Lorenzo Marchesi is the winner of the Pezcoller Foundation scholarship awarded to the highest-ranked candidate for admission to SISSA's Master's course in Science Communication “Franco Prattico" for the academic year 2021-22. Marchesi, who comes from Trento, has a degree in historical and oriental sciences and a passion for the history of science. He was ranked first by the examination commission, and the Foundation’s award of 4,000 euros will allow him to cover the full cost of enrolment on the course.
The scholarship is the first important outcome of a collaboration agreement between the Trento based Foudation and SISSA, whose various objectives include: disseminating scientific knowledge with particular regard to the potential and implications of contemporary science; creating opportunities for interdisciplinary and inter-sector cross-fertilisation involving various social actors; and promoting activities of participation and mentorship.
The mission of the non-profit Pezcoller Foundation is to promote and further the fight against human diseases, particularly cancer, by supporting scientific research and cultural activities that broaden knowledge and awareness of them.
The Master's Course in Science Communication “Franco Prattico”, established at SISSA in 1992, is a one-year postgraduate course designed to train professionals specialised in various sectors of scientific communication, from journalism to publishing, and from museums to the organisation of events.
Nico Pitrelli, the course Director states: "I hope that the scholarship awarded to Lorenzo Marchesi, whom I congratulate on behalf of all the course staff, is merely the beginning of more extensive collaboration with such an important institution as the Pezcoller Foundation. I offer my sincerest thanks to the Foundation for its generosity and sensitivity towards science communication through support for young people in training. I believe that our interaction is a virtuous example of promoting the scientific culture that we increasingly need”.
Dr. Enzo Galligioni, President of the Pezcoller Foundation declares: "We are honoured and proud to be able to collaborate with such a prestigious institution as SISSA, recognising that support for cancer research depends on an ability to communicate science and the results of years of study and research. In fact society as a whole now recognises, more than ever, the importance of scientific communication, which must be sufficiently lucid and intelligible for even non-experts to find it useful. Against this background, the Pezcoller Foundation sees collaboration with SISSA as the first step towards the expansion of activities to support communication and young trainee communicators".