ROUI. University guidance. Five-year term

Nicola Linsalata, Poliba official, appointed President of the Network of Guidance Professionals of Italian Universities

Bari, 28 September 2026 - Dr Nicola Linsalata, an official and head of Poliba’s Guidance and Internships Office, has been appointed President of ROUI, the Network of Guidance Professionals of Italian Universities, at the “Guiding the Guides” conference held in Trieste. His five-year term will see him tasked with consolidating and developing the strategic role of guidance within the national university system.

ROUI is the national network established to promote the professionalism of university guidance and help build an increasingly qualified, stable and integrated guidance system.

Its establishment stems from the experience gained by Italian universities through activities related to the PNRR and the development of guidance policies, as well as the strengthening of ties between universities and schools, local communities, institutions and the world of work.

The Network aims to promote the role of university guidance professionals and contribute to defining a national guidance system capable of ensuring continuity, quality and professionalism.

ROUI has also recently launched its own dedicated website, www.roui.it.

“Guidance – according to the newly appointed President, Linsalata – means accompanying a person through an ongoing process of shaping their future, helping them envision possibilities, recognise opportunities and make informed choices. It is an extraordinary responsibility and, for this very reason, requires expertise, professionalism, continuity and collaboration.”

Press release.

Geology. Focus on the underground karst landscape of the south-eastern Apulian Murgia

CAVES Project, a new methodology for studying and analyzing underground karst formations to determine their geometry, geotechnical properties, evolution, and age

Best practices, better knowledge of the sites and their evolution. Eleven caves in Castellana, Ostuni, Putignano, Martina, and Polignano a Mare were monitored. The project was funded by the University of Bari and carried out by the Polytechnic University of Bari, in association with Mer.Mec. Engineering

Bari, 24 September 2026 – The CAVES Project, “Assessment of karst environments through the application of isotopic and geomorphological methods,” has contributed to a better scientific understanding of karst environments, such as the caves found in the south-eastern Apulian Murgia area. The project, funded by the University of Bari with €440,000, was carried out by the Polytechnic University of Bari, in association with Mer.Mec. Engineering, during 2025. Scientific coordinator, Professor and geologist Alessandro Reina, Department of Civil, Environmental, Territorial, Building and Chemical Engineering (DICATECh).

The results were presented to the public on 11 September in Putignano, at the Grotta del Trullo. In attendance, alongside Professor Reina, were the Director of the Dicatech Department, Leonardo Damiani; the Director of UniBa’s Department of Earth and Geo-Environmental Sciences, Giuseppe Mastronuzzi; the President of the Apulian Speleological Federation, Aurelio Marangella; Doriana Mastrangelo, representing the National Council of Geologists; the Mayor of Putignano, Michele Vibnella; and the Mayor of Castellana Grotte, Domenico Ciliberti. 

The project set out to focus on the underground karst landscape in this part of Apulia. In particular, it aimed to develop a methodology and best practices for studying and analyzing underground karst formations in order to determine their geometry, geology, geotechnical properties, evolution, and age.

Sites. Le grotte oggetto di studio e approfondimento scientifico sono state: La Grave (Castellana Grotte); grotta del Cuoco (Martina Franca); grotta San Luca, grotta Sicarico, grotta Romanazzi, grotta La Doganiera (Monopoli); grotta Monte San Magno, grotta Zaccaria, grotta Trappeto de Lo Borronuto, grotta delle Volpi (Ostuni); grotta Santa Barbara (Polignano a Mare); grotta del Trullo (Putignano).

They were selected because of their differing morphological characteristics and their perpendicular positions in relation to the coastline.

The interview. Poliba Chronicle interviewed the project’s scientific coordinator. 

Professor Reina, what were the most important results achieved by the CAVES Project? 

“Certainly, the improved representation of the caves’ internal morphology compared with those recorded in the Apulia Region’s Cave Registry. Modern SLAM LiDAR technology was used for the first time to survey the caves. These laser surveys provided useful information and more accurate data on the size, geometry, and morphology of the caves, including in comparison with surveys carried out in the past using conventional methods and recorded in the Apulia Region’s Cave Registry. For the first time, it was possible to reconstruct the morphological development of the caves studied in 3D, making it possible to analyze the evolution of the Murgia karst system in greater detail.

Caves. Are the results consistent across all the sites studied, or did specific characteristics emerge?

Every cave has its own distinctive features, such as the size of its chambers, its formations, and so on… but these are what underpin its uniqueness and beauty. In all cases, the growth rates of thestalagmites were calculated, with values ranging from 1–3 mm every 1,000 years. The stability of the caves was assessed, and they were all found to be in static equilibrium.  All the caves, in fact, contain rock masses in equilibrium and show no potential for collapse. Geological, geomorphological, geomechanical and geostructural surveys made it possible to begin a process aimed at ensuring the safety of the karst sites. These findings can be used for planning and engineering design purposes.

Do the investigations carried out and the results obtained provide a more detailed understanding of the territorial characteristics of the south-eastern Murgia? What kind?

The technical and scientific benefits are primarily for those involved in territorial management, safety and planning, such as public administrators and professionals, who can gain a precise understanding of the location, size and depth of the cavities studied.

The observed climate variability provides us with important information about how quickly the climate can change state, the mechanisms that drive these changes, and the leads, lags and synchrony that occur in different climate zones.

History. What role have sea-level fluctuations played in Puglia’s geological history?

The importance of this research lies in its contribution to the study of climate change over the last 150,000 years, through the analysis of carbon isotopes, which indicate the presence of vegetation, and oxygen isotopes, which indicate temperature variations. Puglia’s palaeogeography in the Pleistocene was strongly influenced by fluctuations in sea level, which altered coastlines and coastal environments, transforming them from lagoons into marshes and vice versa. Sea-level fluctuations were the main factor in the geological and environmental evolution of the coastal area, as well as in the spread and development of karst features in Puglia.

What scientific prospects does the work carried out point to? 

The project The research did not set out to be exhaustive, but it contributes to identifying what could become best practices in the study of Apulia’s karst cavities, also in light of the willingness expressed by the Apulia Region to put it forward for UNESCO recognition.” 

Il Progetto Caves It was funded by the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” with €440,000 as part of “Historical Landscapes, Traditions and Cultural Identities”, under the MUR PNRR – M4C2 – Inv. 1.3 – “Cascade Call for Proposals”, funded by the project entitled “CHANGES - Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Sustainable Society”.

Period of implementation: 2025.

All research data have been collected and made publicly available: web.sit-puglia.it/caves. Credentials. Username: visitatore; Password: vSLC5gwr).

Press release.

DAUSY PhD. Following the first edition, the Winter School, held in January 2026

The 2nd edition of the Summer School on Autonomous and Intelligent Systems has concluded at Poliba

Five days of training and innovation for doctoral students. Topics addressed: automatic control, robotics, machine learning, optimisation, distributed systems and decision-making techniques. Participation by COMAU, ICAM, KUKA, MASMEC and PAL Robotics

Bari, 21 September 2026 – The ongoing developments in the fields of automation, control systems, data science and artificial intelligence are expected to profoundly influence the role of engineering systems and our societies.

Autonomous systems are the main driver enabling technologies such as smart manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, drones and smart grids. These systems are capable of learning and independently performing decision-making tasks.

The national PhD programme in “Autonomous Systems” (DAUSY), coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Bari (contact person, Prof. Mariagrazia Dotoli), has focused primarily on the broad field of automation engineering and its numerous connections with theoretical and applied mechanics, optimisation, communication systems, information theory, machine learning, computer science, mathematics and signal processing. And much more. In order to provide high-level skills and rigorous research training to prepare students to become versatile professionals and competent researchers, the PhD programme organised the second edition of the DAuSy PhD Summer School on “Autonomous Systems”.

Following the first edition held in January as a Winter School, the initiative offered 25 doctoral students a five-day training programme (7–11 September) with national and European lecturers. The main topics addressed were automatic control, robotics, machine learning, optimisation, distributed systems and decision-making techniques. 

A distinctive feature of the second edition was the strong participation of companies. COMAU, ICAM, KUKA, MASMEC and PAL Robotics delivered numerous presentations on developments in robotics and automation, addressing topics such as artificial intelligence applied to robotic systems, autonomous mobile robotics, modular software platforms, digitalisation and the sustainability of production processes. The companies also contributed outside the classroom. In fact, participants attended technological demonstrations by COMAU, KUKA and PAL Robotics, gaining first-hand insight into advanced robotic systems and engaging with the companies’ specialists. The School also organised a technical visit to MASMEC, offering the opportunity to learn about its industrial research activities, technologies and innovation processes.

The initiative received the sponsorship of the Italian Chapters of the IEEE Control Systems Society, the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, and the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society.

The School was organized by the Scientific Committee: Mariagrazia Dotoli and Raffaele Carli (Polytechnic University of Bari), Alberto Cavallo (University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”), Laura Giarrè (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia), Federica Pascucci (Roma Tre University). 

Press release.

Master’s and single-cycle degree students. Applications may be submitted by 28 September

377 internships at diplomatic missions. The third 2026 MAECI MUR CRUI call is now online

The call concerns: diplomatic missions, consular offices and Italian Cultural Institutes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Bari, 17 September 2026 - Applications are open until 5:00 p.m. on 28 September for Politecnico di Bari students enrolled in master’s and single-cycle degree programmes, who may apply on tirocinicrui.app for one of the 377 internships offered under the new MAECI MUR CRUI programme call.

The selected young people will be able to work with embassies (177 positions available), consulates (91), cultural institutes (64), diplomatic missions (44) and delegations (1). Geographically, the positions at the host institutions are distributed as follows: 185 in Europe, 90 in America, 61 in Asia, 27 in Africa and 14 in Oceania.

The internships, 22 of which will be carried out remotely, will begin on 11 January 2027, end on 9 April 2026 and may be extended by a further month, subject to an agreement between the parties. 

The internship entitles participants to the recognition of at least 1 CFU for each month of activity and to reimbursement of expenses of at least 300 euros per month if carried out in person. The selection notice is open to all degree classes.

Following the amendment to the regulations governing access to the diplomatic career, theselection notice is open to all degree classes.

The third 2026 MAECI MUR CRUI call has been joined by 60 universities throughout Italy. In Puglia, in addition to Poliba, these include Uniba, LUM and Unisalento.

Poliba students interested in applying, or seeking further information, may contact the following email addresses: luciana.cicerone@poliba.it o nicola.linsalata@poliba.it                                                                                                 

The full call is available at the following link: https://www.tirocinicrui.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Avviso_tirociniMAECI_07-09-2026-1.pdf

Press release.

2026-2030. Appointed in Verona on the occasion of the 2026 CND Conference

Poliba, Prof. Silvano Vergura elected Vice-President of the European Federation for Non-Destructive Testing

The federation promotes non-destructive testing of materials and systems, which are essential for ensuring safety and reliability for the benefit of industry, users and the community. Infrared thermography, widely used for energy efficiency in the renewable energy, photovoltaic and wind sectors

Bari, 16 September 2026 – Prof. Silvano Vergura, a Poliba lecturer in “Photovoltaic Systems and Plant Diagnostics” at the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, has been elected Vice-President of the European Federation for Non-Destructive Testing for the 2026–2030 term. The election took place in Verona during the federation’s 2026 conference.

Founded in Copenhagen in 1998, the Federation brings together the activities of the 27 individual European national associations working in the field of non-destructive testing (NDT). In Italy, the Italian Association for Non-Destructive Testing, AIPnD, founded in 1979, serves as a reference point for experts in the sector involved in non-destructive testing, inspections and quality control.

What are they? Diagnostics and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) make it possible to assess the condition of components and systems without damaging them or interrupting their operation through surface and volumetric inspections.

Surface inspections focus on identifying cracks, porosity or discontinuities that are exposed or located immediately below the surface. These include visual testing (VT), liquid penetrant testing (PT) and magnetic particle testing (MT). 

Volumetric inspections penetrate into the body of the material to map internal and deep-seated defects such as inclusions or lack of fusion. The main techniques in this field are industrial radiography (RT) and ultrasonics (UT), which are essential for inspecting thick welds and castings. 

Among the emerging NDT methods is infrared thermography (IRT), a non-contact technique that detects thermal radiation. In the civil sector, thermography is widely used for energy efficiency, the identification of thermal bridges, detached plaster and water infiltration. In the industrial sector, it enables predictive monitoring of electrical panels, mechanical bearings and furnace refractories, identifying overheating before failure occurs. Finally, it plays a crucial role in the renewable energy sector by optimising the energy yield of generation plants. In photovoltaic modules, it makes it possible to locate damaged cells and connection defects, often by conducting rapid surveys using drones over large solar farms. In wind turbine blades, dynamic thermographic analysis makes it possible to detect internal delamination of the composite material and structural cracks caused by mechanical fatigue.

Press release.

Switzerland. 7-8 September, first joint institutional mission in Geneva 

The Polytechnic University of Bari and the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” visit CERN, Europe’s leading particle physics laboratory

A delegation led by the rectors, Umberto Fratino and Roberto Bellotti, was received by CERN management, Europe’s leading particle physics laboratory. At the center of the meeting: research, innovation, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and the training of new generations of scientists

Bari, 11 September 2026 - For the first time, the Polytechnic University of Bari and the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” carried out a joint institutional mission at CERN in Geneva (CH), an international nuclear research organization and a global reference point for particle physics. 

The delegation from the two universities, led by the rectors, Umberto Fratino and Roberto Bellotti, was received by the laboratory’s management, confirming the strategic value of a scientific collaboration that has linked Bari to CERN for over sixty years.

The relationship with the Geneva research center in fact has its roots in the activities of the Interuniversity Department of Physics, shared by the University and the Polytechnic University of Bari, and the Bari section of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics. Over the last decades, this collaboration has developed especially around the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the largest particle accelerator ever built, and its main international experiments, involving a broad community of professors, researchers, doctoral candidates, female students and students.

For the University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, in addition to Rector Bellotti, the mission included the Uniba General Director, Ernesto Somma, the delegate for Scientific and Technological Research, Anna Colaleo, the director of the Department of Humanistic Research and Innovation, Elisabetta Todisco, and the director of the Research, Third Mission and Internationalization Directorate, Adriana Agrimi. 

For the Polytechnic University of Bari, present were Rector Fratino, the deputy director of the Interuniversity Department of Physics, Gabriella Pugliese, and the delegate for Research, Giuseppe Eugenio Bruno.

Numerous topics were addressed during the meetings with CERN officials: from high-energy physics to developments in detectors for the CMS, ALICE, SND@LHC and n_TOF experiments, as well as the prospects offered by scientific computing infrastructures and CERN openlab activities. The discussion also focused on quantum technologies, medical physics and the production of radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the ISOLDE and CERN-MEDICIS laboratories, in addition to the opportunities for innovation and technology transfer promoted through IdeaSquare. Considerable space was finally devoted to initiatives aimed at students, doctoral candidates and young researchers, with particular attention to training and research pathways to be carried out at CERN.

The visit also provided an opportunity to meet the young protagonists of Art & Science across Italy, the project that brings high school students closer to scientific culture through the language of art. 

At Science Gateway, the delegation met the winners of the 2024-2026 edition of the program promoted by INFN, CERN, the University of Naples Federico II and the University of Bari “Aldo Moro”.

In the afternoon, the rectors also listened to presentations by some young researchers involved in the main international experiments. Antonio Palasciano illustrated the activities of the ALICE project, Felice Nenna those of CMS, Giulio Perfetto the contribution to the n_TOF experiment, and Giuliana Galati the research developed within SND@LHC, offering direct testimony of the role that the Bari scientific community continues to play in the major challenges of international research.

Press release Poliba-Uniba.

Photographs. Official images of the visit: https://cds.cern.ch/record/2970119 — mandatory credit © 2026 CERN, reproduction subject to the Organization's terms of use (copyright.web.cern.ch).

2026-2029. A Poliba faculty member, she was appointed by the National Executive Board of AIIT

Nadia Giuffrida is the new Director of the Studies and Research Center of the Italian Association for Traffic and Transport Engineering

Bari, 10 September 2026 - The Executive Board of the Italian Association for Traffic and Transport Engineering (AIIT) has appointed Prof. Nadia Giuffrida, Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Bari, affiliated with the Transport sector at the Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Building and Chemical Engineering (DICATECh), as Director of the Studies and Research Center. Prof. Giuffrida succeeds Michela Le Pira, a faculty member at the University of Catania. 

For the next three-year period 2026-2029, Prof. Giuffrida will coordinate and oversee the Association’s scientific activities and thematic Working Groups and will coordinate the TIS Rome International Conference (Transport Infrastructure and Systems), one of the main events promoted by AIIT.

Nadia Giuffrida, from Sicily, earned her PhD in 2018 in Assessment and Mitigation of Urban and Territorial Risks at the University of Catania. She subsequently served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Spatial Dynamics Lab of University College Dublin. She has worked at the Polytechnic University of Bari in the Transport sector at DICATECh since 2022 and has been an Associate Professor since 2025. Her research focuses on transport planning and is documented by more than 70 scientific publications and by her participation, as a speaker, in numerous national and international conferences. A member of AIIT since 2015, she has served on the organizing and scientific committees of the TIS Rome international conferences in 2019, 2022 and 2024.

AIIT is a national technical-scientific association founded in 1952 that brings together representatives from academia, professional practice and institutions active in the fields of mobility, traffic, infrastructure and transport. Through research, training and outreach initiatives, it promotes dialogue among the sector’s different expertise and contributes to the development of more efficient, safe and sustainable transport systems.

The election of Prof. Giuffrida represents important recognition of her scientific and professional career and strengthens the presence of the Polytechnic University of Bari in the national and international debate on mobility, traffic and transport systems.

Press release.

Fondazione Puglia. School of integrated photonic technologies for sensing and navigation 

INPHOMIR project, miniaturized optical systems for CubeSat nanosatellites, drones and autonomous vehicles

Under way in Bari from 7 to 11 September. An initiative organized by Poliba. Scientific visits to Sitael SpA and at Grottaglie Airport Test Bed 

Bari, 9 September 2026 – The “The Inphormir Training School” has been underway since Monday, 7 September and throughout the week until Friday, 11, in Bari, at the headquarters of the Fondazione Puglia (via Venezia, historic center). It is the School of the “Inphomir” project, dedicated to integrated photonic technologies for space and terrestrial sensing and navigation. Title of the 2026 Bari edition: “From Platforms to Applications”. The school is attended by PhD candidates, young researchers, master’s students and professionals.

The project as a whole is coordinated by the Italian company GEM Elettronica and includes prominent partners such as the Polytechnic University of Bari (with its Optoelectronics Laboratory), the Technical University of Munich, the Eindhoven University of Technology and other European institutions and companies. 

The scientific week, organized by the Polytechnic University of Bari,in collaboration with BeWarrant – Tinexta Group. is an integral part of the research and innovation project, “Inphomir”, funded by the Horizon Europe programme through a Research and Innovation Action, with an EU contribution of 500 thousand euros. 

Launched in 2023 and set to conclude in 2028, “Inphomir” aims to develop photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on indium phosphide, a semiconductor material with exceptional electro-optical properties that is fundamental to electronics and photonics. The goal is to miniaturize complex optical systems so they can be installed on platforms where space and weight are at a minimum, such as nanosatellites (CubeSats), drones and autonomous vehicles. “This is not merely about miniaturizing existing instruments - adds Prof. Caterina Ciminelli of Poliba, Department of Electronics and Information, coordinator of theOptoelectronics Laboratory – but about developing the technologies needed to create more compact and efficient integrated sensors”. These are the themes of the School currently taking place in Bari. 

At present, in fact, innovative and cutting-edge technologies such as nanosatellite-based space navigation and autonomous navigation are hindered precisely by the lack of devices with such characteristics. 

At the core of the research project is photonics, which includes technologies that use light to transmit and process information and to perform measurements, and integrated photonics, which makes it possible to combine multiple optical functions on a single chip: to generate, guide, modulate, filter and detect light, depending on the platform used. This shifts the approach from systems made up of numerous separate components to circuits in which many of these functions are integrated. Applications range from telecommunications and data centres to environmental, industrial and biomedical sensing, as well as metrology and autonomous systems.

“The frontier of applied research is one of the most significant frontiers – continues Prof. Ciminelli. The difficulty does not lie simply in a lack of sensors, but in combining high performance, reduced size and compatibility with the requirements of the final application. Miniaturization is important both for equipping small drones and for reducing the bulk of the sensor systems on board nanosatellites. It is worth remembering that a device that works well in the laboratory is a starting point, not yet the end point”. 

In this scientific field, Apulia offers a context in which university research, industrial expertise and testing infrastructure can interact directly. Examples include SITAEL, an Apulian company engaged in the design, development and production of small satellites, propulsion systems and equipment for space missions. The Grottaglie Airport Test Bed, managed by the Aerospace Technological District – DTA, is an infrastructure dedicated to research, experimentation and validation of unmanned aerial systems and autonomous flight technologies. Both are among the sites visited by participants (8 and 10 September), with the educational aim of showing the context in which the technologies discussed during the lectures could be used, making the link between device research and system requirements more concrete.

The Politecnico di Bari participates in INPHOMIR through the Optoelectronics Laboratory, which has expertise in the modelling, design and experimental characterisation of integrated photonic devices and circuits, including for space applications. The role of the Politecnico therefore combines design and experimental verification, in collaboration with the partners.

Among the institutions represented in Bari are, in addition to Poliba, Politecnico di Milano, IMEC–Ghent University, Eindhoven University of Technology, Technical University of Munich, Paul Scherrer Institut, C2N–CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay, University of Cyprus, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Tyndall and INRiM, as well as companies active in photonic design and applications and in consultancy for EU project development, such as GEM Elettronica, Sigma Ingegneria, Leonardo and BeWarrant – Gruppo Tinexta. By next Friday, the programme will feature 26 presentations, including specialist lectures, keynote talks and presentations of European projects, alongside a poster session and two technical visits. 

Press release.

Sports. The Italian University Team in Hungary at the World Canoe and Kayak Championships

Gold medal for Nicolò Ricco, a student at the Polytechnic University of Bari in Mechanical Engineering

In Szeged, in the SUP 3000 meters, with a time of 4:00.44, Nicolò wins the title of University World Champion. In the SUP Sprint 200 meters event, Ricco also wins silver: second place behind the Polish athlete Majdan

Bari, 2 September 2026 – Nicolò Ricco, a student at the Polytechnic University of Bari and a member of the university national team, wins the gold medal at the World Canoe and Kayak Championships held in Szeged, Hungary (17-20 August). 

Nicolò, 19, from Bari, on the flat waters of Szeged, covered the 3000-meter distance in 4:00.44. Second place and silver for the Polish athlete Majdan (4:08.05), third and bronze for Hong Kong's Chan (4:39.46). 

The young Poliba student did not stop at the top step of the podium and in the SUP Sprint 200 meters event won the silver medal with a time of 56.78 behind the Polish athlete Majdan (52.30).

“Poliba Chronicle” interviewed the newly crowned University World Champion, Nicolò Ricco, 19, from Bari, soon to be a second-year Mechanical Engineering student at Poliba, a professional athlete in the sports group of the Italian Air Force.

Gold and Silver Medal: satisfied with the result and performance?

Yes, I am very satisfied, both with the medals and, above all, with the performance. Winning the Gold and taking the Silver is certainly a great satisfaction, but what makes me happiest is knowing that I brought to the competition all the work done during training. Every race is different and there are always aspects to improve, but I believe I expressed an excellent level and this gives me even more motivation to keep working.

More generally, what was the experience like among so many university students from different parts of the world?

It was a truly wonderful experience, not only from a sporting point of view. Competing with so many university students from different backgrounds and paths was stimulating. In the end, what I like most about university sport is precisely this aspect: beyond competition, there is the opportunity to meet new people, share experiences, and represent one’s university. It is an environment that pushes you to give your best, while at the same time allowing you to experience sport in a very positive way. 

You are a Mechanical Engineering student at the Polytechnic University of Bari. Was it difficult to combine training and study?

It is certainly not easy, especially because my sport requires a significant daily commitment. I train several hours a day and at the same time my academic path is very demanding. You have to be very organized and learn to manage your time well, trying not to neglect either study or sport. At times it is tiring, but I believe that this difficulty has taught me a great deal about discipline and managing commitments. These are two aspects that, in the end, also help each other.

Where do you train?

I train in Bari, on Pane e Pomodoro beach. 

What will your next commitments be?

These results are certainly a starting point, not an endpoint. The goal is to keep growing and to compete increasingly at international level. The next commitments are the Senior World Championships and European Championships  

The University World Canoe and Kayak Championships (FISU WUC Canoe Sports) are an international competition dedicated to student-athletes from universities around the world. The 2026 edition saw the participation of athletes from over 30 countries. The program included speed, distance, and men’s, women’s, and mixed relay events in Canoe Sprint, Distance, and Stand Up Paddle (SUP).

The Italian university team was made up of 17 student-athletes from 12 universities. The next edition of the University World Canoe and Kayak Championships will be held in 2028.

Ecco l’Italia universitaria che ha partecipato ai campionati mondiali di Canoa e Kajak 2026 in Ungheria: Erika Ballarin, Universitas Mercatorum; Matteo Bazzano, Università Roma Foro Italico; Giulia Bentivoglio, Università di Parma; Beatrice Candela, Università di Milano-Bicocca; Sara Cravero, Università di Torino; Eros Dalboni, Università Milano-Bicocca; Jacopo Dalla Rosa, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Enrico Laudati, Luiss Guido Carli; Alyssa Marchetto, Università Telematica Campus; Virginia Maria Matarese, Università di Torino; Cecilia Pampinella, Università Telematica Pegaso; Giovanni Penasa, Università di Pavia; Jacopo Pulcini, Università Telematica Pegaso; Nicolò Vincenzo Ricco, Polytechnic University of Bari; Valerio Roscioli, Universitas Mercatorum; Francesca Vigorito, University of Turin; Angela Voltan, Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

Press release.

New technologies. The research was published in the international journal “Science Advances”   

The photonic chip that illuminates the cell

It enables the observation of cellular details and dynamics that conventional optics cannot distinguish. It supports predictive assessments and actions. Experimental tests in Germany have confirmed the reliability and quality of the results. Possible applications: immunology, advanced diagnostics, biomedical microscopy. Francesco Dell’Olio, a Poliba professor, is one of the authors of the research. He says: “the result enhances a line of research related to integrated photonics developed at our university. We now want to activate collaborations with hospitals, IRCCS, universities and local centers, to apply the platform to concrete biological and pharmacological questions”

Bari, 1 August 2026 – Miniaturized technological processes of integrated photonics have enabled new advances in knowledge, which have been translated into applications. The technology that uses light instead of electricity has produced photonic chips capable of extending researchers’ view of the cellular world, enabling new insights. 

The photonic chip, the heart of the innovation, is a miniaturized circuit that, instead of electric current, guides and controls light through very thin paths that function as microscopic roads for light: they can carry it, split it, combine it, filter it, or direct it toward specific points. 

In the study, the photonic chip is used to illuminate cells selectively and obtain highly detailed images of their internal structures. The work demonstrates how it is possible to use a transparent photonic chip not only as a support for the biological sample, but also as a true device for advanced optical microscopy. This makes it possible to observe nanometric details that conventional optical microscopy cannot distinguish. The photonic chip thus proves to be an integrated optical platform capable of making analytical instruments more compact, precise, and potentially suitable for examining many cells.

“Science Advances”. All this is part of a scientific work entitled, “Photonic waveguide chip-based nanoscopy visualizes rearrangements of the cortical actin cytoskeleton in activated Jurkat T cells” published on 15 July in the international scientific journal “Science Advances”. 

Authors dell’articolo sono un gruppo di ricercatori di tre istituzioni universitarie: Università di Bielefeld (Germania) per la componente biologica e sperimentale; Università di Scienze Applicate di Aschaffenburg (Germania), piattaforma, sviluppo e realizzazione chip trasparenti; Politecnico di Bari (Italia), concezione della ricerca, sviluppo metodologico della piattaforma fotonica, gestione e validazione dei dati. Coordinatore e responsabile scientifico, per parte Poliba, il prof. Francesco Dell’Olio, del Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica e dell’Informazione.

The experiment focused mainly on T lymphocytes, the white blood cells that fight infections and diseased cells. When a T lymphocyte is activated externally, it rapidly reorganizes its internal “scaffold”, made largely of actin filaments, to form the so-called immunological synapse, that is, the contact zone through which the cell recognizes and responds to a target. The innovation makes it possible to visualize this reorganization with very high resolution and over a wide field of view.

Applications. In the short term, the impact concerns biological and pharmacological research. In oncology, this technology may help improve immunotherapies. T lymphocytes, including CAR-T cells modified in the laboratory, can eliminate tumor cells by forming an “immunological synapse” with them, a contact zone in which the actin network reorganizes. Observing this process at the nanometric scale may make it possible to compare cells with different levels of effectiveness, understand why some are unable to attack the tumor, and assess the effect of drugs or new genetic modifications. The photonic chip could become a research tool for designing future, more targeted and effective immunotherapies.

The considerations. “For the Polytechnic University of Bari – says Prof. Francesco Dell’Olio - the news highlights a research line related to integrated photonics developed in the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of our university. The publication represents a useful opportunity to underscore Poliba’s ability to contribute enabling technologies for the study of complex cellular processes, with possible future applications in immunology, advanced diagnostics, and biomedical microscopy. This result is a starting point. We want to activate collaborations with hospitals, IRCCS, universities, and local centers to apply the platform to concrete biological and pharmacological questions. It is not enough to see smaller structures: this capability must be transformed into information useful to those who study cells, drugs, and immune response”.

Press release. 

Who is the Poliba author.

Francesco Dell’Olio is Associate Professor of Electronics at the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Bari, where he coordinates the Micro Nano Sensor Group. His research activity concerns integrated photonics, silicon photonics, microsensors and nanosensors, biosensors, and embedded electronic systems. He is the author of numerous scientific publications and participates in national and international projects dedicated to the development of photonic devices and advanced sensors for biomedical, industrial, aerospace, and navigation applications. He also carries out editorial and scientific coordination activities in international journals and conferences, with attention to the industrial application of scientific research results. He founded two spin-off companies of the Polytechnic University of Bari: “Weatech” and “OptoEncase”.

Science. Two articles published in the prestigious international journal “Nature Materials”

Steel: three Chinese researchers discover new properties: greater strength and ductility 

Matteo Villa, Politecnico di Bari, and Marcel Somers, Technical University of Denmark, contribute with a joint article in “Nature” and open the scientific debate 

Bari, 28 July 2026 – In April of this year, a study by three Chinese researchers, Shuai Pan, Birbin He and Mingxin Huang, from the University of Hong Kong and the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, entitled “Anisotropic lattice distortion makes ultra-strong martensitic steel ductile”, published on 16 April in “Nature Materials”, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals, demonstrated that even better properties can be obtained from steel with a new chemical-engineering method. The proposed method acts on the formation of martensite, a very hard and strong crystalline structure that forms in steels through very rapid cooling (quenching). 

On the Chinese publication, at the invitation of “Nature Materials”, two scholars intervened: Professors Marcel Somers, of the Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, and Matteo Villa of the Politecnico di Bari, Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management. 

In the article, “Lattice distortion activates deformation twinning in ultrastrong steel” published in “Nature Materials” on 24 June 2026, the two European professors expressed an opinion on the limits of the idea presented in April by the Chinese authors, as well as on the studies that should be undertaken in the future to go beyond them. This is a recognition of expertise at the highest level (the paper is published online on the journal’s page: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-026-02642-2 and is also accessible for reading at the following link: https://rdcu.be/fqap2).

Prof. Villa, what is the innovative strength of the Chinese research?

It has shown that the martensitic structure, the strongest that can be obtained in steels, is not only strong but can also be ductile. This was previously considered impossible because it violated the principle that high strength and ductility are mutually exclusive characteristics.

What does not convince you, or what still needs to be improved in research terms?

First and foremost, the fact that the above demonstration was obtained using steels containing significant fractions of cobalt and nickel. These are very expensive alloying elements and are in high demand for the green transition; therefore, it is not realistic to think of their large-scale use in steel production.

What needs to be investigated further?

The next objective is to study in depth the physics underlying the observed behavior, starting from the atomic scale, in order to be able to predict it by computer. This will make it possible to screen, with a click, a very large number of compositions in search of those that can be produced in large quantities for real-world uses.

This scientific advance places the Politecnico di Bari at the center of the international debate on the directions to be taken in fundamental research in order to develop, in the future, next-generation steels whose uses and potential are still entirely to be discovered. 

History and characteristics. Steel, an iron-based alloy composed mainly of iron and carbon, is the second most widely used material in the world after concrete. Variation in the carbon percentage by weight, up to 2.1%, determines various types of steel. Beyond that, it becomes cast iron. 

The high strength that characterizes it is obtained by heating steel to high temperatures (750-900 C°), followed by rapid cooling by immersion in water, oil, or compressed air. This process, known as quenching, was already described by Homer in the Odyssey. It makes it possible to form a very hard internal structure in the material, but one that is not very deformable and is easily prone to fracture if bent, called martensite, with a new distribution of atoms. 

These empirical processes occupied the time and experience of masters-at-arms and blacksmiths for many centuries. Only in 1740 was modern steel produced. 

Used in an increasingly versatile way, steel has been indispensable to technological innovation throughout the world. The rapid growth of the postwar automotive sector (the 1950s/1960s) fostered research, quality, and production.

The idea that martensite was the ideal structure for steel changed suddenly in the 1970s. It was discovered that by treating steel so that it retained at least in part the atomic structure present at high temperatures, an additional advantage was achieved: high deformability was combined with high strength. The discovery was revolutionary, especially for transportation.

Applications. Modern “engineered” steel is no longer just a strong material, but rather a material that, in the event of a car accident, deforms and absorbs a large amount of kinetic energy before breaking. Accidents that could have been fatal twenty years ago are often irrelevant today for the safety of passengers.

The authors, who are they. Marcel A.J. Somers, born in 1960, earned his doctorate at Delft University of Technology in 1989. Since 1997 he has been a full professor at the Technical University of Denmark, where he leads the Materials and Surface Engineering group. He is the author of more than 360 scientific publications, co-inventor of about 20 patents, and co-founder of two specialized companies. He has received numerous international awards, including prestigious medals, and was knighted by the Queen of Denmark in 2022.

Matteo Villa, born in 1985, earned his doctorate at the Technical University of Denmark in 2014 and, after a decade of academic experience, in 2024 was appointed associate professor of Metallurgy at the Polytechnic University of Bari. Author of more than 70 scientific publications and co-inventor of 1 patent, his research activity focuses on the study of the physics of metals. His work enjoys international recognition, particularly for scientific contributions dedicated to understanding martensitic transformations in steel. 

Press release.

Frontier research. Tradition and new technologies for the construction site of tomorrow

Architecture, in search of the future of the past. The Robotomy project wins “the EIC Pathfinder”  

It is the first time for Poliba. The development of robotics applied to stereotomy is worth a European grant of 3.3 million euros for three years, 2026-2029. The research group coordinated by Giuseppe Fallacara crowns more than twenty years of research and experimentation on stone materials at the Polytechnic. “Winning a Pathfinder,” says Fallacara, “is equivalent to winning a sort of Oscar of Industrial Research.” Start of activities: September 2026

Bari, 23 July 2026 – DNA, the essence of Puglia, is written in stone. Hard as compact limestone, accommodating as Baroque, ready to take on forms, figures, proportions, and colors that tell of expressions of life, religion, characters, and lost identities. Stone for building, representing, marking, for recognizing oneself or rediscovering oneself in tradition. Stone, in its sum, that shapes the Apulian landscape in a somewhat naïve way. And here are the symbols: trulli, low and high dry-stone walls, lamie, pagliari, villages that mark out outposts, borders, the reverberating moods of the seasons. Stone in architecture, the subject of research and study at the Polytechnic University of Bari for over twenty years, has found important European recognition in the future-oriented project, “Robotomy” (ROBOtic stereoTOMY, from the Greek, ΣTEPEO, solid and TOMH, cut). It is a reasoned, measured, aligned, and above all successful bet on the manifesto of the European EIC Pathfinder Programme of the European Innovation Council, funded by the European Union under the framework programme Horizon Europe. A programme dedicated to supporting high-level frontier research that encourages the development of highly innovative technologies capable of generating scientific and industrial breakthroughs able to create new markets or transform existing ones. On average, only 4.5% of submitted projects are approved and funded by the EU. In short, winning a Pathfinder is equivalent to winning a sort of Oscar of European Industrial Research! 

The project, “Robotomy”, concerns the application of robotics to stone architecture. 

In particular, it will investigate the role of robotic collaboration and automation in rethinking stereotomic construction. Developed by Professor Giuseppe Fallacara, Full Professor of Architectural Composition at the Polytechnic University of Bari, and his research team, it aims to project a millennia-old tradition directly into the era of advanced automation and ecological transition. At the same time, “Robotomy” will address one of the most dramatic challenges of our time: the risk of losing the historical memory of craft trades. Today, manual work related to stone is attracting fewer and fewer young people, threatening to make an immense body of technical and artisanal knowledge disappear. The response to this crisis, however, does not lie in regretting the past, but in embracing digital technologies and automation.

The project, “Robotomy”, funded with 3.3 million euros under Horizon Europe, EIC-2025 for the period September 2026 - September 2029, will be carried out by a dedicated consortium led by Poliba, composed as follows in terms of roles: Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy, Project Coordinator; System 3E, Poland, Industrial serial fabrication of modular blocks; ETH Zürich, Switzerland, Large-scale 3D printing of complex components; CommonSense Robotics, Belgium, Software development for the robotic fleet; Flanders Make, Belgium, Positioning systems, development of robotic grippers; Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy, Robotic prototyping and physical testing; Day One, Italy, Regulatory analysis, commercial exploitation planning, communication. 

The Strategic objectives to be pursued by the Project consortium are three. 

Design for Robotic Assembly: Design and optimize modular stereotomic pavilions specifically adapted to the Mediterranean environment, minimizing unique block geometries (below 25%) to facilitate industrial mass production.

Materials and Innovative Fabrication: Redesign the patented construction system by integrating it with complex elements produced through large-scale 3D printing from recycled stone powders (developed by ETH Zurich).

Automation and Artificial Intelligence: Develop and validate the Task Execution Software (TES), an AI core capable of coordinating a multi-robot fleet for the assembly of prefabricated elements, reducing manual intervention and eliminating tolerance errors through real-time feedback.

“This important recognition – says Prof. Fallacara, an international expert in stereotomy, the ancient scientific art of stone cutting - it is a sign of strength of our Polytechnic, where I proudly trained, from architecture student to full professor.” And on the project he continues: "In a future evolution, robotics should not be seen as a threat that erases human work, but as the tool that makes it possible once again. The robotic arm learns from and draws upon the knowledge of the master stonemason and the mason, becoming the technological guardian of a tradition. Thanks to the “Robotomy” project, industrial robots will not merely cut or move blocks in a standardized way, but will carry out the assembly of complex and geometrically innovative vaulted systems, replicating the accuracy and static sensitivity of the masters of the past. The union between stereotomy and robotics demonstrates that technological innovation can serve history. Robotics does not eliminate craftsmanship; it evolves it, making it safe, efficient, and sustainable for the architecture of tomorrow, ensuring that stone continues to be the backbone of the Apulian and global landscape”.

The first steps of the project. The so-called kick-off will take place in September 2026 with the entire consortium, in Verona, on the occasion of the Marmomac International Fair. There, all the initial steps will be established: from the selection of the projects (some already presented at Marmomac) to the fine-tuning of the complex process for the full implementation of the project. The work will begin with the assembly of simple arches and progress to the creation of complex vaulted systems in a process of increasing technical difficulty.

The official work locations will be Bari, Lecco, Leuven, Zurich, Warsaw, Verona. 

Press release.

Industry & Academia. Research into innovation in railway infrastructure
 

Tesmec signs a three-year scientific collaboration agreement with Poliba

The agreement strengthens applied research for the creation of specialized skills for the railway infrastructure of the future. The signing took place yesterday afternoon, 21 July at Poliba in the presence of the Rector, Umberto Fratino, and the Group CEO, Caterina Caccia Dominioni. Tesmec Rail Srl, a company of the TESMEC SpA group, has two sites in Puglia: Monopoli and Bitetto, and 156 employees. Among the company’s most important areas of study is high-speed rail. 81% of the graduates working at Tesmec earned their degree at the Polytechnic University of Bari
 

Bari, 22 July 2026– The Tesmec S.p.A., the parent company of a group that is a leader in the market for technologies dedicated to infrastructure (overhead, underground and railway networks, transport of electricity, data and materials, and technologies for quarrying and surface mining), through its subsidiary Tesmec Rail Srl, a strategic hub in the railway sector based in Puglia, in Monopoli and Bitetto, has signed a scientific collaboration agreement with the Polytechnic University of Bari.  

The ceremony took place yesterday afternoon, 21 July, at the Rectorate in the presence of Umberto Fratino, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bari, and Mariagrazia Dotoli, Professor of Automatic Control, scientific contact person for the agreement. For the Tesmec Group, the participants were Caterina Caccia Dominioni, Group CEO, Numa PelizzoliHR Director Gianfranco Mancini, and Gianluca Fumarola, Group contacts for railway construction, maintenance and diagnostics.

With a three-year term, renewable, the agreement aims to develop engineering projects in the fields of railway innovation, sustainability and infrastructure digitalization.

The signing stems from a shared vision: to strengthen dialogue between academia and industry in order to pool scientific expertise, design capabilities and industrial know-how. The path launched by Tesmec and the Polytechnic University of Bari is intended to be a concrete tool to support applied research and the development of advanced technological solutions, contributing to the growth of an ecosystem capable of generating value for the Apulian region and for the national industrial system.

L’accordo prevede una collaborazione tra i soggetti coinvolti che garantisca il monitoraggio, coordinamento e controllo di iniziative da sviluppare attraverso specifici accordi attuativi, principalmente relativi a due specifiche direttrici strategiche primarie: lo sviluppo di rotabili innovativi a basso impatto ambientale per la costruzione, manutenzione e diagnostica dell’infrastruttura ferroviaria; e la progettazione di sistemi diagnostici e piattaforme di gestione dati per il monitoraggio delle infrastrutture. 

Thanks to the Polytechnic University of Bari, Puglia is once again confirmed as a strategic territory for the country’s railway activities. Tesmec’s collaboration with the University within various projects carried out in the region, thanks to the Group’s extensive know-how developed in the Railway division at its strategic hub in Puglia, represents a further strengthening of the link between research and industrial application, fostering the development of high-tech projects closely aligned with the needs of the sector.

Finally, the agreement formalizes the collaboration initiated through Poliba students with internships and degree theses. 65% of the students hosted by the company were studying in the mechanical engineering degree program at Poliba. Approximately 60% of the students who completed an internship at Tesmec were hired. 

Today, 81% of the graduates working at Tesmec earned their degree at the Polytechnic University of Bari. Of these, 44% are graduates in mechanical engineering and 24% in electrical and electronic engineering.

Statements. Caterina Caccia Dominioni, Chief Executive Officer of Tesmec, “The Framework Agreement with the Polytechnic University of Bari represents an important step in strengthening the relationship between industrial innovation, applied research and the territory. Puglia plays a strategic role in our railway activities, and collaboration with a centre of excellence such as the Polytechnic University of Bari enables us to develop an even more structured pathway focused on sustainable and digital technologies for the future of railway infrastructure. The goal is to build, starting from the expertise present in the region and from the experience of our Monopoli and Bitetto sites, a model of collaboration between university and industry capable of generating value also in international markets”.

Umberto Fratino, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bari. “The agreement signed with Tesmec is significant for us because it is a leading company in innovative key sectors such as railway infrastructure logistics. Tesmec comes from a different regional context, but has chosen to invest here in Puglia to develop new technology in a territorial setting in which the Polytechnic serves as a key pillar. This gives us great satisfaction because it recognises the quality of our graduates and the education they receive. It is no coincidence that over 80% of the engineers at Tesmec Rail Srl, the group’s company in Puglia, come from our university. With this agreement, which seals the beginning of a path already underway, the Polytechnic proudly confirms itself as a beacon also for companies coming from other areas of the country”. 

TESMEC Rail track diagnostics trolley

The interview. Second-level Master’s degree in “Innovation in electrical systems for energy” 

The specialists of the National Electricity Grid 

The challenges raised by the dual transition, energy and digital, are profoundly transforming the electricity sector, making the development of new highly specialized skills. Terna, in collaboration with the Polytechnics of Bari, Milan e Turin has developed the dedicated Master’s program now in its second edition. 

“Poliba Chronicle” interviewed Massimo La Scala, professor at the Polytechnic University of Bari, scientific coordinator of the master’s program 

Bari, 15 July 2026 – On 9 June, the second edition of the Level II Master’s Program in “Innovation in Electrical Systems for Energy” was presented at the Polytechnic University of Bari. This national master’s program, supported and funded by Terna SpA with the participation and academic-scientific support of the three Italian Polytechnics of Bari, Milan and Turin (PoliTechLab), was subsequently presented on 16 June and 2 July at the Polytechnics of Milan and Turin. 

Professor Massimo La Scala is the scientific contact person for the Master’s Program at the Bari Polytechnic campus. “Poliba Chronicle”, the official magazine of Poliba, interviewed him.

Professor the topic of energy is increasingly current and essential. Why are research, training, and updating indispensable?

The energy transition is one of the most important and strategic challenges of our time. The growing demand for energy, the need to accelerate decarbonization, the integration of renewable sources, and the development of increasingly smart and digitalized electric grids are profoundly transforming the energy sector, making new skills and highly qualified professionals indispensable.

In this context, research, training, and continuous updating are fundamental levers for accompanying change and responding to the needs of a constantly evolving market. It is from this awareness that the second edition of the Level II University Master’s Program “Innovation in Electrical Systems for Energy” was created, an advanced training pathway designed to prepare professionals capable of addressing the technological, environmental, and industrial challenges of the future. The Master’s Program is developed by Terna within the network of the three Polytechnics of Bari, Milan and Turin to promote new specialized skills for the energy and digital transition. 

The Master’s Program is an invitation, but also a highly professionalizing opportunity with employment prospects for graduates. Why?

The Master’s Program is aimed at master’s degree graduates who wish to acquire specialized skills that can be immediately applied in the workplace. It is not only an opportunity for academic deepening, but a truly highly professionalizing pathway, capable of combining solid scientific foundations with practical applications. Through lectures, laboratory activities, and interaction with industry experts, participants will develop advanced skills in the design, management, and innovation of electrical systems for energy.

Al termine del Master, i partecipanti conseguiranno il titolo di Master rilasciato congiuntamente dai tre Politecnici e potranno lavorare nel settore elettrico come: Ingegnere impiantista (esperto di impianti e tecnologie); Asset manager (esperto di asset management); Ingegnere sistemista (esperto dell’esercizio in tempo reale dei sistemi elettrici di potenza); Market operator (esperto di mercati dell’energia e di regolazione energetica).

At the time of enrollment, Terna will provide all selected candidates with a letter of commitment to hire them on a permanent contract, to be confirmed at the end of the training program. Employment may take place at various locations across the national territory, including the Bari office.

How will the curriculum of the second edition be characterized? 

The second edition confirms the teaching approach that characterized the success of the first experience, strengthening its distinctive elements and updating the content in light of the rapid evolution of the sector. The training plan will explore the most innovative technologies applied to electrical systems for energy and the most advanced solutions for intelligent energy management. The goal is to offer interdisciplinary training capable of combining research, technological innovation, and operational applications.

Will there be any changes compared to the first edition?

Compared to the first edition, the Master’s programme has been further enhanced by the experience gained and by ongoing engagement with developments in the energy sector. The programme has been updated to address new market needs and to provide participants with increasingly up-to-date tools, strengthening the dialogue between university, research and industry through the involvement of Terna experts and of the professional community represented by lecturers, researchers and experts who work daily in the innovation processes of the energy sector.

Is the candidate’s choice of location purely logistical and geographical?

The decision to structure the Master across three locations also carries significance that goes well beyond the logistical aspect. It is a programme design choice that enriches the educational pathway by integrating scientific expertise, teaching methodologies, laboratories and professional skills. Each location contributes its own specific strengths to the creation of a unified and interdisciplinary educational offering, enabling participants to engage with different approaches to the study and innovation of electrical energy systems.

This organisation promotes a broader and more dynamic learning experience, in which dialogue among lecturers, researchers, professionals and participants becomes an integral part of the programme. The presence of participants from different educational backgrounds in fact encourages the exchange of skills, ongoing comparison and the building of a network of qualified relationships. The networking developed during the Master represents added value that is intended to continue beyond the end of the programme, fostering future professional collaborations. 

The factsheet. The Master will train professionals who will be called upon to build and manage the National Electricity Grid. Potential applicants are those who have obtained, or will obtain by next 31 October, a master’s or specialist degree in: Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Energy and Nuclear Engineering, Automation Engineering, Management Engineering, Computer Engineering or Mechanical Engineering. To participate, candidates must submit their application by 8 September (https://www.polimi.it/index.php?id=1138). Subsequently, on 2 October, they will take a technical and cultural assessment test organised by the Master’s Scientific Committee. The test will take place in person at one of the Polytechnic universities of their choice. This will be followed by an interview conducted by Terna. 45 candidates will be admitted, equally distributed among the three Polytechnic universities (15 for each university). The programme provides for the award of 60 University Educational Credits (CFU), equivalent to 1,500 total hours divided between lectures, exercises and project work. The programme is structured into 10 teaching modules with a final project work. Over the duration of the Master, 1 year, supplementary in-depth seminars and visits to Terna facilities will be organised, with the aim of further enriching the educational experience. The participation costs for the Master, for all admitted candidates, will be entirely covered by Terna. In addition, they will also be awarded scholarships of €19,000, likewise funded by Terna. Finally, Terna will cover the travel and accommodation expenses necessary for the classes held jointly. The Master is scheduled to begin on 24 November 2026.

Press release.

Internationalization. Poliba students in Kotor at the University of Montenegro

Summer School on the blue economy for the “Sustainable development of the leisure boating and cruise industries”

Francesca Orlando, a master's degree candidate at the Polytechnic University, awarded as the best student of the 2026 master's programme. Albanian and Montenegrin students were also in the classroom

Bari, 11 July 2026 – The “Sustainable development of the leisure boating and cruise industries" was the theme of theinternational summer school, held in Montenegro from 29 June to 4 July in Kotor, at the Blue Economy Training Centre of the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro.

Organized within the framework of the Interreg IPA South Adriatic project “High-level, market-oriented skills for a blue and digitalized, 'smart and qualified' South Adriatic – Skill”, the Summer School brought together students and young professionals from Montenegro (5), Albania (5) and Italy (8) for an accredited cross-border learning programme. 

The Italian presence was represented by eight Poliba students as follows: Francesca Orlando, Marika Matera, Maria Teresa Manchisi, Andrea Mazzeo (Civil and Environmental Engineering); Gaetano Fioriello, Thomas Francioni, Fabrizio De Leonardis (Mechanical Engineering); GianFranco Baccarella (Computer Engineering).

Poliba’s participation also stood out for the first place achieved by Francesca Orlando in the daily learning assessment tests (70 multiple-choice questions per day) on the seven thematic areas covered. Originally from Taranto and a graduate in Civil Engineering, Francesca, who is about to complete her master's degree, was awarded during the master's closing ceremony. On that occasion, certificates were presented to all participants for successfully meeting the required criteria. 

During their stay in Montenegro, participants attended lectures, seminars, practical exercises, field visits and case-study activities. The Summer School included visits to the mussel farm of Luka Milošević, to Porto Montenegro, to the port of Kotor, to a cruise ship, to the Faculty of Maritime Studies, to the Boka Aquarium and to the laboratories of the Institute of Marine Biology.

During the master's programme, the following speakers took part: Mirko Đlevelsć, Director of the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro; Antonio Agrosi, representative of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg IPA South Adriatic programme; Danilo Nikolić, Director of the Summer School of the Faculty of Maritime Studies of the University of Montenegro; and Ana Pešić , coordinator of the Summer School of the Institute of Marine Biology of the University of Montenegro. The Polytechnic students were coordinated by Prof. Umberto Berardi.

Comunicato Stampa.

Awards. In Brasile, l’International Photoacoustic and Photothermal Association

Award to Prof. Vincenzo Spagnolo for contributions to science in the development of quartz tuning fork photoacoustic spectroscopy Applications: biomedical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, industrial safety. The PolySense laboratory for research and experimentation

Bari, 6 July 2026 – In Brazil, on 2 July, on the occasion of the biennial Conference of the International Photoacoustic and Photothermal Association (IPPA), Prof. Vincenzo Spagnolo, Interuniversity Department of Physics, Poliba-Uniba, received a prestigious award for outstanding contributions to science in the development of quartz tuning fork photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS).

The IPPA Award is a recognition for scientists, engineers and physicians who have made important and impactful contributions in the field of photoacoustic and photothermal sciences and technologies.

Environment, safety, medicine. The research work of Prof. Spagnolo – the citation reads – “has advanced resonant photoacoustic detection and established QEPAS as a highly sensitive technique for trace gas detection in the mid-infrared and terahertz regions. His main innovations in QEPAS design, signal optimization, broadband operation and compact multi-gas detection - continue - have made possible applications in environmental monitoring, industrial safety and biomedical diagnostics”. 

Laboratory. This research has benefited from the joint PolySenSe-THORLABS laboratory, located in the Department of Physics, which ultimately contributed to the commercialization of quartz-based modules, QEPAS and related systems, extending the research to real-world applications in the aforementioned sectors.

Applicazioni e partner. Prof. Spagnolo’s satisfaction is evident. Regarding experiments and applications, he says: “in medicine we have ongoing collaborations with the specialized Center for Gastroenterology, “Saverio de Bellis”- IRCCS, in Castellana Grotte, on colorectal cancer with breath analysis and liquid biopsy with IR spectroscopy. We are starting with the Oncology Institute of Bari and “de Bellis” in Castellana to use a recently acquired quantum cascade microscope, the first of its kind in Italy, for the analysis of biological samples. For the environment, the ‘Optimove’ project has just concluded, linked to air analysis in the Bari urban area with the National Centre for Mobility (MOST). We have completed the measurements and are finalizing the data analysis. There are substances that, following exposure near busy roads, are inhaled and remain in the body for several hours. However, the final data will be available by the end of the month. Finally, on the safety front, we are carrying out a project with the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) whose aim was the development of a sensor for hydrogen sulfide, H2S (typical smell of rotten eggs), capable of monitoring the concentration of this type of gas near fumaroles (Campi Flegrei) and providing data that could in the future be used to predict possible volcanic activity”.

Press release.

“for medicine, we have ongoing collaborations with “de Bellis” (IRCCS Castellana Grotte) on colon cancer, with breath analysis and liquid biopsy using IR spectroscopy. We are beginning, together with the Oncology Institute of Bari and “de Bellis” of Castellana, to use the microscope ??? type? for the analysis of biological samples. 

For the environment, the ‘Optimove’ project has just concluded, linked to air analysis in the Bari urban area with the National Centre for Mobility (MOST). We have completed the measurements and are finalizing the data analysis. There are substances that, following exposure near busy roads, are inhaled and remain in the body for several hours. However, the final data will be available by the end of the month.

Finally, on the safety front, we are carrying out a project with the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV)………

Press release.

“Vincenzo Cotecchia” Award. In Catania during the national conference AIGAA 

The Italian Association of Applied and Environmental Geology awards Prof. Vincenzo Simeone for the best professional contribution in Applied Geology 

“Geological knowledge must play a central role in decision-making phases, actively guiding design choices,” states the Poliba professor  

Bari, 2 July 2026 – The Italian Association of Applied and Environmental Geology (AIGAA) has awarded Professors Vincenzo Simeone, Full Professor of Geoengineering at the Polytechnic University of Bari, and Francesco Guadagno (University of Sannio) the “Vincenzo Cotecchia” award for the best professional contribution in the field of Applied Geology. These are topics for which Prof. Vincenzo Cotecchia, a pioneer and distinguished professor at Poliba, was for years an undisputed reference point both scientifically and professionally at national and international level. The award was presented during the Association’s national conference held in Catania on 29–30 June.

The reasons for the award are linked to the challenges arising from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the planned works, which led the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to revolutionize the design process. 

In tale contesto, i proff. Vincenzo Simeone e Francesco Maria Guadagno dal 2021, in qualità di componenti esperti di Geologia Applicata del Comitato Speciale del Consiglio Superiore Lavori Pubblici, hanno seguito l’istruttoria di numerose grandi opere tra le quali: tratti di ferrovia dell’alta velocità, variante di Trento; autostrada Salerno Reggio Calabria; Porto di Trieste; Diga di Campo Lattaro (BN).

Their contributions have demonstrated the strategic importance of geological and applied geology studies in design and in Technical and Economic Feasibility Projects.

Their work has made it possible to highlight within the Higher Council of Public Works that, as they state, “ geological knowledge must play a central role in decision-making phases, actively guiding design choices, becoming true project geology”. 

The main conclusions of their work were condensed in a paper entitled The strategic importance of geological studies in the Technical and Economic Feasibility Project under the new Procurement Code. Published in the journal Geologia Tecnica.

More generally, the prestigious recognition highlights the scientific contribution of the two professors, aimed at demonstrating the engineering and design strategic importance of Applied Geology studies for Technical and Economic Feasibility Projects (PFTE).

The award ceremony was attended by the President of theItalian Association of Applied and Environmental Geology (AIGAA), Monica Papini (PoliMi), and the Vice-President, Pantaleone De Vita (UniNa- Federico II).

Press release.

8th edition. First Prize for the degree thesis of the Italian National Committee for Large Dams

Bradano-Basento, management scenarios for water resource management in Basilicata

The research of the winner, Giulia Acconciaioco: the drinking water sector turns out to be the most penalized. The Camastra dam emerges as the main critical element. The recovery of the capacity of existing reservoirs and the completion of interconnections between basins are configured as strategic interventions to strengthen the overall resilience of the system and reduce its vulnerability to periods of drought

Bari, 22 June 2026 – A new climatic context. Water resource management is now one of the main challenges for Southern Italy. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall and the increasing frequency of extreme events are putting pressure on supply systems designed in a climatic context profoundly different from the current one. 

Hydrographic basin. When speaking of water supply, one tends to imagine a simple path, from the source to the tap. In reality, the availability of water for cities, agriculture and productive activities depends on extremely complex infrastructure systems. Rainwater falling on the ground naturally flows into the watercourses of the relevant hydrographic basin.

In many cases, this resource is collected and stored in artificial lakes created by dams, so that it can be used during drier periods or when demand increases.

Water schemes. The set of these water collection, transport and distribution works constitutes the so-called water schemes, which are fundamental for resource management in Southern Italy.

La Basilicata. In this context, the Basilicata region plays a strategic role thanks to the presence of important watercourses, including the Bradano, Basento, Agri, Sinni, Cavone and Noce. Combined with favorable geomorphological characteristics, the region hosts one of the most significant water storage systems in Southern Italy.

The resources stored in the reservoirs of Basilicata, in fact, not only meet the needs of Basilicata itself, but are partly transferred to Puglia, where they support drinking water and irrigation supply in the central-northern areas of the region. 

The Bradano-Basento water scheme. Among the most relevant infrastructures is the Bradano-Basento water scheme, an articulated system of reservoirs, weirs and transfer works that plays a fundamental role for drinking, irrigation and industrial uses in the central-eastern area of Basilicata. The scheme includes the reservoirs of Pantano di Pignola, Camastra, Acerenza, Genzano and Serra del Corvo, as well as the weirs (linking infrastructures) of Trivigno and Orto del Tufo on the Basento River. 

Critical issues. Despite its strategic importance, the Bradano-Basento water scheme presents some critical issues linked to the incomplete completion of part of the planned works, the silting up of reservoirs, the aging of infrastructure and the need to modernize monitoring and management systems. These problems, together with the effects of climate change, have helped bring the issue of water security back to the center of attention, as shown, for example, by the crisis that affected the Potenza area in recent years.

This has highlighted the need, alongside infrastructure interventions, to seek advanced analysis and planning tools for such networks in order to improve their ability to respond to crisis situations. 

The research thesis. In this context lies the research work of the degree thesis, “Assessment of water resource management scenarios for the Bradano-Basento system” by Giulia Acconciaioco, 26, from Barletta, now a PhD candidate at Poliba.

1st prize. The thesis won the 8th edition of the ITCOLD 2026 Degree Award, dedicated to the best university theses focused on dams and water resource management. The initiative is promoted by the Italian National Committee for Large Dams, ITCOLD, a scientific association that promotes the study of issues related to dams, their construction, and their operation. The award is part of the activities through which ITCOLD promotes research and innovation in the field of large dams and water infrastructure, highlighting the most innovative scientific contributions in the national landscape.

The thesis (supervisor, Prof. Vito Iacobellis) was developed at the Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Building and Chemical Engineering – DICATECh of Poliba. 

Ambiente WEAP. The study was developed through the creation of a model in the WEAP environment (Water Evaluation and Planning System). The model made it possible to represent the operation of reservoirs, transfer works, and the main drinking, irrigation, and industrial demands, providing an overall view of the system’s behavior under realistic management conditions. 

The limitations identified. The results showed that the Bradano-Basento scheme, while overall ensuring the satisfaction of irrigation demands, does not yet fully express its potential due to infrastructural and management constraints. 

Drinking water, Camastra dam. The drinking-water sector is the one most penalized by the current limitations of the supply system. In this context, the Camastra reservoir (Trivigno - PZ) emerges as the main critical element, significantly affecting the security of drinking-water supply, with clear repercussions on the urban areas of the Potenza region. 

Prospects and interventions. The study analyzed several infrastructure enhancement scenarios, assuming the completion of the works originally planned and now partly already funded under the Reservoir Plan 2020-2029. In particular, the simulations assessed the effects of restoring the full storage capacity of the Acerenza and Genzano reservoirs and the full operation of the other infrastructures. The possibility of expanding irrigable areas through more flexible management of water transfers between reservoirs was also analyzed. The simulations showed how these interventions can make the system more flexible and efficient, enabling more rational resource management and greater responsiveness during periods of higher water demand. The analysis was also extended to the effects of climate change. In this scenario, restoring the capacity of existing reservoirs and completing interconnections between basins are strategic interventions to strengthen the overall resilience of the system, reduce its vulnerability to drought periods, and improve the reliability of water supply.

Press release.

Area of interest