change starts with each of us, and you have the power to make a difference. 

There are many ways in which you can contribute:

1. Participate in projects and initiatives: WWF organises numerous projects and awareness-raising campaigns. Participate and put your skills at the service of the environment. 

2. Educate and Raise Awareness: Share your knowledge with friends, relatives and colleagues. Raising awareness is a key step in creating lasting change. 

3. Adopt a Sustainable Lifestyle: Reduce the use of plastic, recycle, use environmentally friendly means of transport and try to reduce your environmental impact. 

4. Collaborate with Us: We are always looking for volunteers and collaborators. Your energy and commitment can have a significant impact.

Environmental protection is not only a responsibility, but also an opportunity. It is a chance to innovate, to find creative solutions to problems and to build a sustainable future. Your education and university background give you the tools to become a leader in this change. I invite you to contact me to find out how you can get involved in our initiatives and to share your ideas and proposals. Together, we can build a better, greener world.

Thank you for your attention and your continued efforts. I am confident that, with your help, we can do great things.’

delegatofriuliveneziagiulia@wwf.it 

21st May is World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, and never before have we been so aware that we inhabit the same planet, which is fragile and threatened by ecological, economic and political crises, wars and conflicts that force more and more people to move across borders and barriers in search of a sustainable life. 

The exhibition-installation The Garden of the (In)visible, which will be inaugurated in the Right Wing of the ground floor of UniTS Building A on Monday 27th May, aims to stimulate a reflection on borders and migrants starting from the objects abandoned at the border. 

The exhibition brings together everyday objects and clothes left behind at the borders between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy during the ‘Balkan route’. These objects, collected with students from UniTS Department of Humanities (DISU) and the University of Primorska, have been organised into a travelling anthropological installation. 

These objects, which we ignore or treat as rubbish, project us into a fundamental political and moral issue of our times.

This is the thought of anthropologist Marc Augè: ‘Our ideal should not be that of a world without borders, but of a world in which borders are recognised, respected and crossed, that is, a world in which respect for differences begins with respect for individuals, regardless of their origin. A border is not a wall that prohibits passage, but a threshold that invites passage’.

The exhibition-installation is part of the cultural events of the T4EU (Transform for Europe) alliance for UNITS, funded by DISU (Department of Humanities) in cooperation with University of Primorska in Koper and the Graduate institute for International and Development Studies.