Prof. Stefano Borgani, Professor of Cosmology at UniTS, received the prestigious ‘Prof. Luigi Tartufari’ International Prize from the Lincean Academy (Accademia dei Lincei).

The prize is awarded to scholars in the physics, mathematics, and natural sciences who have distinguished themselves through innovative research and relevant activities.

This is the motivation: ‘His research in the field of cosmology ranges from the study of the large-scale structure of the Universe to bind models of dark matter and dark energy, to the description of the formation and evolution of cosmic structures through the use of numerical simulations based on high performance computing methodologies. His studies on the cosmological application of galaxy clusters were among the first ever to highlight the role of such objects for precision cosmology and, at the same time, highlighted for the first time the need to fully understand the physical properties of galaxy clusters in order to fully exploit their potential for cosmological applications.’

‘We are living in the golden age of cosmology. The amount and quality of data we are getting, primarily from ESA's Euclid Space Telescope, promises to revolutionise our understanding of the Universe. Questions about the nature of energy and dark matter, and the physical laws that describe the birth and evolution of the Universe, may finally be answered. The Italian community, thanks to the participation of INAF and various Institutes and Universities, is playing a leading role in the Euclid Consortium. In Trieste in particular, a close collaboration has been established between researchers from our University, INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Trieste and SISSA, precisely on the analysis of Euclid data and their interpretation through simulations based on high-performance computing,’ said Borgani. ‘I am very honoured to receive this award from such a prestigious institution as the Lincean Academy. I like to think that this is a recognition not only for myself, but also for my close collaborators, with whom I have shared so many research adventures, as well as for the young researchers I have followed over the years and who have enriched my scientific life.’

UniTS students Francesco Benda, Claudia Depalma and Soraya Temporini are the winners of the 2024 edition of X - Culture. An exceptional result also made possible by the financial support that the Pietro Pittini Foundation has guaranteed since 2018.

X-Culture is an international competition, coordinated for UniTS by Prof. Donata Vianelli, in which the students' business-plan development skills are put to the test, as well as their commitment to consistently carrying out the steps of the competition.

After passing an initial test, the students are placed in virtual teams of 6-8 students from universities in different countries.

In 2024, a total of 5,377 students from 131 universities in 70 countries on six continents participated in the project. They worked in 1,289 global virtual teams. The best 50 students from the teams ranked in the top 10% in the initial phase of the project were admitted to the international finals. The latter were again divided into multicultural teams to prepare for the international finals held at the University of St. Louis (USA).

This year, two teams were equal winners, with three UniTS students from the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics (2 in one team and 1 in the other): Claudia Depalma and Francesco Benda, attending the Master's Degree in Marketing and Management, and Soraya Temporini, a third-year student in the Bachelor's Degree in Business & Management (taught in English).

Here is a description of the two winning Business Plans:

International team of Francesco Benda

The project focused on the impact of the World Congress of Dermatology 2031 in Cape Town, offering an innovative solution to transform the city into a dermatology hub for advanced research. Its excellence lies in its integrated approach between economic growth, sustainable innovation, promotion of technological advances in the field of dermatology and community involvement. It aims to enhance local resources, promote medical tourism and improve international collaborations, ensuring long-term economic and scientific benefits for Cape Town.

International team of Claudia Depalma and Soraya Temporini

The project aims to make Dublin a global dermatology hub, with a real social impact for the city. They came up with specific activities for the hypothetical client's event and permanent initiatives, such as skin scanners in the most frequented spots. The #LoveYourSkinDublin campaign promotes inclusion and normalisation of skin diseases. Thanks to a cost-cutting strategy, services will be free of charge, making dermatological examinations more accessible and incentivising innovation.

At X - Culture, the evaluation of the best business plans is based not only on the quality of the content (market analysis, marketing and communication, operational processes, logistics, human resources) but also on the innovativeness of the ideas and solutions proposed and on clarity of presentation.

Trieste, November 6, 2024 – A new generation of plastic microsatellites, modular like interlocking structures, integrating electrical connections between the various operational boards inside, thus making them lighter, more spacious, and more efficient: this is the goal of the RISE (Resilient Integrated Structural Elements) project from the University of Trieste and the company PICOSATS.

Since (NET) 6th of November, the International Space Station has hosted a very special prototype designed by UniTS researchers and the university's spin-off company, PICOSATS.

It is a cube made of plastic material with conductive tracks (circuits) running through it, which connect the operational boards mounted on the sides of the object. The electrical component, essential for the satellite’s operation, is thus integrated into the structure, making it much more robust, cheaper, and easier to produce compared to the older generation.

The microsatellite structure, made of 3D-printed plastic and hollow inside, finally allows for the modular management of its geometry, as if assembling modular building blocks... but extremely high-tech!

‘During the four months in which we will test our idea, we will find out if the device can function in microgravity and withstand the stresses from the launch of SpaceX's CRS-31 mission aboard the Falcon 9 rocket,’ explains Stefano Seriani, professor of Robotics at UniTS and scientific coordinator of RISE. ‘If so, we will have laid the groundwork for a real revolution in the microsatellite market.’

These space objects lend themselves to extremely versatile applications, ranging from Earth observation to telecommunications, to astrophysics and planetary exploration.

The RISE project took its first steps in 2018 when the founding team won the challenge sponsored by ICE Cubes within the ‘Space Exploration Masters’ competition organised by the European Space Agency (ESA), placing second in the ESA & Commercial Partners challenge.

The project thus secured a ‘ticket’ to the International Space Station provided by Space Applications Services, a Belgian aerospace company..

Now, in the year of the University of Trieste’s 100th anniversary, it has become a reality, thanks also to the contribution of ASI, the Italian Space Agency, which financed its development.

‘We wanted to bring this important anniversary into space,’ concludes Seriani. ‘Inside the cube, we included the UniTS 100th anniversary logo which, together with the PICOSATS logo, will float in microgravity, sending very special greetings to our ground command centre.’

The University of Trieste joins the project Promemoria_Auschwitz for 2025, promoted by the association Deina APS.

The project offers 48 university students enrolled at the University a training course and a coach trip to the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, with the aim of stimulating reflection on the construction of memories and the history of the 20th century from a European perspective. Students from the Universities of Bergamo, Milan Statale, Milan Bicocca, Turin, the Milan Polytechnic, and the Normale University of Pisa are also taking part in the project and the trip.

The project is divided into two distinct phases: the first part is historical training, curated in collaboration with the University of Trieste, which involves attending a series of seminars entitled Building Memory (17th December 2024, 9th and 20th January, 3rd and 17th February 2025); the second part consists of the trip, curated by the Deina association, which will take place from 26th February to 3rd March 2025.

Interested students will be selected based on a letter of motivation (max 2000 characters) that will be assessed by a committee composed of members of Deina APS and UniTS.

To apply, you must fill in the APPLICATION FORM (which includes the letter) by 1st December 2024.

The participation fee is 175 euros to be paid according to the terms that will be communicated at the time of registration. The fee is non-refundable.

Information: https://www.deina.it/promemoria-auschwitz

Contact: info@deina.it

Francesco Dattilo, a PhD student in Environment and Life at the University of Trieste and the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), won the title of Italian champion at FameLab Italia 2024, held in Genoa on 27th October as part of the Festival of Science.

Dattilo was awarded for ‘having clearly and charismatically presented a very recent scientific result, at the same time highlighting the path of discovery by showing how science proceeds and how one can arrive at a discovery even through a failure and a wrong hypothesis’. During his presentation, the young physicist outlined in three minutes the research that recently led to an explanation of the flow and abundance of oxygen in the ocean floor. A challenge that lasted thirteen years, a journey studded with trial and error and concluded with the announcement of the discovery of how certain rocks on the ocean floor cause processes of electrolysis and the consequent abundant presence of oxygen.

‘I am really happy that the message I wanted to convey was appreciated. Beyond the result, it was a wonderful experience, I met a lot of scientists with stories to tell,’ said Dattilo, who will represent Italy in the FameLab international online final on 29th November. Together with him, Federica Moretti, a PhD student in nanotechnology at the University of Trieste, also made it onto the national podium, once again demonstrating the value of the city's research.

In 2024 FameLab Italia, coordinated by Cheltenham Festivals and Psiquadro Perugia, reached the milestone of its thirteenth edition, after having visited 25 cities throughout Italy over the years and involved over 1,000 young researchers. The event was made possible thanks to a collaboration with more than 100 cultural partners including, for the selection of Trieste, the Immaginario Scientifico Science Museum, the University of Trieste, the University of Udine, SISSA and the Municipality of Trieste, as part of the Trieste City of Knowledge System.

The ‘Maker Faire Rome 2024 - The European Edition’, the twelfth edition of the annual fair open to the public dedicated to innovation, technology and creativity, will take place at the Gazometro Ostiense (Rome) from 25th to 27th October. It brings together innovators, makers, researchers and enthusiasts from all over Europe. In addition to the exhibition of projects and inventions, it offers workshops, lectures and laboratories to acquire technical skills and stimulate collaboration. It attracts students, start-ups, companies and government agencies, families, entrepreneurs and investors, promoting the exchange of ideas and the evolution of technologies.

The University of Trieste is present with a stand curated by the CLab Think Tank - the University's hub supporting the creation of innovative entrepreneurial projects - and two initiatives featuring students from the University: Enactus UniTS and UniTS Racing Team.

Enactus UniTS is exhibiting Hemp-Up, a business idea based on sustainable fashion, with clothes made from hemp. The initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry by using environmentally friendly materials and promoting ethical production. The team will present the project with an interactive workshop that aims to engage participants in their approach to the circular economy and social entrepreneurship.

After winning the SKF ‘Sustainability at 360 degrees’ award for the sustainable approach adopted at every stage of the project, from the choice of natural materials to the optimisation of the vehicle's life cycle, the UniTS Racing Team will present, by means of models, the solutions that led to the realisation of their innovative electric prototype with a flax fibre body, and that were instrumental in achieving this recognition.

The University of Trieste today proclaimed 133 new PhDs, the highest number ever, during the Graduation Day ceremony held in the Main Hall of Building A in Piazzale Europa.

The 36th-cycle PhDs, who celebrated their proclamation with the traditional ‘tossing of the academic cap’, registered a further increase in the international presence – one in five is in fact from abroad – and witnessed the perfect gender balance achieved among PhD students. 

‘Graduation Day,’ says Prof. Alessandro Baraldi, Deputy for scientific research and Doctorates at the University of Trieste, ‘does not only celebrate the achievement of an extraordinary milestone for our young researchers, but it is also the moment when the University wishes to express its gratitude to the PhD students, who represent a fundamental part of our research activity. 

It is a recognition,' Baraldi concludes, ’that will culminate on 2nd December, with the awarding of the PhD Innovation Awards in the centenary year.’

The University of Trieste's initiative – an absolute novelty – will celebrate through the awarding of five prizes to young scholars a century of research, excellence, creativity and ingenuity, rewarding innovation in thought, knowledge, research methodologies and technologies.

The guest of honour at Graduation Day was Marco Gori, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Siena, who delivered a lectio magistralis entitled ‘Intelligent Machines that do not Accumulate Data’, in which he proposed a new approach to artificial intelligence and machine learning that is not based on the massive accumulation of data. 

Gori suggested that, as happens in nature, machines can develop cognitive skills through interactions with the environment, thus avoiding the centralisation of large collections of data. This approach would reduce privacy risks and concentration of power.

University of Trieste Vice Rector Valter Sergo has been awarded a prestigious academic honour by the University of Panama: the Faculty of Business Sciences conferred him an honorary professorship during the Congreso Internacional en Investigación y Ciencias Empresariales, which took place a few days ago in Panama City.

Prof. Sergo received the professorship ‘in recognition of his personal merit, his role as a researcher and his valuable contribution in the field of research and technology transfer, which supported the development of the Italian entrepreneurial ecosystem’.

Sergo, a chemist and lecturer in Chemical Foundations of Technologies at the Department of Engineering and Architecture, works in the field of spectroscopy and was awarded one of the very first industry-funded university chairs in Italy.

In addition, by appointment of the regional council he was the president of BIC incubatori FVG, and vice-president of the board of directors of Rachael, a technology consultancy company in the field of Big Data, in which UniTS, SISSA and SWG own a share.

On the day of the awards ceremony, Prof. Sergo delivered a lectio magistralis focused on the role of science in the decision-making processes and strategic management of companies.

‘This recognition,’ commented Pro-rector Sergo, ’transcends the individual, and is in fact the result of the University of Trieste’s long and dedicated commitment to the field of Science Diplomacy. It is no coincidence that the role of UniTS has been recognised and has been made to grow and mature, first and foremost by the Italian ambassador of Panama, Fabrizio Nicoletti, whose previous post was head of science diplomacy at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).’

After the conference and this prestigious award, the Vice Rector's trip to Panama is continuing through meetings with academic authorities, professors, researchers and students of the University of Panama, with the aim of further strengthening the ties between Italy and Panama and promoting new academic collaborations.

Subsequently, from 23rd to 25th October, also in Panama, Valter Sergo, Rodolfo Taccani (Fluid Machinery) and Giovanni Comelli (Experimental Physics of Matter and Applications) will take part in the 9th International Conference on Engineering, Science and Technology (IESTEC), which will be preceded by a visit to the Technological University of Panama, organiser of the event, on 22nd October. 

Panama is of central importance in Italy's scientific and technological cooperation programmes, and Italy will be the invited country of honour at the IESTEC Conference. The role of the University of Trieste therefore aims to consolidate relations with the Central American country, strengthening the exchange of knowledge and the promotion of Italian excellence in research and innovation. 

The collaboration process was launched last February, through the agreement signed between the University of Trieste and the University of Panama.

The 10th October marks the 33rd World Mental Health Day, promoted by the World Federation for Mental Health. The theme of the 2024 edition, ‘It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace’, highlights the importance of promoting mental wellbeing in professional settings, a priority supported by the scientific community and activists in the field.

People with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities also face reduced life expectancy compared to the general population, often due to issues with their physical health. A study conducted by the Psychiatric Clinic at the University of Trieste and lead by Prof. Umberto Albert, President of the Italian Society of Psychiatry (FVG section), revealed that a significant proportion of patients from Trieste’s Mental Health Centres do not regularly participate in regional cancer screening programmes, risking late diagnosis and serious consequences.

Stigma remains a significant obstacle, limiting access to essential care and negatively affecting its quality. Discrimination and harmful stereotypes within families, schools and workplaces can prevent people from forming healthy relationships, hinder social interaction and block inclusive environments necessary for the well-being of every member of society.

It is crucial that the right to optimal mental health is recognised as a basic human right and that all countries commit to ensuring universal access to mental health services. Additionally, access to better living conditions, safety, food and shelter are necessary for people's mental health and a universal right for all citizens of the world.

The University of Trieste participates in World Mental Health Day by lighting the façade of the Central Building in green, the symbolic colour of good mental health. This initiative is part of a nationwide network of solidarity and awareness-raising that will see the illumination of monuments and important public buildings across Italy, many of them institutional headquarters, thanks to the mobilisation launched throughout the country by the Italian Society of Psychiatry.