The American Department of State announced to support an initiative led by the Fondazione Internazionale Trieste (FIT) called “Researching Sustainability, Supporting Sustainability”. through the United States Diplomatic Mission in Italy. The collaboration was launched during a press conference held this morning at Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) headquarters in Trieste which was also attended by the consul general of the United States Consulate General in Milan Robert Needham.
The funding to FIT, which will encourage USA-Italy scientific and cultural exchange, involves the “Abdus Salam” International Center for Theoretical Physics and SISSA – Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati . Scientific exchanges will take place with the prestigious, U.S.-based Santa Fe Institute.
The project was illustrated by Stefano Fantoni, President of FIT, Matteo Marsili of the ICTP 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 President of the Autonomous Region of FVG Massimiliano Fedriga, 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.
Initially, 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 the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) this 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 complex systems research conducted by the Santa Fe Institute.