Last Friday was a special day in the European research community, as the European Researchers’ Night (ERN) took place. The ERN is essentially one day – despite the name 🙂 – when, once per year, thousands of learning and interactive activities are organized all over Europe in order to involve the general public and increase its awareness of innovation and research activities.

A lot of activities were organized in Milan as well: the biggest initiative, promoted by the main universities of the city in collaboration with the University of Naples, was called MEETme TONIGHT. In particular, a “EU corner” was also organized, and this is where I gave my contribution. My main task was essentially to introduce my research activity, especially underlining the role that the European Union plays in my work.

Here are some pictures. As you can see, I also took a picture of the researcher corner with the colleague who talked after my turn.

 

These dissemination activities covered the afternoon. Indeed my “European day” had started in the morning, since a monitoring meeting with a project officer of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) was organized at the representative offices of the European Commission in Milan (which funnily enough are located at Palazzo delle Stelline, the same building hosting FEEM). This meeting gathered the Marie Curie fellows based in Milan and was meant to provide them with some useful information about the MSCA and, in particular, the reporting activities. Actually I already had to deliver the periodic report at the end of the outgoing phase, so I am an expert 🙂 But repetita iuvant. The meeting was also an occasion to briefly share with our colleagues the main features of our research projects: it was very interesting to see presentations ranging from biology to astronomy!

You can find my presentation here.