Researching and Supporting Sustainability

A new funding for a project on human ecology and sustainability involving Trieste scientific institutions, and promoting scientific and cultural exchanges between Italy and the U.S.A. was launched during a press conference on Friday March 18, which was also attended by the United States' Consulate General in Milan Robert Needham.

The American Department of State announced their support for the initiative led by the Fondazione Internazionale Trieste (FIT), and called “Researching Sustainability, Supporting Sustainability” through the United States Diplomatic Mission in Italy. The collaboration will involve Trieste-based institutes ICTP and SISSA – Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, and the prestigious, U.S.-based Santa Fe Institute.

The project was illustrated by FIT president Stefano Fantoni, Matteo Marsili, Head of ICTP's Quantitative Life Sciences (QLS) section, and Anthony Deaton, Consul for the press and culture of the United States Consulate General in Milan. David Krakauer, President of the Santa Fe Institute, was also present with a video message.

The presentation was preceded by institutional greetings from the Regional Councilor for University and Research Alessia Rosolen, the Deputy Mayor of Trieste Serena Tonel, and the United States Consul General in Milan Robert Needham. In addition, the Director of ICTP Atish Dabholkar, the Director of SISSA Andrea Romanino, the Director of the Physics Department of the University of Trieste Giovanni Comelli, the President of the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (OGS) Nicola Casagli and the President of Illycafè Andrea Illy, also gave some introductory remarks.

The grant will cover travel expenses, accommodation and fees of eminent American scholars taking part in an international Workshop on Quantitative Human Ecology scheduled at ICTP next summer from 25 to 29 July. The meeting, which is under the auspices of the UN International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, will gather experts from multiple disciplines to discuss human, economic and environmental sustainability. The aim is that the summer workshop will become a yearly North Adriatic Summer Institute in the spirit of the complex systems research conducted by the Santa Fe Institute.

"ICTP is grateful for the support from the US State Department, which will ensure that our summer workshop on Quantitative Human Ecology attracts the best scholars in the field," said ICTP's Director Atish Dabholkar. "We anticipate that the summer workshop will be the foundation for creating stronger networks, particularly with the Santa Fe Institute, and that these connections will be beneficial for the entire Trieste science system."