Linda Favero is the winner of the second edition of the Fermeglia Award, which recognises the best UniTS master's theses on energy, environment and transport.

The € 1,000 prize was presented by Prof. Sabrina Pricl on behalf of the family of Maurizio Fermeglia, former Rector of the University of Trieste, who died prematurely in 2024. 

Second place went to Alessia Oliva and third place to Erica Zotti.

The winning thesis, Water content of vegetation and fire risk in the Karst: experimental assessment and monitoring using hyperspectral remote sensors, addresses one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time in light of climate change. 

The study focuses on the Karst area, a particularly vulnerable region as demonstrated by the devastating fires of 2022. 

Linda Favero's thesis contributed to deepening our understanding of the response to fire of the 13 most representative plant species of the Karst, offering new perspectives and ideas for possible improvements to water monitoring systems through remote sensing.

The identification of species that are more resistant to combustion (Quercus pubescens, Prunus mahaleb and Ailanthus altissima) may be useful for the targeted construction of firebreaks, especially in high-risk areas such as along roads, railways and urban-forest interfaces. Hyperspectral remote sensing systems, on the other hand, would provide tools for continuous monitoring of the water status of vegetation on a large scale, allowing early identification of water stress conditions that increase the risk of fire ignition and facilitating timely intervention.

The fifteenth edition of the science communication talent show will take place at the Teatro Miela on April 23rd

FameLab, the international science communication talent show for young researchers, as well as university students, is back in Trieste. The local selection will be held on April 23rd at 6:00 PM at the Teatro Miela. As always, the challenge will be to explain a scientific topic clearly and engagingly in just three minutes, even to a non-expert audience, without the aid of projections, graphics, or videos. Registration is due by Thursday, April 16th via the form online 

Researchers or research fellows, people working in the research and development sector with a master's or single-cycle degree, and students in a doctoral school, specialization school, or postgraduate master's degree will be admitted, provided they were born after January 1, 1991. Applicants may come from both STEM fields and medicine or study humanities (anthropology, archaeology, economics, philosophy, geography, law, linguistics, literature, psychology, political science, sociology, history, and art history).

Among other requirements, candidates must never have qualified for the national final or masterclass in previous editions of FameLab, in Italy or abroad, and must not be engaged in professional activities in the field of communication or science communication (except marginally).

The top two in the local selection process will receive a cash prize, attend an international masterclass on science communication to be held in Perugia in June, and then progress to the national final scheduled for this fall. The winner of FameLab Italia 2026 will advance to the FameLab International final, scheduled for November, where they will compete against other competitors from around the world.

All competitors in the Trieste selection process will receive a free training session to better approach the challenge and hone the theatrical component of their performances. This short, free training session has proven crucial for FameLab competitors in the past: those who have attended have often won regional and sometimes even national selections.

The training session will take place at Polo Giovani Toti (Via del Castello, 1, Trieste) on Monday, April 13, 2026 (5:30–8:30 PM).

Donato Ramani, a science communicator at SISSA, will explain how to construct an effective narrative structure, while actress Daniela Gattorno will highlight various aspects related to stage presence and voice.

The local selection is organized by Immaginario Scientifico, the University of Trieste, the University of Udine, SISSA – International School for Advanced Studies, and the Municipality of Trieste, within the framework of the Trieste City of Knowledge Memorandum of Understanding.

Information: info@immaginarioscientifico.it 

A study published in Microplastics has highlighted the presence of microplastics in deep karst caves connected to the Timavo river system, one of the main underground water systems in the Alpine-Dynaric area. The research shows that even extreme and uninhabited environments are not isolated from anthropogenic pollution.

The analyses confirm that the presence of microplastics in the Timavo system was consistent with what is already known for surface-connected river environments: the study’s contribution lies in clarifying how these particles are distributed in underground water systems, revealing marked spatial variability even over short distances.

The study was carried out by the University of Trieste, in collaboration with the Adriatic Society of Speleology, the Municipality of Trieste and the Bioscience Research Center (BsRC), a centre specialised in microplastics. 

Sampling was carried out in rarely accessible environments, including Maucci Cave, which can only be reached via cave diving, and Luftloch cave, discovered only recently after decades of exploration. 

The study was carried out by Raffaele Bruschi, a researcher at the University of Trieste and responsible for sampling and analysis, together with professors Manuela Piccardo, Monia Renzi and Stanislao Bevilacqua from the Department of Life Sciences at UniTS and Lucia Gardossi from the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. For the BsRC, Tecla Bentivoglio and Serena Anselmi were involved.

The research is dedicated to Patrice Cabanel, 32, (Fédération Française d’Études et de Sports Sous-Marins), an experienced cave diver who carried out the sampling at Maucci Cave.  Cabanel sadly disappeared a month after the sampling.

A second methodological study, published in Environmental Pollution https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127208 and developed in collaboration with Manuela Piccardo, addresses the strategies necessary to properly study highly heterogeneous underground environments. 

 

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Office for the Protection of Culture and Memory of Defence, the University of Trieste and the University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’ concerning the analysis of the remains of the fallen crew of the submarine Scirè, currently buried at the Military Shrine of the Fallen at Sea of Bari, was signed in Rome in the evocative historical library of Palazzo Marina. 

Present at the event were the Head of the Office for Protecting the Culture and Memory of Defence; Lieutenant General Andrea RISPOLI, the Rector of the University of Trieste, Professor Donata VIANELLI, accompanied by Prof. Paolo FATTORINI; and the Rector of the University ‘Aldo Moro’ of Bari, Prof. Roberto BELLOTTI, accompanied by professors Valeria SANTORO and Francesco INTRONA.

The Memorandum of Understanding regulates the analysis of the remains of the fallen of the Scirè submarine, with a view to identifying them. To this end, the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Bari will carry out anthropometric examinations, while the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University of Trieste will conduct DNA analysis. 

The two universities will receive 14 of the 42 ossuary boxes containing the remains of the fallen in order to perform a feasibility study to determine whether definitive identification is possible.

The Office for the Protection of Culture and Memory of Defence is responsible for the census, collection, provisional arrangement and subsequent definitive arrangement of the remains, as well as for the maintenance and custody of military burials, both in Italy and abroad, where the mortal remains of the Italian servicemen are laid to rest. 

This multidisciplinary study aims to provide a fundamental scientific contribution to give the fallen of the Scirè submarine a name.  The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the parties involved, marks a new phase in the recovery and enhancement of the historical and human heritage linked to the Second World War and is part of the broader project to preserve and protect the memory of Italian soldiers who died in the war.

The Scirè submarine was not only a unit of the Royal Navy but became ‘legend’. Built at the shipyards of Muggiano (near La Spezia), it was launched on 6th January 1938. It entered service on 25th April of the following year and received the combat flag on 19th June of the same year. It became the protagonist of bold actions culminating with the raid on the port of Alexandria in Egypt on 18th December 1941, and with the damage of the British battleships Queen Elizabeth and Valiant.  On 6th August 1942, the Scirè met its tragic fate. It sailed from Leros to the port of Haifa. The British, however, managed to decrypt the messages encoded with the Enigma system and, at 10:30 on 10th August, attacked the Italian submarine with depth charges from the corvette Islay. Severely damaged, the Scirè emerged but was hit again and sank, taking all 60 crew members with him. On 14th August, on the beach of Haifa, the bodies of two raiders were found: Captain Egil CHERSI and PO Eugenio DAL BEN. They were buried by the British, with the honour of arms, in the cemetery of Haifa. They were repatriated in 1965. The other crew members were trapped at a depth of 35 metres. On 31st August 1942 the Scirè was declared lost in action. On 28th April 1943 it was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valour. With the support of the Navy vessel Nave Anteo 42 bodies were recovered. On 15th October 1984, it returned to Italy, in the port of Bari. The crew now rests at the Military Shrine of the Fallen at Sea of Bari in a common shrine that welcomed men who lived, sailed, fought and died together. The lack of identifying features made identification impossible, and were all therefore classified as ‘unknown’. Unfortunately, 16 sailors still rest at the bottom of the sea. The submarine was sealed in 2002. On 10th October 2024, the Scirè became a military shrine, a silent guardian of valour, brotherhood and glory. 

More than 200 high school students from Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto are taking part this year in the International Masterclasses in Particle and Astroparticle Physics, an international initiative that brings students into direct contact with cutting-edge scientific research. In the region, the Masterclasses are organised by the Trieste Section and the Udine Associated Group of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) in collaboration with UniTS, UniUD and the International Center for Theoretical Physics.

Specifically, the INFN Trieste Section is organising the following Masterclasses:

https://www.ts.infn.it/pub/eventi-e-divulgazione/scuole/masterclass 

• Masterclass CMS experiment, 19th February and 4th March 2026
• Fermi Masterclass, 18th March 2026

The Masterclasses will be held simultaneously at other Italian and international venues, and the students enrolled will have the opportunity to experience what it is like to work as researchers: Together with experts, they will analyse real data from large experiments in particle physics and astroparticles, discovering how research is carried out in large laboratories. 

In Friuli Venezia Giulia, the activities will take place in the classrooms of the Universities of Trieste and Udine and the International Center for Theoretical Physics. The programme includes introductory seminars and practical computer sessions. The data analysed come from experiments conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) accelerator at CERN in Geneva, such as ATLAS and CMS, and the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi satellite, which studies high-energy gamma rays. 

As is customary in international scientific collaborations, at the end of each day, the students participating in the Masterclasses in Italy and abroad will connect via videoconference with CERN in Geneva and with researchers from the international Fermi-LAT collaboration. 

Created in 2005, the International Masterclasses are organised worldwide by IPPOG (International Particle Physics Outreach Group) and, in Italy, by INFN. The initiative involves around 60 countries each year, bringing together some of the world’s most prestigious research institutions and universities and more than 13,000 secondary school students. This year, INFN venues include Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Cosenza, Ferrara, Florence, Genoa, Lecce, Milan, Milan-Bicocca, Naples, Padua, Parma, Pavia, Perugia, Pisa, Rome I, Rome II, Rome III, Salerno, Trento, Trieste, Turin, Udine, the Frascati National Laboratories (INFN – LNF), the Gran Sasso National Laboratories (INFN – LNGS). 

From 20th February to 3rd April 2026, the series of free events aimed at bringing psychology to a wider audience, returns with six in-depth sessions held across the region, in Palmanova, Trieste, Tavagnacco, Gradisca d'Isonzo, Gorizia and Cormons.

The sixth edition, dedicated to ‘Border Psychologies’, will explore selected contemporary areas of research and application in psychology through the contributions of experts from the academic world, , drawing on the work of six authors active in border regions: Alberto Argenton, Gaetano Kanizsa, Giovanni Bruno Vicario, Paolo Bozzi, Anton Trstenjak and Edoardo Weiss.

The events will address creativity, perception, art, music, the unconscious and relationships, reflecting on how psychology can explore and interpret the frontiers of the human mind and behaviour.

PROGRAM 

Follow thePsychology Festival on social media:

FB: www.facebook.com/festivaldellapsicologiafvg

IG https://www.instagram.com/festivaldellapsicologia/

The ‘100 best companies in the Isonzo area’ will be presented at the Conference Centre of the UniTS Gorizia Campus. The event curated by Post Imprese and Nord Est Multimedia rewards leading companies in the manufacturing, logistics and commercial sectors in the area, focusing on growth and competitiveness. 

The event will analyse the challenges faced by companies in uncertain markets and strategies for continued growth. 

At 17:55 Guido Bortoluzzi, UniTS Vice-Rector for Industrial and Community Relations, will participate in the round table entitled ‘Continuing to grow’.

Free registration to  100 best companies in the Isonzo area

The University of Trieste is taking part in the 22nd edition of M’illumino di Meno, the Italian National Day of Saving Energy and Sustainable Lifestyles, which in 2026 focuses on the role of science in the ecological transition.

The name of this switch-off campaign, which literally means ‘I fill myself with less light’, evokes in the Italian reader a famous line from the poem Mattina (morning) by Giuseppe Ungaretti: M’illumino d’immenso (immensity fills me with light).

In line with this year’s theme, M’illumino di Scienza (I fill myself with science), UniTS reaffirms sustainable development as a core value of its identity, integrating teaching, research and good practices to address climate change. Since 2012, under the coordination of the UniTS Energy Manager, the University has implemented structural measures, including a new heating plant replacing fuel oil with natural gas, fully LED-based lighting systems, and photovoltaic installations with a total capacity of nearly 1 MW. Together, these actions have led to an overall reduction of around 40% in energy consumption.

A central role in the University’s scientific work on these topics is played by the Interdepartmental Centre ‘Giacomo Ciamician’, a key hub for energy, environment and transport. The Centre is actively engaged in cutting-edge research, technology transfer, education and support for public and private decision-makers. Its main research areas related to energy saving include renewable energy communities, hydrogen, the integration of electric vehicles with power grids, photovoltaics, and energy storage systems, including battery reuse and recycling, also supported by artificial intelligence tools.

As part of its educational offering, UniTS also provides the Master’s Degree in Engineering for the Energy Transition, a course with a distinctly international outlook whose first graduates are highly anticipated by the job market.

In the lead-up to M’Illumino di Meno, the University also organised the workshop ‘Urban Heat Island and Climate Change: Modelling and Mitigation Policies’, held within the PRIN NRRP project CriStAll (Climate Resilient Strategies by Archetype-based Urban Energy Modelling), with the participation of Politecnico di Torino, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and the University of Trieste. Alongside an overview of the project’s main activities and results, the workshop presented initiatives carried out in Friuli Venezia Giulia by ARPA FVG, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and ATER Trieste to address challenges linked to rising urban temperatures.

On 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated worldwide, promoted by the United Nations to draw attention to a gender gap that still affects all levels of scientific and technological disciplines.

The 2026 theme, “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance,” invites us to look beyond technical skills alone and to consider scientific development as the result of four interconnected dimensions: artificial intelligence, social sciences, STEM disciplines and financial mechanisms capable of supporting research and innovation over the long term.

Artificial intelligence, in particular, now represents a powerful driver of change: from medical diagnostics to climate modelling, from data management to the transformation of production processes. Yet without targeted interventions, the benefits of AI risk becoming unevenly distributed, widening existing disparities — including the gender gap.

According to Interface, a European think tank specialising in information technology and public policy, women account for only 22% of global AI talent, with an even lower presence in leadership positions: less than 14% hold senior executive roles in the AI sector. Despite growing initiatives aimed at encouraging girls to pursue STEM disciplines, the path toward balanced participation remains incomplete.

Within this context comes the reflection of Prof. Teresa Scantamburlo, a faculty member at the University of Trieste working in computer science and artificial intelligence, who highlights the connection between ethics and technological development.

“I approached computer science,” she explains, “thanks to an intuition that continues to inspire and motivate my research: the deep link between the computational approach to problem-solving and its philosophical and social implications.” This connection is particularly evident today in the development of AI, whose impact extends concretely to education, work, social organisation and the environment.

“To govern these transformations,” Scantamburlo states, “it is necessary to promote a more sustainable and human-centred model of development. In this process, greater female presence and participation can significantly contribute to strengthening a more equitable and responsible vision of technological progress.”

Rafforzare le competenze di funzionari e dirigenti della pubblica amministrazione locale e regionale, costruire percorsi formativi avanzati e mettere a sistema ricerca e pratica amministrativa: con questi obiettivi è stata sottoscritta oggi una convenzione di collaborazione tra il Dipartimento di Scienze Giuridiche, del Linguaggio, dell’Interpretazione e della Traduzione (IUSLIT) dell’Università di Trieste, l’ANCI FVG - Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani del Friuli Venezia Giulia e COMPA FVG, la Scuola di Formazione del Comparto Unico della Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia e Centro di Competenza.

Strengthening the skills of senior civil servants and managers in local and regional public administrations, developing advanced training programmes and bringing together research and administrative practice: these are the aims of the cooperation agreement signed today by the Department of Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies (IUSLIT) of the University of Trieste, ANCI FVG – the National Association of Italian Municipalities in Friuli Venezia Giulia – and COMPA FVG, the Training School for the Single Regional Public Sector of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Centre of Expertise.

The signing, held in the Cammarata Hall of the University of Trieste, comes at a time of transformation in the region’s institutional framework, linked to the reinstatement of the Provinces in Friuli Venezia Giulia following the amendment of the Special Statute. In this context, the agreement aims to provide structured support to local authorities, fostering a stable exchange on legal and institutional, organisational and management issues and supporting administrations as they adapt to the new scenario.

Speakers at the event included the Rector of the University of Trieste, Donata Vianelli; the Director of the IUSLIT Department, Gian Paolo Dolso; the President of ANCI FVG, Dorino Favot; and the President of COMPA FVG, Rodolfo Ziberna; together with the Regional Councillor for Local Autonomies, Public Service, Security and Immigration, Pierpaolo Roberti. Also in attendance were the Secretary General of ANCI FVG, Alessandro Fabbro; the Director General of COMPA FVG, Daniele Gortan; and the ANCI National Councillor, Mirko Martini.

In practical terms, the agreement provides for the active involvement of the University of Trieste in the design and delivery of training programmes for staff in local and regional administrations, with particular attention to the needs emerging during the transition to the new institutional framework. The University will contribute through applied research, comparative analysis of territorial governance models, the development of teaching materials, specialist lecturing and scientific support for COMPA FVG’s activities.

The collaboration will also result in thematic seminars, in-depth workshops, professional development programmes and opportunities for dialogue between academia and public administrations, with the aim of strengthening the legal, administrative and organisational skills required of those involved in territorial governance processes.

“This agreement,” Rector Vianelli said, “strengthens the dialogue between the University of Trieste and local institutions: linking academic knowledge with administrative practice means investing in more informed and effective management of processes, especially at a time of change such as the one accompanying the reinstatement of the Provinces.”

“The Department of Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies,” explained IUSLIT Director Dolso, “makes its scientific and teaching expertise available to build solid, up-to-date training pathways, capable of responding to the real needs of administrations and supporting the quality of decision-making within the new regional institutional framework.”

“The signing of the agreement represents an important collaboration between academia, training and the system of local autonomies, because by combining the commitment of the various institutional actors it is possible to achieve better management and organisation of local authorities, in favour of better services for citizens,” said ANCI FVG President Favot.

“Ensuring training and continuing professional development for managers and civil servants in the regional administration and local authorities will make it possible to respond to territorial governance needs in a way that is more aligned with the requirements and expectations of a community that is constantly evolving, with benefits for citizens and businesses. It is a challenge that ComPA, ANCI, the Region and the University are ready for and undoubtedly capable of meeting,” stated COMPA FVG President Ziberna.