From Maine (USA) and tested for the first time in Italy and Europe, the new monitoring system allows the identification of the so-called ‘umbrella species for monitoring’, making it possible to simultaneously track other species thus maximising the effectiveness of their observation and control. The concept of umbrella species has long been known in conservation biology, but is being readapted in this case for monitoring purposes. The creator of the protocol is Alessio Mortelliti, associate professor of Ecology in the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Trieste, and first associate professor in Wildlife Habitat Conservation at the University of Maine.

Under its coordination, the University of Trieste and the Julian Prealps Natural Park, who are already engaged in a study on the behaviour of micromammals, will collaborate as partners in the project Optimal Monitoring of Mammals. This project was won on the call for the National Biodiversity Future Center, one of the five national centres dedicated to frontier research, funded by NextGenerationEU, Ministry of Universities and Research and NRRP.

Launching in April 2024 and scheduled to end in December 2025, the project aims to develop a mammal monitoring system within the park and surrounding areas, spanning 100 km2 of extraordinary biodiversity and located in Friuli Venezia Giulia on the border with Slovenia. It was also recognised in 2009 as a cross-border protected area by the EUROPARC Federation. 

Specifically, the project has two highly innovative objectives at national and international level. The first is to identify the protocol with the most cost-effective ratio for a specific management purpose and budget, which is also adaptable according to variable economic availability and aim of the institution. The second goal is to identify the so-called umbrella species. 

Alessio Mortelliti, associate professor of Ecology at the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste explains, ‘Identifying umbrella species means identifying species on which to focus our effort, but at the same time ensuring that other species will be included in the monitoring. This approach is therefore an excellent tool to minimise the cost of monitoring while maximising the number of species covered. For example, monitoring the wild cat by means of phototraps makes it possible to simultaneously monitor other species, such as martens, roe deer and foxes.’

The data, collected in two field campaigns using traps, nest tubes and phototraps (the first during spring/summer 2024, the second in spring/summer 2025), will be used for the development of protocols and statistical analysis able to detect significant trends in the decline of umbrella species. As another distinctive feature of the project, a number of citizen scientists, i.e. pupils of local primary and secondary schools, will participate in the sampling activities as part of the environmental education activities promoted annually by the Park, accompanied and supported by the students of the course in Ecology of Global Changes of the University of Trieste.

 Additionally, in order to ensure sustainability in the medium to long term and remain achievable in relative autonomy, the project includes various training activities for Park staff on field techniques, the acquisition and management of data, and the identification of species. The protocol is also structured to allow for its replication in other protected areas characterised by similar forest types, and to export the results related to umbrella species in different contexts.

‘There is a passing of the baton and a transfer of know-how between the University of Trieste and the Julian Prealps Natural Park. The protocol is to be understood as a real investment for the institution. It is applied research, a model that becomes professional practice in the field’, continues Alessio Mortelliti, ‘The involvement of schools and the local community is also fundamental, so that they may feel part of this great ecosystem and become increasingly informed, conscious and empowered.’

President of the Park Annalisa Di Lenardo expressed satisfaction with the funding obtained, and emphasises that, ‘the project is significant for the area due to its innovation and capacity to create a network between a research institute, a managing body of a protected area and the local community. The data collected will increase the knowledge available to administrations and citizens in order to raise awareness of the importance of protecting biodiversity and its proper management.’

Alessio Mortelliti has twenty years of experience in the development of monitoring protocols and is co-author of some of the Ispra monitoring protocols. He has developed others for the state of Maine (USA), the Regional Agency of Lazio Parks (formerly ARP), the Selva del Lamone Nature Reserve and the monitoring of babirusa (Sus celebensis) in Indonesia. In the past, he has conducted numerous courses specifically focused on field techniques and the analysis of monitoring data in numerous countries, including Italy, Austria, the United States, Indonesia, Tunisia and Mauritania.

Aneta Aleksova, associate professor of Cardiovascular Diseases at UniTS, received the second research prize at the European Society of Cardiology's (ACVC-ESC) 'Acute Cardiovascular Care 2024' Congress, which brought together cardiologists from intensive care cardiology units in Athens.

The unpublished paper, entitled 'Increased amyloid-beta values predict mortality during long-term follow-up in patients with acute myocardial infarction, both STEMI and NSTEMI', was selected as one of the four best overall and presented at the Award session of the Congress, coming second place and earning the distinction of most scientifically original work.

The study on the predictive value of beta amyloid peptide on the mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction was mostly carried out by the Molecular Cardiology Laboratory team (Dr. Alessandra Lucia Fluca and Dr. Milijana Janjusevic), coordinated by Prof. Aneta Aleksova herself, within the ASUGI Cardiology Complex Structure, directed by Prof. Gianfranco Sinagra.

The prestigious award is an acknowledgement of the research activity resulting from a national and international collaboration: in particular, the significant contribution of professors from the Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences (DSM) of the University of Trieste - including Prof. Gianfranco Sinagra (Cardiovascular Apparatus Diseases), Prof. Stefano D'Errico (Legal Medicine) and Prof. Giulia Barbati (Medical Statistics) - and Prof. Antonio Paolo Beltrami of the University of Udine should be emphasised.

International cardiovascular experts, such as Prof. Maria Marketou from the University of Crete, Heraklion (Greece) and Dr. Donna Zwas from the Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem (Israel), are also to be thanked for their involvement in the study.

Aleksova received further recognition by placing three other research papers, presented as moderated posters, among the best 14 of the Congress, which was open to scientific contributions from all over the world.

Thanks to the awards received by the cardiologist and DSM lecturer, the University of Trieste was the only Italian university to be represented among the winners of the research prizes and the best moderated posters.

AIRCampus is a project by the Italian National Cancer Association (AIRC) Foundation's project dedicated to university students to raise awareness of cancer.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, UniTS has organised lectures on topics related to the Foundation's work which are also of interest to students from various degree courses.

Join us for the second semester. Each lecture lasts about 2 hours, during which both an Italian National Cancer Association (AIRC) expert such as a researcher, manager, nonprofit expert, or testimonialand a UniTS lecturer will speak.

This is a unique opportunity for students to explore topics in line with their study plans, and to listen to the testimonies of professionals with concrete examples and a multidisciplinary approach to the subject.

PROGRAMME

27 March, 11:00 – 13:00

Baciocchi Hall, Androna Baciocchi 4, Trieste

STEM, health and active citizenship in primary schools: AIRC's pathway in schools

Invited speaker: Cristina Zorzoli, AIRC Educational Projects Coordinator

Hosting UniTS lecturer: Barbara Bocchi

Students from General Education within the Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education 

29 April, 10.30 

Room F, Building G, Piazzale Europa Campus

Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications to the Brain

Invited speaker: Paola Scifo, AIRC researcher at the San Raffaele Hospital, Milan

Hosting UniTS lecturer: Valentina Zaccolo, Paolo Camerini and Renato Longo

Students from Introduction to Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics and Introduction to the Physics of Matter within  the Bachelor’s Degree in Physics

2 May, 14:00

Online

Microbiota, immunity and tumours

Invited speaker: Maria Rescigno, AIRC researcher and full professor of General Pathology at Humanitas University

Hosting UniTS lectuer: Fiamma Mantovani

Students from Cancer Biology within the Bachelor’s Degree in Functional Genomics and Medical and Diagnostic Biotechnology

8 May, 14.30 - 16.30

Morin Hall, H2bis Building, Via A. Valerio 12/1

Artificial intelligence for genomics and personalised medicine in myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms

Invited speaker: Gastone Castellani, AIRC researcher at the University of Bologna

Hosting UniTS lecturer: Giulio Caravagna

All undergraduate students from Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, Scientific and data-intensive computing, Data science and artificial intelligence, Statistics and Informatics for business, finance and insurance

The #100UniTS Corsa dei Castelli (Castle-to-Castle race), was presented today (Monday 25th March) in a press conference at the Cammarata Hall of the University of Trieste. It is a 10 km road running event approved by FIDAL and organised by Promorun for Sunday 20th October 2024. Promorun marks a new and very important partnership with the University of Trieste, which this year celebrates a century of research, excellence, creativity and human ingenuity to which a sporting event has now been added.

UniTS will be well represented in the 2024 Corsa dei Castelli: medals and race T-shirts will bear its 100th anniversary logo alongside splashes of the anniversary’s official colour, a vibrant cherry red.

By holding events that have consistently represented a flagship in technical quality, environmental care, social issues and economic impact, Promorun has proven itself more than worthy of the trust proudly extended by many institutions, now including the historic University of Trieste, thus continuing to cultivate a two-way relationship between Promorun and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. 

THE 100th ANNIVERSARY - ‘In the programme that the University is dedicating to Trieste and its visitors, we absolutely needed great sporting event,’ emphasises Rector Roberto Di Lenarda. ‘On 20th October, the UniTS community will take to the track with the public and top-level athletes, in order to collectively celebrate its first one hundred years. I invite everyone to visit 100anni.units.it to discover this and other unmissable events.'

THE RACES – A snapshot of Trieste, starting from the Miramare Castle and arriving at the Castle of San Giusto (the city's patron saint), along a route that displays the city in all its architectural, scenic and cultural richness. The first 8 km riepilogo will be run at full throttle before entering the city and reaching the stunning Piazza Unità, where the last kilometre known as 'The Wall' will begin, finishing at the San Giusto Castle. A day for everyone, two additional races have been organised: the Non-Competitive Ten, a side event for which no membership card or sports medical certificate are required, and the 8 km Family Run, which will finish in Piazza Unità, and for whom the renewal of the charity project for the Burlo Garofolo Foundation is already in the pipeline. 

Many UniTS students and staff are expected to celebrate the University's 100th anniversary with a day of sport and wellbeing. After the success of the first edition, the International Road Race Running Match u.23 10k will take place once again and will see participation from U23 athletes from foreign federations, enriching the international cohort.

THE HISTORY - Since the first edition, the event has had a technical focus of the highest quality thanks to people of great international calibre, such as Ezekiel Kemboi, Sammy Kipngetich, Hagos Gebrhiwet,Birhanu Balew and Muktar Edris. Over the years, Promorun has broadened its focus to amateurs, conceiving and realising the Family Run first and then the Non-Competitive Ten. Both these successes run alongside fundraising for local health organisations and side projects involving the world of education. Promorun's tradition of renewing the event every year has not stopped there. In 2023, the 1st International Road Race Running Match U.23 10k began, and saw the participation of European national teams.

SPORT AND TOURISM - Sport and tourism: the winning combination of the present and the future. The association Promorun is committed to promoting theregion, which is still little-known due to its geographical location at the edge of the Italy’s Boot. Promorun wants to turn the event into an opportunity to unveil the scenic beauty of the Adriatic Sea, the mountainous headland of the Karst, the city’s rich history involving numerous gruelling battles, the artistic expression resulting from the fusion of cultural influences, and the regional food and wine tradition.

REGISTRATION - Registration is open on the website (https://join.endu.net/home). Next rate change on 30th May. Registration for the Family Run 8 km is open on the website. Special promo: two adults accompanying a child under 16 for €9.00. Club Promo with a minimum of 10 participants. Children and young people aged 18 or younger participate free of charge.

Info: segreteria@promorun.it; info@promorun.it

Speakers at the press conference included Roberto Di Lenarda, Rector of the University of Trieste, Fabio Scoccimarro, Regional Councillor for Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development, Pierpaolo Roberti, Regional Councillor for Local Authorities, Public Function, Security and Immigration, Caterina de Gavardo, Municipal Councillor for Citizens' Security Policies, Erika Dessabo, Friuli Venezia Giulia Coordinator of Sport and Health, Ernesto Mari, CONI delegate for the Province of Trieste (representing Giorgio Brandolin, President of CONI FVG), Silvia Gianardi, President of Promorun and Michele Gamba, former Italian national team athlete and Technical Director of the competition.

Photo: Michele Gamba, Roberto Di Lenarda and Silvia Gianardi

A total of 3,270 students have registered for Spring Open Day and are attending the presentations of the UniTS bachelor’s and master's degree courses.

Most of them come from Friuli Venezia Giulia (in particular Pordenone and Udine) and Veneto (Treviso, Venice, Belluno, Vicenza, Padua and Verona).

There were also many sign-ups from Trento, Bolzano, Brescia, Bergamo, Sondrio, Milan, Mantua, Turin, Biella, Genoa, Bologna, Modena, Ferrara, Rimini, Ravenna, Pistoia, Prato, Arezzo, Rome, Latina, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno, L'Aquila, Urbino, Naples, Caltanissetta and Catania.

As always, there were numerous registrations from Slovenia and Croatia (Piran, Nova Gorica, Portorož, Izola, Koper, Rijeka, Zagreb), Prague and Budapest. This year there were also a few entries from Ethiopia, Gambia, Pakistan and the Ivory Coast.

Between presentations, the students can also take a guided tour of the Piazzale Europa Campus. These tours are held every half hour, with a meeting point in front of the Prospective Student Support and School Liaison Office, in the atrium of the left wing.

In the afternoon, there will also be a meeting by the Prospective Student Support Staff with ‘Instructions for use’, where they’ll discuss university life, accommodation, fees and facilities.

At the end of the activities chosen for the day, participants can collect their certificate of attendance from one of the desks in the atrium of the Main Building (left wing), upon presentation of an identity document.

The kick-off meeting of the SITE project (Shaping Inclusive Tourist Experience) has recently been held at the Urban Center of Trieste, and was funded under the Interreg Italy-Croatia 2021-2027 programme. The event marks the official launch of an ambitious project that aims to make tourism sustainable through the principles of Universal Design, addressing the challenge of diversifying flow through a more inclusive tourism.

The SITE project has been created in conjunction with a consortium of seven other partners. It has been organised by prof. Lorenzo Castelli of the Department of Engineering and Architecture (DIA) of the University of Trieste in collaboration with the Trieste Inclusion and Accessibility Lab (TrIAL) research group, whose contact person is prof. Ilaria Garofolo. The main objective of SITE is to promote tourist destinations that are accessible to all travellers, guaranteeing an experience free of barriers of any kind.

The Italian and Croatian partners involved in this innovative project include the City of Šibenik, DURA Dubrovnik Development Agency, Dubrovnik Airport, Municipality of Fano, Central Marketing Intelligence (CMI) - Trieste, VEASYT - Venice and the Faculty of Management in Tourism and Hospitality of the University of Rijeka.

With a duration of two and a half years, the SITE project envisages the development of pilot initiatives in key locations such as Dubrovnik, Šibenik and Fano, to test and implement solutions that make tourism an accessible and enjoyable experience for all.

In today's Europe, where a quarter of the adult population lives with some form of disability and the Ageing Index is continuing to rise, the SITE project aims to turn demographic challenges into opportunities. By creating more inclusive tourist destinations, it is not only possible to improve travellers' experiences but also to stimulate sustainable and diversified economic growth.

The kick-off meeting took place in the Urban Center, which was made available by the Municipality of Trieste, and was attended by Vice-Rector Valter Sergo, who in his welcome recalled that SITE is the only Interreg 2021-2027 project whose Lead Partner is a department of the University of Trieste, the DIA.

Thanks to the support of the European Union and the joint commitment of the partners, the SITE project stands as a beacon of innovation and inclusivity in the tourism sector. It is a practical demonstration of how, working together, we can overcome barriers and make tourism a universal experience, open to all.

On the occasion of the first Universities Day, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Minister of Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, addressed messages of greeting to the academic communities, which today are engaged in the celebrations of the annual event.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC SERGIO MATTARELLA

I extend my warmest greetings to all participants in the 'Universities Unveiled' event held to celebrate the first National Universities Day, established by the Conference of Italian University Rectors.

'Unveiling Universities' means highlighting the crucial role played by universities in the cultural education of young people and, therefore, in the development of the Republic.

It means strengthening the bonds between centres of culture and research and the community, contributing to the dissemination of knowledge, participation in public life, and reinforcing social cohesion.

It means being able to look to the future.

The promotion of the development of culture and scientific research, a fundamental principle enshrined in the Constitution, finds in the invaluable work of the universities a privileged driver for the growth of human capital, the true strength of the country.

Today, by opening to the public the structures, monumental complexes and museums in which they are located, universities seize the opportunity to showcase their mission, enhancing their very identity.

All universities are to be praised for their work and we wish that they will continue to be, as they have been over the centuries, a factor of cohesion and innovation. 

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER FOR UNIVERSITIES AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ANNA MARIA BERNINI (in Italian) 

INTERREG Italy-Croatia "TransH2" project, in which the Department of Engineering and Architecture (DIA) of the University of Trieste is a partner, has started. It will deal with the use of hydrogen as an energy vector for ship propulsion in maritime traffic in the northern Adriatic Sea.

As part of TransH2, the DIA's operational unit will analyse maritime connections for short-haul travellers, with a focus on mobility and the possible reduced environmental impact of using hydrogen. A number of pilot, interregional and cross-border connections will then be selected, against which different operational solutions for implementing this technology will be evaluated.

Led by the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies, the project involves not only UniTS, but also the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Zadar County Development Agency ZADRA NOVA, Urbanex Ltd., Maritime Technology Cluster FVG S.c.ar.l., Navalprogetti Srl and Start Romagna S.p.A.

In general, TransH2 focuses on the development of innovative solutions for maritime transport, including hydrogen-powered ships and the relevant refuelling infrastructures in ports. This will help to achieve the goal of bringing zero-emission ships to the market by 2030 (envisaged by the European Sustainable Mobility Strategy).

The project's main activities include research and analysis of options for greener maritime transport links, through the introduction of hydrogen transport solutions in pilot areas, the development of innovative hydrogen-powered passenger ship designs for local and cross-border traffic (proof-of-concept) and the preparation of fully feasible case studies.

The travelling exhibition ‘The Garden of the (In)visible’ is currently open to visitors in the Municipality of Hrpelje - Kozina, Slovenia. From 15 March it will be in Koper before arriving in Trieste in May and moving on to Geneva.

The project is part of anthropological research on the theme of migration carried out by the University of Primorska Koper and the University of Trieste, as part of the activities of T4E - Transform4EuropeAlliance.

Working collaboratively across borders, lecturers and students travelled between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy where they found and collected objects left by migrants in the woods or at the edges of towns. These things are abandoned after long and difficult journeys on foot by people from various backgrounds in Asia and Africa. They are both everyday objects used for eating, sleeping, protecting oneself from the elements and caring for oneself as well as artefacts that reveal an intimate and spiritual sphere. Casting these things aside and abandoning them leaves a record of a passage towards a new stage in life, a sign of rebirth. The piles of discarded things at the edge of the woods or by the roadside that we ignore or treat as rubbish lead us towards a fundamental political and moral question of our times. Only a small number of these objects have been selected for inclusion in the exhibition 'In the garden of the (In)visible'. The travelling exhibition attempts to  stage encounters between individuals crossing borders and individuals living at borders. Ultimately, it seeks to ask a fundamental question: what do we (not) want to see?

CREDITS

Coordination

Roberta Altin

Katja Hrobat Virloget

Concept & scientific team

Roberta Altin

Katja Hrobat Virloget

Alessandro Monsutti

Giuseppe Grimaldi

Gathering and collection of exhibits

Students of the Border Archive (cultural anthropology course, Dep. Humanities University of Trieste)

Students of Humanities Faculty, University of Primorska: Monika Cergolj, Kristina Kovačić, Michał Saczuk

Friends and volunteers

Creative Project and exhibition

Federico Barile AltreMenti

Rino Lombardi

Photographs: Angela Tozzi Ins, Katja Hrobat Virloget

Communication:

Communication and External Relations Unit of the University of Trieste

University of Primorska

Sponsor:

T4E Transform4EuropeAlliance

University of Primorska, UP Faculty of Humanities

Department of Humanities - University of Trieste

Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva

ARIS (Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency) projects: J6-50198 Ethnography of Silence(s), J6-2578 Urban Futures: Imagining and Activating Possibilities in Unsettled Times

Does everything we learn help make us even a little happier?

UniTS thinks so! 20th March marks the first National Universities Day, which unsurprisingly coincides with the International Day of Happiness. The theme proposed by CRUI (Conference of Italian University Rectors) is 'Universities Unveiled' and we are excited to share our scientific and cultural heritage not only with students. 

The day also falls within Minerva Week, dedicated to the celebration of knowledge and education. The Minerva is the symbol of our university: the stylised statue of Mascherini in Piazzale Europa welcomes the UniTS community every day.

These are the events not to be missed:

- Lectio Magistralis by Daniel Kammen at ‘Powering the Just Transition’ 

On 20th March, National University Day, the ‘Giacomo Ciamician’ Interdepartmental Centre for Energy, Environment and Transport, in collaboration with the Luciano Fonda University College, is organising Powering the Just Transition.

Guest speaker Daniel Kammen, professor at the University of Berkeley and one of the world's leading experts on the subject of energy transition. During his keynote lecture, he will describe the steps towards decarbonised economies.

In his career, Kammen has published more than 450 scientific papers and has been a consultant to the State of California, the US federal government and led the World Bank's Technical Committee on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

Info at: https://portale.units.it/it/eventi/powering-just-transition

- MOVIEUNITS

Until 26th June 2024 ‘MOVIEUNITS’, the itinerant and free film festival that offers the possibility to see films in different locations in Trieste, with two special dates also in Gorizia and Portogruaro, will be open to all.

On 20th March, at 8.30 p.m. at the Auditorium of the Revoltella Museum, Spike Jonze's ‘Her’ is scheduled, in the original English language audio with Italian subtitles. https://100anni.units.it/index.php/evento/movieunits-lei/

Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) is an employee of a company who, through the Internet, writes personal letters on behalf of others, an absurd job he performs with great skill and at times even passion. However, since his break-up with the girl he married, he is unable to rebuild his life, is always thinking about her and refuses to sign the divorce papers. When a new generation of operating systems, animated by a surprisingly 'human' artificial intelligence, arrives on the market, Theodore begins to develop a complex relationship beyond imagination with it - Samantha (played by Scarlett Johansson), the AI entity.

Full programme of the exhibition at https://100anni.units.it/index.php/home/movieunits/ 

- EXHIBITION ‘1924 - 2024. A century in the history of the University of Trieste. Images and Documents’.

Set up in the Pomis Bastion of the San Giusto Castle, the multi-documental exhibition evokes the salient moments and personalities of Trieste's university century. Open to the public until 1st September 2024, the exhibition offers a tale of history, architecture and art and is divided into four distinct sections: historical, architectural, audiovisual and artistic.

All information at https://portale.units.it/it/notizie/cento-anni-di-storia-mostra-luniversita-di-trieste-si-racconta-con-opere-darte-immagini 

- FAI Spring Days

On Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th March the FAI (National Trust for Italy) Spring Days are back: the UniTS headquarters is on the programme in Trieste!

The visit, organised by the Trieste FAI Youth Group, does not require a reservation and will take in the exterior and interior spaces of the characteristic ‘H’-shaped building. The tour will call at the exhibition ‘I miei pùpoli (my sketches): Gaetano Kanizsa scientist and artist ‘, the Rector's Gallery and the works of #SBLAD - Shine Bright Like A Diamond, the project that photographs the current emerging art scene and expands the University's heritage of works.

OPENING HOURS: Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th March from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.). Groups admitted every 30 minutes. The total duration of the visit is approximately 1 hour.

All info on https://portale.units.it/it/eventi/giornate-fai-di-primavera-23-e-24-marzo-units