UniTS is one of the leading figures of the national PRO-BENE-COMUNE (i.e. for the common good) project, an initiative that involves nine Italian universities with the aim of tackling the challenges linked to the psychophysical wellbeing of university students in a holistic and multidisciplinary manner. The project aims to create a welcoming and inclusive university environment, thanks to psychological counselling, wellness promotion and awareness-raising activities on psychological distress, as well as a solid commitment to research.

Specifically, UniTS will recruit two new part-time psychologist-psychotherapists, with a minimum commitment of ten hours per week. A further three psychologists will be engaged in awareness-raising and training activities, thus expanding the offer of support and prevention. 

In addition, in January 2025, the University will launch a multidisciplinary research project on students' mental health concerns, identifying the main risk and vulnerability factors, as well as the protective factors that foster good psychological adaptation. A mental health information and education programme will also be implemented, aimed not only at students, but also at teaching and technical and administrative staff, with a focus on the prevention of addictions and the promotion of mental and physical wellbeing. The activities, which will start at the beginning of next year, will include film forums, sporting initiatives and social events.

The University has long been committed to promoting the well-being of those who study and work within its community. In particular, the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics, and Statistics (DEAMS) has proven to be a leader in implementing various initiatives designed to support its students. These efforts aim to foster cohesion among the student body through peer support activities and assistance in academic pathways, ultimately creating a sense of well-being within the department.

In 2022, DEAMS established the role of Department Delegate for Student Relations, tasked with addressing students' needs and promoting activities focused on the well-being of the department’s student community. Since 2023, the Delegate has been supported by a new student Tutor for Student Relations, who is training in the field of psychology. This tutor provides a listening space for students dealing with issues related to their academic journey, study methods, or psychophysical well-being and university life. To date, the three tutors who have served in this role have engaged with over 35 students.

Against this background, on 27th November UniTS will host the workshop ‘Possibilities and Limits of Tutoring’, with the participation of Rosanna Ayton, an expert in inclusion and wellbeing, and Julia Pointon-Haas, head of counselling and wellbeing, both from King's College London. The event will focus on the role of tutoring in the university environment and will represent an opportunity for discussion and growth for the University, which once again demonstrates its ability to attract prestigious international collaborations and to position itself as a point of reference in promoting the well-being of the university community.

The event, promoted by DEAMS, will focus on the role of tutoring in the university environment and will serve as an opportunity for dialogue and growth for the University. Once again, it demonstrates its ability to attract prestigious international collaborations and position itself as a reference point in promoting the well-being of the university community.

The workshop will take place at 2:00 PM in the conference room of Building D (Economics) in Piazzale Europa and will be followed by a round table where the speakers will meet with working groups composed of students and staff from the University of Trieste.

A few days ago, Professor Gianfranco Dalla Barba, a lecturer at the University of Trieste for many years, unfortunately passed away prematurely.

Born in 1957, Dalla Barba was a scientist, neuropsychologist and, in his younger years, a top-level fencer who was an Olympic champion in saber fencing: an authentic example of a dual career.

As a scientist, he wrote and published more than 100 foundational studies in the field of memory disorders, consciousness, confabulations and Alzheimer's disease. He is also the author of two neuropsychological tests to assess confabulation (the Confabulation Screen, the Confabulation Battery).

After graduating in medicine and surgery (1985) and specialising in neurology at the University of Padua (1990), he obtained a PhD in neurological sciences at the University of Siena (1995) and later moved to France, where he became a first researcher at the INSERM in Paris (Chargé de Recherche de Première Classe).

In France he also worked as Attaché (consultant) at the Neurological Clinics of the Universities of Paris VI, Paris XII and Paris XIII. In 2007 he returned to Italy as Associate Professor of Psychobiology and Physiological Psychology at the University of Trieste, where he remained until 2023.

In his sporting career he achieved the most prestigious success for an athlete, winning the gold medal in the men's team sabre at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles with the Italian colours. Four years later, in Seoul, he stood on the Olympic podium again, winning bronze together with his teammates. In the same discipline, Dalla Barba also won three silver medals (one individual and two team) and two bronze (both team) at the World Championships.

As a university student, he also won four medals in three different editions of the Universiade: one gold, one silver and one bronze in the team sabre category and an individual bronze.

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which falls on 25th November, the Equal Opportunities Committee (CUG) of the University of Trieste is promoting a Focus Week to involve the university community and citizenship, with the aim of investigating the phenomenon from different perspectives and offering tools to know, train and inform.

According to the data of the Department of Public Security of the Ministry of the Interior in the first half of 2024, out of the total number of murders, 65% of the victims are men, but focusing the analysis on murders occurring in the family/relational sphere, the figure is reversed, since 65% of the victims are women; of these, 85% are at the hands of their partner or ex-partner.

The invitation to all women is not to underestimate any sign of psychological, economic or physical violence of which they are victims and to ask for help to get out of the condition of isolation and subjection in which they find themselves.

The young and very young are unfortunately involved in this phenomenon: the age of those who commit violence is low and a dramatic example of this is the case of group sexual violence, in which, in 2023, 65% of the alleged perpetrators were under 35 years of age: of these, about 25% were minors (14-17 years old), while a further 50% were in the still young 18-24 age bracket.

The Know, Train and Inform to Eliminate Violence Against Women Focus Week therefore intends to address young people such as university students at an early stage. Professors and lecturers from the University of Trieste's departments will explore themes such as violence against women, stereotypes, and inequalities during seminars. Once again this year, they will host the Seat Taken (Posto Occupato) initiative in UniTS classrooms, reaffirming the University's commitment to this cause.

‘Seat Taken’ symbolizes the remembrance of women who were victims of violence. Through the symbolic occupation of seats in lecture halls, it honours the memory of women who, before being killed by a husband, ex-partner, or lover, once occupied a seat in theatres, on trams, in schools, universities, and throughout society.

The Equal Opportunities Committee of the University of Trieste also promotes, in cooperation with other bodies and institutions in the area, a calendar of awareness-raising initiatives aimed at citizens, including

Stopping violence against women. Slovenia and Italy: comparing experiences

25th November 2024 at 11:00, Androna Baciocchi, Room B.

Speakers: 

Anna Campanile, VoceDonna Anti-Violence Centre, Pordenone, 

Delfina Di Stefano, Trieste Police Headquarters, 

Natalina Folla, University of Trieste, 

Jasna Podreka, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Patrizia Romito, University of Trieste

What ‘genre’ of violence?

27th November 2024 at 10:00, Bachelet Room, Building A, Piazzale Europa Campus.

Informative meeting for the student body organised in collaboration with the Student Council of the University of Trieste. 

Speakers:

Imma Tromba, President of the GOAP Anti-Violence Centre of Trieste

Francesca Pidone, counsellor at the University of Trieste. 

Introduced and coordinated by Maria Dolores Ferrara, President of the Equal Opportunities Committee of the University of Trieste

For information on how to participate in the scheduled activities, please write to presidenza.comitato.garanzia@units.it 

The University of Trieste, in order to express its solidarity with women victims of violence and to testify its commitment to raising awareness among young people and citizens on these issues, will illuminate the façade of Building A in red on Monday 25th November.

FULL PROGRAMME OF INITIATIVES

The MODERN project ('Advanced SeisMic InterferOmetry MethoDs and TechnologiEs for EngineeRiNg Seismology') has officially started. Funded by the Italian Fund for Applied Sciences (FISA), the project is led by Professor Stefano Parolai from the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Geosciences (MIGE) at the University of Trieste.

MODERN aims to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical application in the field of seismic interferometry, developing innovative tools and real-time analysis technologies for industry professionals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the broader industry. Key objectives include enhancing existing approaches, with a particular focus on real-time earthquake impact assessment and the monitoring of buildings and infrastructures, as well as designing ad hoc devices for more accessible and practical solutions.

The project brings together a network of distinguished partners, including the University of Catania, the University of Naples Federico II, the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (OGS), the National Research Council (CNR-IMAA), and the companies Ad.eL s.r.l. and TME s.r.l.

The Main Hall of Building C11 was officially named after Giacomo Costa, a leading figure in the Trieste chemistry scene who passed away in 2015. Costa, who was born in Trieste in 1922 and graduated in Chemistry from Milan, was instrumental in the development of chemistry at the University of Trieste. He held a number of prestigious positions: he was Head of the Institute of Chemistry from 1963 to 1973 and, subsequently, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Science for about twenty years, from 1973 to 1991. His research activities focused on the metal-organic compounds of cobalt, known as ‘Costa's Models’, relevant to the study of Vitamin B12, which remains an active field of research at the University. 

Convinced of the importance of scientific rigour in addressing issues of public interest, he actively participated in technical roundtables on environmental and industrial issues in Trieste, making his expertise available to the community. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 2003 when he was awarded the ‘Amedeo Avogadro’ gold medal for scientific merit.

The naming ceremony saw the institutional greetings of Barbara Milani, Deputy Rector for International Relations and Mobility, Paolo Tecilla, Head of the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Rinaldo Rui, the last Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Science. Following this, Giovanna Fronzoni paid tribute the figure of Professor Costa, while the commemorative plaque was unveiled by Giovanni Costa, Domenico's son and Associate Professor of Solid Earth Geophysics. The event concluded with a seminar by Yusuke Morisawa, Visiting Professor in occasion of the 100th Anniversary of UniTS and Associate Professor in the Department of Science and Engineering at Kindai University.

The University of Trieste, together with the Strategic Management of ASUGI, expresses its warmest wishes for a happy retirement to Prof. Roberto Luzzati. His extraordinary professional contribution represented a strong point for the University and for the local health services (ASUGI), enhancing its role on a national and international level. A leading figure on the medical scene, Prof. Luzzati has left an indelible mark on the management of infectious diseases over the last twenty years, distinguishing himself particularly during the COVID-19 emergency.

After obtaining two specialisations in Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases and completing his training at Boston University, Prof. Luzzati started working in Trieste in 2000 as Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at ASUGI. In 2005, he was appointed Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Trieste, contributing to the transformation of the Department into a jewel in the university’s crown.

His unwavering commitment led to the establishment of the School of Specialisation in Infectious and Tropical Diseases in 2022, creating expanded training opportunities for future generations of doctors. Since 2018, he has served as the Coordinator of the Integrated Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery, steering this vital program with dedication to advance health education at the University.

Prof. Luzzati was Director of the Department of Specialist Medicine from 2005 to 2022 and, since 2022, he has been leading the Department for Antibiotic Stewardship at ASUGI. Author of numerous publications in scientific journals of international standing, he has been able to combine academic rigour and humanity, forming a group of students ready to carry on his work with the same principles of empathy, respect for the patient and commitment to research.

The graduation ceremony for the first 22 graduates of the Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care was held at the Gorizia Campus. The event held great significance for the area, since these are the first fully trained healthcare assistants in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the forerunners for future generations of students who will follow the same path.

Among the keynote speeches, Fabio Barbone, coordinator of the degree course, emphasised the strategic importance of the choice of Gorizia as the location for this course: ‘The choice of Gorizia proves the centrality of this UniTS-UniUD inter-university degree course in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Health care assistants are figures that are in great demand in our region, for which they play an essential role.’

The Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care, inaugurated in the 2021/2022 academic year and active in Gorizia from the following year, has rapidly established itself as an ideal pathway for students interested in public health, epidemiology, health psychology and the promotion of healthy behaviour, responding to the growing demand for professionals in the field of prevention and the promotion of health. During the ceremony, Francesca Larese, lecturer and former coordinator of the course, recalled the challenges faced during the pandemic period: ‘The course started in the Covid era with great enthusiasm, now a cycle has been completed with graduates that are much needed in the Region. The challenges of prevention are many and urgent.'

The healthcare assistant is a key professional in prevention and the promotion of health, working in public and private settings. The main contexts of employment include prevention departments, community homes, addiction and mental health services, schools and care homes. the high demand for these figures in the area ensures that new graduates have an immediate entry into the world of work.

The ceremony was attended, among others, by Manlio Palei, Head of the Prevention Service of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Antonio Poggiana, Director of local health services (ASUGI), Chiara Gatta, Deputy Mayor of Gorizia, and Leonardo Alberto Sechi, Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Udine, confirming the importance of this course for the health and well-being of the regional community.

The Department of Humanities (DiSU) of UniTS has been invited by Princeton University to participate in a prestigious international research project aimed at creating repositories of all numismatic databases. The project, called NOMISMA, involves the collaboration of top-level institutions, including Dumbarton Oaks in Washington and the University of Oxford. The UniTS Nomismata platform has been recognised as being of exemplary value, able to contribute to the development of an innovative tool for the definition and analysis of Byzantine monetary typology.

The ultimate goal is therefore the creation of a digital, accessible and interactive platform that will enable scholars and enthusiasts to obtain up-to-date and detailed information at a glance, especially regarding the places of discovery and circulation of the centuries-old Byzantine issues. These sources will promote the understanding of economic history, relations between territories even outside the borders of the empire, the study of the functioning of the mints and above all the statistical calculation of the volume of the monetary stock coined in a well-defined historical period. The involvement of UniTS highlights the scientific value and importance of the work carried out by our university in the field of numismatic research, which is internationally recognised.

In particular, the contribution of UniTS / DiSU will be fundamental in updating and defining the dataset on the typology of Byzantine coins for the period from Anastasius I to the Byzantine emperor Phocas. The data will be digitised and integrated according to the standards defined by the UniTS Nomismata platform, dedicated to the chronological and geo-referencing of coin finds from the Byzantine era, developed by DiSU also as part of a PRIN grant that has Prof. Bruno Callegher, a former professor of Numismatics, as its leader, and Prof. Andrea Gariboldi as its reference person, Giorgio Donato and Jordan Piščanc as computer designers and developers, with the collaboration of researchers Kateryna Sorochan, Giulio Carraro and Cristiano Rossetti for research and data implementation.

Once again this year, the University of Trieste will participate in World Diabetes Day, which is celebrated on 14th November, by lighting its façade blue. The theme chosen for 2024 is ‘Diabetes and Wellbeing’, which emphasises the importance of a holistic approach to health that is not limited to glycaemic control, but also includes improving patients' physical and mental wellbeing. 

World Diabetes Day was established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in response to the rising number of diabetes cases worldwide. The choice of 14th November is not random: it is the anniversary of the birth of Fredrick Grant Banting, the Canadian physiologist who, together with his colleague Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1921, revolutionising the treatment of the disease. 

Diabetes is one of the major health emergencies of the 21st century. According to IDF estimates, in 2021, more than 530 million people between the ages of 20 and 79 years were living with diabetes globally, a figure that could rise to 783 million by 2045 if preventative action and awareness are not taken. In Europe, the number of people with diabetes exceeds 62 million, and is also growing among children and adolescents due to poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity. 

In Italy, according to ISTAT data, more than 4 million people are affected by diabetes, equal to about 6% of the population. Type 2 diabetes, often associated with risk factors such as obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, accounts for 90 per cent of cases, while type 1 diabetes, of autoimmune origin, is less frequent but constantly increasing among young people. 

By lighting up its historic main building in blue, UniTS wants to remind people of the importance of collective action in the fight against diabetes and reaffirm its commitment to scientific research and public awareness.

The study, published in the prestigious journal Science Advances, presents a simple and innovative method for making new materials that combine the extraordinary properties displayed by single metal atoms with the strength, flexibility and versatility of graphene.

Graphene is a material consisting of a two-dimensional network of carbon discovered in 2004 that has had a huge impact on the scientific community, leading to its discoverers being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010.

The proposed method consists of depositing metal atoms, such as cobalt, in a controlled manner during the formation of the graphene layer on a nickel surface. Some of these atoms are incorporated into the carbon network of graphene, creating a material with exceptional properties of strength, reactivity and stability even under critical conditions.

The new material can be detached from the substrate while retaining its original structure and is therefore potentially usable in applications in catalysis, spintronics and electronic devices.

The work presented is the result of an international collaboration between researchers from CNR-IOM (Materials Foundry), the University of Trieste, the University of Milan Bicocca and the University of Vienna.

Giovanni Comelli, UniTS: ‘The contribution of different and complementary skills was decisive in demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach, which is both simple and powerful at the same time.’

Cristina Africh (CNR-IOM): ‘It is still a preliminary result, but already very promising, the result of an original idea born in our laboratory that initially seemed unfeasible.’

Cristiana Di Valentin (University of Milan Bicocca): ‘We have applied this method to trap nickel and cobalt atoms, but our calculations say that the use could be extended to other metals for different applications.’

Jani Kotakoski (University of Vienna): ‘We have shown that this material survives even critical conditions, including the electrochemical environments used for fuel cell and battery applications.’

Published article

V. Chesnyak, D. Perilli, M. Panighel, A. Namar, A. Markevich, T. An Bui, A. Ugolotti, A. Farooq, M. Stredansky, C. Kofler, C. Cepek, G. Comelli, J. Kotakoski, C. Di Valentin, C. Africh. Scalable bottom-up synthesis of Co-Ni-doped graphene. Science Advances vol, issue (2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado8956