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.

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.

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.

UniTS is also participating in the LOGS project of the CNR Institute of Polar Sciences. The aim is to collect data on the glaciers in the Aqqutikitsoq mountain area in Greenland.

Renato R. Colucci, Professor of Glaciology at UniTS and Researcher at the Institute of Polar Sciences of the CNR, and Emanuele Forte, Professor of Geophysics at the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences of UniTS, are both involved in the recently started measurement campaign.

The two researchers, using Ground Penetrating Radar, will assess the thickness and volume of a few of approximately 100 largely unexplored glaciers in the Aqqutikitsoq mountainous area, near the town of Sisimiut (west coast of Greenland). 

This area is important to the local community for several reasons. Firstly, the glaciers provide the summer runoff for the Sisimiut hydroelectric power plant, therefore their evolution will have a direct impact on the efficiency of the city's energy production. Secondly, the Aqqutikitsoq mountains are a popular recreational area and the municipality has licensed the development of tourist activities. For this reason, the community needs an assessment of the risks relating to crevasses and avalanches in the area and their possible future developments. The project also has ambitions to create the basis for a new long-term monitoring site on a glacier on the west coast of Greenland.

During the mission, Prof. Colucci will also chair a workshop organised at the Arctic Station of the DTU (Technical University of Denmark) in Sisimiut, together with the Greenland Winter Warning Association. The topic of this workshop will be the safety of snowmobile routes in highly crevassed areas. There will also be an information evening for the local population to explain the ongoing scientific activities.

FameLab, the science communication talent show, is returning to Trieste. The local selection for the international contest will take place next Friday 5th April from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Luttazzi Hall (Magazzino 26, Porto vecchio). As always, the challenge will be to describe a research topic in a clear and engaging way in just 3 minutes to an audience of non-experts, without the aid of projections, graphics or videos. Applications must be filled in online by Thursday 28th March 2024.

Contestants from both STEM or medical fields and the humanities (Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Philosophy, Geography, Law, Linguistics, Literature, Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, History and Art History) are eligible.

The local selection is organised by Science Centre Immaginario Scientifico, the University of Trieste, the University of Udine, the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) and the Municipality of Trieste, as part of the ‘Trieste City of Knowledge’ Memorandum of Understanding. 

The people ranked first and second in the local selection will receive a cash prize, take part in an international masterclass to be held in Perugia in June, and then in the national final scheduled for September and October. The winner of FameLab Italia 2024 will gain access to the FameLab International final, scheduled in November, where they will face other competitors from all over the world.

A free training session has been planned for all the Trieste competitors to better prepare for the challenge. The meeting, organised by FameLab Italia, will take place remotely on the Zoom platform on 21st March 2024, (4pm-8pm). All eligible researchers interested in joining FameLab can participate, even if they haven’t registered yet. For more info on registration, please write to info@immaginarioscientifico.it

The feasibility study for 5G-SITACOR - the CAM-based 5G corridor between Italy and Slovenia - has officially launched.

The project is part of the EU programme CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) and, more specifically, the CEF-DIG-2022-5GCORRIDORS programme, which funds growth, employment and competitiveness through investments in infrastructure located in key areas among EU countries. CEF is coordinated by HADEA, the European Health and Digital Executive Agency.

The study will last 6 months (until July 2024) and will include the analysis of existing arterial roads and telecommunications infrastructure, as well as assessments of the investments needed to achieve CAM 5G coverage in the corridor between Italy and Slovenia. 

The ultimate goal of the study is to define the parameters necessary for the subsequent implementation of an infrastructure dedicated to the development of smart digital services for territories and communities, to be applied to businesses, schools, hospitals, cities, and highways.

The border area between Italy and Slovenia is one of the 5G corridors identified - by the EU - for enhanced coverage and connectivity, being the crossroads of several routes (national, regional and local), serving both rail and port infrastructure and being, at the same time, an area with many obstacles such as mountains and road tunnels. 

The 5G-SITACOR project was entrusted by the EU to a pool of diverse and complementary entities: the Friuli Venezia-Giulia Region (project coordinator); the Port of Koper; ANAS and DARS (Italian and Slovenian highway operators); Retelit and Telekom Slovenia (telecommunications operators); the University of Trieste; and the University of Ljubljana.

The cost of the study is €600K, with the EU funding over €300K through grants.

This page has been temporarily translated using AI. A revised translation by the University Language Centre (CLA) will be uploaded soon.

Inaugurated two new laboratories in the field of quantum physics at the University of Trieste: the ArQuS - Artificial Quantum Systems Laboratory (VIDEO), where artificial quantum systems will be studied through the control of individual atoms, and the Quantum Communication and Information Laboratory (QCI - VIDEO), where research and technological development for new solutions in quantum communications over optical fiber and free space will be conducted.

The laboratories are located at the CNR premises in the Area Science Park, Basovizza campus, and are directed by Francesco Scazza, associate professor of material physics at the Department of Physics of UniTS, and Alessandro Zavatta, senior research scientist at the National Institute of Optics of CNR (INO-CNR).

These laboratories enrich the dedicated research facilities for the new master's curriculum in Quantum Science and Technologies, the curriculum in Material Physics, and the undergraduate Physics program. The University of Trieste boasts a recognized tradition in the field of quantum mechanics, supported by synergy with major international research institutions.

Friuli Venezia Giulia, and particularly Trieste with its university, plays a leading role in the field of quantum communications thanks to projects funded by the Region and coordinated by the University's "Quantum FVG" and "QuFree." The former aims to develop a regional fiber optic network for secure data transmission using quantum technology, with the associated QCI laboratory. The latter is an ambitious research program on quantum communication in the air and aims to pave the way for secure satellite connections.

ArQuS Laboratory - Cold atoms for quantum sciences and technologies

The ArQuS (Artificial Quantum Systems) Laboratory, the only one of its kind in Italy, is designed to create artificial quantum systems through precise control of individual ytterbium atoms. Through laser beams and magnetic fields, the atoms, identical by nature and very delicate, can be slowed in their movement and observed meticulously, offering a valuable "magnifying glass" for studying processes and phenomena otherwise inaccessible. This is made possible by state-of-the-art experimental equipment where atoms are isolated from the external environment and cooled to a temperature only a millionth of a degree above absolute zero, trapping them in literal traps based on laser light. Laser radiation, also a wave, if properly synchronized with the internal oscillation of the atom, can be used to control particles extremely precisely without destroying their quantum nature, but rather exploiting it for new technological applications.

Francesco Scazza, head of the laboratory, explains: "The quantum systems of cold atoms realized in the ArQuS laboratory can be used as prototypes for studying the interaction of a large number of quantum particles, creating so-called quantum simulators. Precise control over individual atoms can also be exploited to generate highly correlated states of matter, such as entangled states of many particles, an essential resource for future quantum computers and atomic clocks."

QCI Laboratory - Quantum networks for maximum security of information systems

The QCI laboratory serves research and technological development of new solutions for quantum communications over optical fiber and aims to train students in physics and engineering at the University of Trieste while collaborating with major research and training institutions in the field.

The field of quantum information, a new discipline born from the intersection of information science and quantum mechanics, is indeed a promising area that has seen significant progress in recent years.

Thanks to the instruments in the laboratory, which allow the generation of quantum cryptographic keys and experimentation with ultra-secure communications, researchers aim to lay the groundwork for creating true quantum networks for data manipulation and transmission capable of ensuring maximum security.

Angelo Bassi, full professor of theoretical physics, models, and mathematical methods at UniTS and coordinator of the projects that led to the creation of the laboratory, emphasizes: "While in traditional computer networks, data can be intercepted, in a quantum network, this is impossible: any intrusion would be immediately detected, a certainty guaranteed by the principles of quantum mechanics. Quantum communication systems have immense potential and strategic application scenarios in political and commercial contexts."

Alessandro Zavatta, head of the laboratory, adds: "Quantum communications represent an advanced and highly secure approach to information transmission, exploiting the peculiar characteristics of quantum physics. In our laboratory, thanks to the use of cutting-edge optical instrumentation, we control and manipulate individual photons, the building blocks of light, with extraordinary precision.

This ability to handle light at the level of single photons allows us to implement secure and inviolable communication schemes. In the QCI laboratory, we are currently developing innovative systems for the quantum distribution of cryptographic keys and for direct quantum communications, both in optical fiber and free space. It is encouraging to note that our commitment is not limited to countering current threats but extends to preventing potential risks arising from future technologies, such as the progress of quantum computers. By continuing on this path, we will contribute significantly to ensuring the security of communications even in the face of increasingly complex scenarios.