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G7 Conference on Large Research Infrastructures in Su Gologone, Sardinia
An international forum dedicated to the value and role of large research infrastructures in scientific progress and their economic, social and geopolitical impacts on a global scale. These were the central themes of the G7 conference “Large Research Infrastructures: Synergies and Impact on Science and Society”, organized by the Ministry of University and Research in collaboration with the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) under the Italian G7 Presidency, and held in Sardinia from October 28th to 30th in Su Gologone (Nuoro).
The rich three-day program featured four thematic sessions, dedicated to exploring the key role of large research infrastructures in generating knowledge and value for society, promoting the sharing of ideas and best practices among policymakers, researchers, and socio-economic stakeholders.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and the President of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Alessandra Todde.
Among the nationally and internationally prominent speakers was also the President of Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo, who contributed to the roundtable The Socio-Economic Benefits of Large Research Infrastructures. Here, speakers discussed the role of large infrastructures: not only centers for scientific knowledge production and high-quality FAIR data, but also true catalysts of innovative processes, which include training new generations of scientists, transferring technology to industry, and fostering regional development.
During her speech, the President highlighted the importance of integrating these infrastructures into innovative ecosystems, scientific, and technological hubs, both public and private, where collaboration and shared projects can thrive.
The objective of the G7 Conference on Large Research Infrastructures: Synergies and Impact on Science and Society is to stimulate dialogue to facilitate collaboration among the G7 countries, in order to optimize resources and maximize the complementarity of these large infrastructures, aiming toward a future of shared and sustainable innovation.
Institutional
Research infrastructures
The new DPCfam-UHGP50 dataset: a valuable resource for research on the human gastrointestinal proteome
The Data Engineering Laboratory (LADE) at Area Science Park has recently published an article in Nature – Scientific Data on protein sequence annotation.
Thanks to technological advances in genomic sequencing, the number of known protein sequences has grown exponentially. Many of these sequences come from metagenomic projects that analyze environmental and clinical samples. Among the most relevant datasets in this field stands the Unified Human Gastrointestinal Proteome (UHGP) catalog, with a variety of applications in medicine and biology. However, the limited annotation of these sequences reduces their effectiveness.
To address this issue, the DPCfam-UHGP dataset was developed, classifying UHGP sequences into protein families that typically group proteins sharing the same biological function. The dataset contains 10,778 families, generated through DPCfam clustering, an unsupervised method that organizes sequences into single- or multi-domain architectures.
This project, part of Federico Barone‘s doctoral research supervised by Alessio Ansuini and Alberto Cazzaniga, exemplifies the fruitful interaction between data management and data science. In this context, the construction of a curated database of gastrointestinal proteins enabled more refined cataloging through advanced machine learning algorithms, allowing continuous database updates in fruitful feedback loop aimed at promoting new discoveries.
The DPCfam-UHGP50 dataset, accessible through a web server, was developed following the best FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) practices, with the aim of fostering new discoveries in the field of human gastrointestinal tract metagenomics.
Previously, LADE had already produced the DPCfam-UR50 database, accompanied by a publication in PLOS – Computational Biology.
Technological Infrastructures
Elettra Sincrotrone launches advanced digital assistant in support of research
Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste has announced the launch of ElettraBot, an innovative digital assistant based on artificial intelligence, designed to support researchers using the beamlines and laboratories of Elettra and FERMI. The first prototype has been successfully implemented for the TwinMic beamline, named TwinBot.
This beamline, one of the 28 beamlines at the Italian synchrotron located in Trieste, specializes in X-ray microscopy, offering sub-micrometric spatial resolution. Thanks to its ability to combine transmission imaging and X-ray spectroscopy, TwinMic enables multidisciplinary studies ranging from biology to materials science. Its main applications include studying nanoparticle accumulation in cells and understanding chemical mechanisms related to asbestos in human tissues.
TwinBot represents a significant innovation in basic research, providing immediate and intuitive access to the technical and experimental information offered by the TwinMic beamline. Leveraging artificial intelligence, TwinBot provides real-time responses to inquiries made in natural language, facilitating the preparation of proposals and experiments. TwinBot provides quick and accurate answers, significantly enhancing their operational efficiency, therefore researchers no longer need to spend long hours manually searching through technical documents.
This tool has the potential to be extended to other beamlines and services at Elettra, further strengthening the scientific ecosystem of the institution. No other synchrotron has yet adopted similar technology for these purposes, making TwinBot a unique innovation. The project not only positions Elettra at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into scientific infrastructures but also establishes new standards for supporting basic research.
Artificial intelligence is not limited to automating repetitive tasks, it goes far beyond that: it analyzes large volumes of data, identifies complex patterns, and can contribute to generating new insights that lead to innovative hypotheses, often based on extensive datasets or complex models that are difficult to analyze manually. This radically changes research methods, allowing scientists to focus more on creative and analytical aspects. Thus, artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an essential element of modern scientific research, with applications that extend well beyond automation.
From our campuses
Launch of the Phenotypic Fingerprinting School: an initiative carried out as part of the PRP@CERIC Project
The goal of the “Phenotypic Fingerprinting School,” inaugurated on October 14 at Area Science Park, is to explore the complex metabolic pathways involved in cellular responses to infections and drugs through the use of complementary and integrable approaches and techniques.
Organized in collaboration with Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, ICGEB and CNR-IOM, the school is part of the “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” (PRP@CERIC) project. This project aims to develop a highly specialized research infrastructure, unique in Europe, integrating tools and expertise in biology, biochemistry, physics, bio-electronics, virology, genomics, bioinformatics, and data science to study human, animal and plant pathogens and respond quickly to new potential outbreaks.
For four weeks, participants will engage in both theoretical and practical sessions, studying host-pathogen interactions from a multidisciplinary perspective. The program includes contributions from researchers of different PRP@CERIC partner institutions, as well as open lectures by internationally renowned experts, including Professor Piero Carninci, who will hold a seminar titled “My Travel from Genomic Technologies to Biology” on October 17 at Area Science Park.
The project “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade”– PRP@CERIC is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) under Mission 4 “Education and Research,” Component 2 “From Research to Entreprise,” Investment Line 3.1 “Fund for the Creation of an Integrated System of Research and Innovation Infrastructures,” funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.
Research infrastructures
New Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence in Protein Research
The Data Engineering Laboratory (LADE) at Area Science Park has recently published an innovative study into Bioinformatics, opening up new perspectives in the study of proteins, the fundamental building blocks of life. In fact, Francesca Cuturello, Marco Celoria, Alessio Ansuini and Alberto Cazzaniga, the authors of the study, have demonstrated how artificial intelligence can predict the impact of genetic mutations on protein stability, helping to get a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying many diseases and potentially developing new treatments. The genome of living beings is constantly mutating due to external agents or random events and this leads us to observe changes in the sequences of the proteins they synthesise.
Conducted as part of the Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC (PRP@CERIC) project, the study uses AI models similar to GPT, applied to proteomics. These models are based on the analogy between a protein sequence and a sentence, with amino acids acting as “words”, allowing algorithms trained on hundreds of millions of protein sequences to be applied. Using this technique, the LADE researchers were able to predict how small variations in the amino acid sequence, such as those induced by mutations, can affect protein stability.
A particularly innovative aspect is the use of the MSA Transformer model, which utilises information on the ancestral relationships between protein sequences to enhance the accuracy of predictions. The algorithm developed by LADE offers cutting-edge performance and will be made available to the scientific community to encourage further advancements in this field.
“Predicting the effect of protein mutations through artificial intelligence allows us to explore, with great precision, complex biological phenomena that, until recently, were difficult to observe directly”, explains Francesca Cuturello, the study’s lead author. “This technology is a step forward towards innovative therapeutic solutions for a wide range of diseases.”
The team’s work has already received widespread recognition, including Francesca Cuturello’s invitation to the prestigious Research Retreat “Physics of Biological Data Analysis” at the Aspen Center for Physics and it will be presented at other international research centres, such as the ICTP and the Leibniz Center for Informatics.
For more information about LADE’s activities, click here.
Press releases
Technological Infrastructures
G7 Conference on Research and Capacity Building with Africa in Trieste
This conference served as an opportunity for dialogue between G7 countries and the African Union on the subjects of training, research and innovation as tools for building skills. The “Research and Capacity Building with African Countries” conference was organised by the Ministry of University and Research in collaboration with Area Science Park, under the Italian G7 Presidency.
Hosted in the enchanting setting of the Throne Room in Miramare Castle, the G7 conference highlighted the importance of developing shared pathways in higher education, knowledge transfer and support for innovation, starting right here in Trieste—a city characterised by a strong presence of international and national scientific institutions that have developed a profound cooperation and presence in various countries across the African continent over the years.
“Trieste is an exceptional example of science without borders. For instance, there are four institutions under the auspices of UNESCO, including ICGEB and ICTP,” as Caterina Petrillo, President of Area Science Park, explained during her opening remarks, emphasising that “science represents a powerful form of international collaboration”.
The discussions centred on the impact of knowledge, through training and research, on ensuring the sustainable development of society and economic growth. The conference featured contributions from high-level members of the G7, the African Union, the European Union and UNESCO, as well as representatives from the private sector. The event concluded with the presentation of success stories in the fields of public health, green transition and research infrastructures.
The Research and Capacity Building with Africa initiative was also presented during the meeting. This initiative, which Italy intends to develop with the participation of the G7 universities involved, aims to address the structural challenges hindering the potential of research and innovation in Africa.
The G7 Conference on Research and Capacity Building with African Countries took place alongside the Big Science Business Forum (BSBF), an international congress dedicated to highly innovative technologies that represent a market for major research infrastructures.
Institutional
Big Science Business Forum: Handover from Trieste to Maastricht
The third edition of the Big Science Business Forum, hosted by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia at the Generali Convention Center in Porto Vecchio, Trieste, concluded with a symbolic handover led by women. Alessia Rosolen, Regional Minister for Labor, Education, Research, University, and Family for Friuli Venezia Giulia, passed the baton to Jetske Verkerk, Deputy Director of the Directorate for Innovation and Knowledge at the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, and Marleentje Verstreken, Representative for FIT, the Belgian Regional Agency for International Trade.
Among the emotional images from the four intense days and the call for a female-led future in Big Science, the impressive numbers of this Italian edition emerged. The event is Europe’s most important intersection of science, technology, and business, promoted by ten leading European Big Science Business Forum (BSOs): CERN, ESA, ESO, ESS, ESRF, European XFEL, FAIR, F4E, ILL, and SKAO.
“Over 1,300 delegates from 500 organizations were welcomed in the Trieste exhibition space, with 163 stands featuring 245 exhibitors and 14 national pavilions. Thirty-two countries were represented, including Italy, and 2040 applications from young students and researchers under 40 were submitted on the EURES platform in the section dedicated to Big Science, gathered from across Europe,” noted Regional Minister Rosolen.
The last day of BSBF was dedicated not only to the younger generation but also to the presence of women in Big Science. The plenary session featured speakers such as Ana Aricha from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and University; Agnes Auledas, Senior Engineer, Atkins Realis; Lars Börjesson, CESAER envoy for S&T infrastructures, Chalmers/CESAER; Raffaella Geometrante, Managing Director of Kyma SpA and Kyma Tehnologija doo; Federica Mantovani, Head of Research Infrastructures, Area Science Park; and Lucy Van Der Tas, Talent Acquisition Lead, ESA. “The Big Science Project has enormous potential not only for technological development but also for cultural and social growth, respecting gender equality,” said Francesca Fantini, coordinator of the Women in Big Science Business Forum group and an engineer at F4Energy.
Andrea Illy addressed the young audience, encouraging future leaders in research, science, and business to embrace the need for cultural and social regeneration. A concrete example on stage at BSBF 2024 was the Audace Sailing Team, a project launched by a group of Engineering and Economics students from the University of Trieste.
Paolo Acunzo, Director of BSBF 2024, concluded: “With the end of BSBF 2024, we have completed a journey that lasted two and a half years, which took us far and firmly established the presence of Big Science in Trieste and Italy, destined to continue over time.”
BSBF, following previous editions in Copenhagen and Granada, will be hosted in Maastricht in 2026, in 2024 is hosted by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region in collaboration with ILO Network Italia, comprising representatives from CNR, ENEA, INAF, and INFN, with Area Science Park in Trieste, PromoTurismo FVG, and promoted by the ten leading European Big Science Organisations (BSOs), including CERN, ESA, ESO, ESS, ESRF, European XFEL, FAIR, F4E, ILL, and SKAO, with support from PERIIA, the pan-European network of Industry Liaison Officers (ILOs). Italy’s bid to host BSBF 2024 received the backing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, and the Ministry of Universities and Research, along with the City of Trieste, the University of Trieste, the Venezia Giulia Chamber of Commerce (Gorizia-Trieste), and the Central European Initiative.
The event was hosted by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in collaboration with ILO Network Italy, consisting of representatives from CNR, ENEA, INAF, and INFN, as well as Area Science Park in Trieste, PromoTurismo FVG, and promoted by ten leading European Big Science Organisations (BSOs), including CERN, ESA, ESO, ESS, ESRF, European XFEL, FAIR, F4E, ILL, and SKAO, with the support of PERIIA, the pan-European network of national ILO – Industry Liaison Officers. The Italian bid to host BSBF 2024 was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy; the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security; and the Ministry of University and Research, as well as the city of Trieste, the University of Trieste, the Venezia Giulia Gorizia Trieste Chamber of Commerce, and the Central European Initiative.
Institutional
Francesco Ortu receives the Artificial Intelligence Prize from the University of Trieste
Francesco Ortu was awarded the Artificial Intelligence Prize from the University of Trieste for his thesis “Interpreting How Large Language Models Handle Facts and Counterfactuals through Mechanistic Interpretability” as part of the Master’s program in “Data Science and Scientific Computing”. This work was developed at the Institute for Research and Technological Innovation (RIT) of Area Science Park. The study focuses on how generative language models, like those behind ChatGPT, react when presented with text containing false information.
The work was published in the Proceedings of the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics and presented last August in Bangkok at one of the most important conferences on Computational Linguistics and Artificial Intelligence for Natural Language.
“Research on interpretability,” explains Francesco Ortu, “aims to bridge the gap between empirical approaches and our scientific understanding of the inner workings of generative language models (LLMs). So far, most existing research in this area has focused on how models copy or recall factual knowledge. In our study, we analyzed how information propagates within the neural network, identifying the ‘neurons’ that choose whether to promote or suppress false information proposed by the user.”
Congratulations to Francesco, with best wishes for pursuing exciting discoveries during his PhD, which will soon begin at the Laboratory of Data Engineering in Area Science Park.
Technological Infrastructures
CERIC Call for Proposals Now Open: coordinated access to more than 60 instruments for research
The Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium, CERIC-ERIC is calling for proposals for coordinated access to more than 60 instruments and support laboratories for research in all fields of materials, biomaterials and nanotechnology. The call is open to researchers from all over the world. In addition to the possibility to access several instruments through a single application, CERIC-ERIC offers support for mobility.
To apply, use the link “Submit a new CERIC proposal” in the Virtual Unified Office – VUO, at https://vuo.elettra.trieste.it/
As usual, there will be two deadlines:
September 2nd 2024, at 17:00 CEST, to have a pre-evaluation and the possibility to improve your proposal
October 1st 2024, at 17:00 CEST (final submission), recommended only for users that are experts in all the techniques requested.
What is new in this call?
Over the last years, CERIC has been increasing its capacities in the field of Energy Materials. To this end, three energy storage facilities with state-of-the-art techniques in the field of fuel cells and batteries research, have been recently included in CERIC open access offer:
European Commissions’s Joint Research Centre for Battery Energy Storage Testing Laboratory and the Fuel Cell and Electrolyser Testing laboratory in Petten, The Netherlands
Hydrogen Technology Centre (HTC) at Charles University in Prague
After almost a year, the Inelastic Ultraviolet Scattering with fixed-energy sources (IUVS-Offline) lab at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste is available again in the CERIC offer. The equipment of the laboratory has been enriched of the new Lab Model Deep UV Resonance Raman & Photoluminescence Spectrometer (excitation wavelength at 248 nm with microscopic imaging).
CERIC continues to offer access to:
AMS-IRMS Accelerator Mass Spectrometry for radiocarbon dating at the CEDAD laboratory of the University of Salento, Italy
European Commission’s Joint Research Centre Nanobiotechnology Laboratory in Ispra, Italy
Next Generation Sequencing at the Laboratory for Genomics and Epigenomics (LAGE) in Trieste, Italy
For maintenance reasons, the ion beam facilty at the Ruđer Bošković Institute will not be offering access during the current Call for proposals to their laboratory, therefor the instruments IRRA, NMicro and ToF-ERDA will not be available, while RBSc and PIXE/RBS will be available at the CEDAD laboratory in Lecce.
The Thermal Neutron Three-axis Spectometer (TAST) at the Budapest Neutron Centre is currently out of service and will not be available in the current Call for Proposals.
For further information about the call, please visit the website https://www.ceric-eric.eu/users/call-for-proposals/
Innovation services
Phenotypic fingerprinting school: training opportunity in Area Science Park for two STEM graduates
A theoretical and practical training opportunity that, through the use of complementary and integrable approaches and techniques, allows the discovery of fingerprints of cellular metabolic pathways disrupted by infections and drug response. This opportunity is offered by the training school in “Phenotypic Fingerprinting” promoted by Area Science Park in collaboration with Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology – ICGEB and the National Research Council – CNR, as part of the activities of the “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” – PRP@CERIC*.
The course will be held in English and will take place in Trieste at the laboratories of Area Science Park, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, ICGEB and the CNR – Istituto Officina dei Materiali. It is structured in two sessions for a total of about 150 hours. Several topics are covered: from cellular models of host-pathogen interaction to RNA sequencing, from micro- and nano-processing for biology to chemical cytology, data analysis, integration and management.
The “Phenotypic Fingerprinting School” training course was created to strengthen the skills of researchers and technologists employed within the PRP@CERIC project, but it also includes the participation of an external quota of STEM graduates interested in developing their skills in the study of phenotypic fingerprinting. Area Science Park is inviting expressions of interest for two positions. The call is open until July 26, 2024.
The requirements for applying are:
1) master’s or specialist degree or old-school degree in STEM subjects;
2) knowledge of the English language;
3) possession of civil and political rights in the State of nationality or origin.
For each participant in the training programme, a reimbursement will be provided for lunches during the lesson days (which can be used in the Area Science Park canteens on the Basovizza and Padriciano campuses), while, exclusively for students coming from outside Trieste, a reimbursement will also be provided for the overnight stay and other meals.
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*The project “Pathogen Readiness Platform for CERIC-ERIC Upgrade” – PRP@CERIC is financed under the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) under Mission 4 “Education and Research”, Component 2 “From Research to Enterprise”, Investment Line 3.1 “Fund for the creation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures”,” funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU.
genomic
Opportunity
Research infrastructures
The Consul General of France in Milan visits Area Science Park
Monsieur François Bonet, Consul General of France in Milan, visited Area Science Park accompanied by the Honorary Consul of France in Trieste, Riccardo Illy. In Trieste to participate in G7 Education, scheduled to be held at this time in the Friuli Venezia Giulia administrative centre, the French Consul was welcomed by the President of Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo, and by the Director of the Research and Innovation Structure, Salvatore La Rosa.
President Petrillo illustrated the main activities of the national research body and the ongoing strategic projects: from the “North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley” project to IP4FVG-EDIH, the European Digital Innovation Hub to IMPRESS, in which French scientific entities are participating. A small focus was devoted to the research and technological infrastructures, which Area Science Park has been developing recently.
The Consul expressed great interest during the meeting, in particular towards the scientific vocation of Trieste and the numerous institutions that operate there.
François Bonet, previously ambassador to El Salvador, was appointed Consul General of France in Milan in August 2023.
Then, Monsieur Francois Bonet and Riccardo Illy visited the Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste light laboratory accompanied by Andrea Locatelli, line group coordinator, and Claudio Masciovecchio, Director.
From our campuses
Friuli Venezia Giulia: a reference point for international cooperation and Italy/Africa scientific diplomacy
Science and training can effectively contribute to developing the strategic partnership between Italy and Africa, also in light of the new Mattei Plan for Africa promoted by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. This is demonstrated by Friuli Venezia Giulia, which, with the significant amount of experience gained and success stories, can play a central role in deepening the already fruitful collaborations. This is what emerged from the annual conference of SiS FVG, the Scientific and Innovation System of Friuli Venezia Giulia, held on Wednesday, 26 June, at Trieste’s Area Science Park and which explored the connections between international cooperation and scientific diplomacy.
“The Scientific and Innovation System of Friuli Venezia Giulia has anticipated many of the topics in the Mattei Plan. The very topic of scientific diplomacy has gone hand in hand with the history of this territory, anticipating the debate we are facing at a national and European level”, declared Alessia Rosolen, Councilor for work, training, education, research, university and family of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. “Our added value has concerned, in particular, the training courses in support of research, in the relationship between new professional figures, in the construction of the higher education system and ITS (Higher Technical Institutes). In this area, among other things, we have two national excellences:
The exchange programme of the “Malignani” Institute of Udine with Egypt and that of ITS “Alto Adriatico” of Pordenone with Ghana.
During the conference, there were talks by numerous speakers, making contributions to and discussing the topic. Among these, Vincenzo Lorusso, in charge of the European Union’s Cooperation in Research and Innovation with the African Union at the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, spoke about the key role that Research & Innovation have in the development of the partnership between the European Union and Africa. Lorusso also confirmed the investment (equal to 150 billion euros), announced at the EU-AU summit last February, aiming to support Africa for a strong, inclusive, ecological and digital recovery and transformation.
The role of science as an effective tool for consolidating transnational relations was already reiterated in the 2019 Trieste Declaration, signed by the ministers of 17 countries of the Central European Initiative (CEI), who designated as priorities themes such as scientific diplomacy, the mobility of researchers, the exchange of staff, and the promotion of transnational collaborative networks.
Among the best practices presented are the MITS Academy/Egypt project and Alto Adriatico Confindustria’s training project with Ghana. The former, stemming from the collaboration between the ITS Academy of Udine and the Istituto Paritario Don Bosco of Cairo, and illustrated by Paola Perabò, Vice President of the MITS Malignani Istituto Tecnico Superiore Foundation of Udine, aims at reducing the misalignment between supply and demand of qualified personnel in the manufacturing sector and promoting cooperation between Italy and Egypt. The latter, presented by the President of the Alto Adriatico Confindustria, Michelangelo Agrusti, has the objective of training young Ghanaians, already enrolled in technical and professional schools in that country, to fill the labour shortage in the industrial system of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The President of Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo, opened the meeting, focusing on the strategic importance of the topic of the Conference, shared by all the representatives of SiS FVG, “a fundamental theme for Trieste, a centre of excellence where numerous entities were created and operate and are active in research and higher education at an international level”. The President then remembered the G7 Research event on 2 October, organised in the context of the BSBF 2024, devoted to building skills and transferring knowledge in order to strengthen collaboration between Italy and Africa.
Alessandro Garbellini – Office Manager of the Space, Multilateral Scientific Cooperation and Intellectual Property Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, then spoke, and affirmed: “The SiS FVG model certainly represents a lever for our foreign policy and is proof of how much a functioning infrastructure combined with proactivity of the institutions brings benefits to the nation’s system. Trieste has invented a new model of scientific cooperation: pooling skills, allowing access and ensuring that brains produce regardless of their origin. The Ministry is promoting the Trieste model around the world.”
This was followed by a speech by Francesco Ciardiello, of the Technical Administrative Office of the General Directorate of Research at the Ministry of University and Research, who reiterated Trieste’s central position and the role that it can play in the development of international cooperation.
The final part of the conference was dedicated to a round table moderated by Nico Pitrelli, director of the Master’s Programme in Science Communication of the “Franco Prattico” SISSA. The discussion focused on cases of scientific cooperation and diplomacy presented by various institutions of the SiS FVG.
Speakers: Alessandro Lombardo, Senior Executive Officer CEI – Central European Initiative; Marianna Maculan, External Relations Manager for ICGEB – International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology; Atish Dabholkar, Director of ICTP – International Centre for Theoretical Physics; Tonya Blowers, Programme Coordinator of OWSD – Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World; Claudia Baracchini, Senior Project Manager of TEC4I FVG – Technologies for innovation FVG; Peter Mc Grath, Coordinator of the Scientific Diplomacy Unit for TWAS – The World Academy of Sciences; Mounir Ghribi – Director of International Cooperation and Research Promotion for OGS – National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics.
Councilor Rosolen concluded the work.
SiS FVG is an initiative of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of University and Research, to enhance the Scientific and Innovation System of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Innovation services
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