Bari, 19 March 2026 - “Free to choose” is the title of the 18th edition of UniStem Day 2026, the largest international scientific outreach event dedicated to female and male students. The event is scheduled tomorrow, 20 Marchsimultaneously at 93 universities and research centers in 12 countries on the occasion of the initiative “Universities Revealed,” promoted by the Conference of Rectors (CRUI).

In Bari, the initiative is coordinated by the University of Bari Aldo Moro, the Polytechnic University of Bari, the Libera Università Mediterranea (LUM), and the CNR – Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies.

The event will take place in the “Attilio Alto” Main Hall of Poliba at 9:00 a.m..

Over the course of the day, participants will be able to attend presentations of outstanding scientific calibre: Professor Maria Grano of the University of Bari will discuss the dialogue between bone, muscle and the brain; Professor Vitantonio Bevilacqua of the Polytechnic University of Bari will present applications of bioengineering within the One Health approach; and Professor Mario Acunzo of the Free Mediterranean University will explore the role of microRNAs in modern biology. The event will conclude with a presentation by Professor Michela Matteoli, neuroscientist, Deputy Rector of Humanitas University in Milan and member of the Accademia dei Lincei, focusing on how the brain works and its potential.

“The greatest value of this day – it is stated in a note - is to offer female and male students the opportunity to approach the world of research in a concrete way, discover its fascination, and understand its impact on everyday life. Meetings like this can spark curiosity, stimulate new vocations, and help young people imagine their future in science, freely and consciously»

UNISTEM DAY 2026 in the world. In addition to Italy, the following countries are taking part in UniStem Day 2026: Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Hungary.

Bari, 24 March 2026 – In the classic postcard image of the city of Bari, the exterior shots of the old seafaring district stand out, clinging to San Nicola and protected by the Swabian Castle, alongside the checkerboard layout of the nineteenth-century Murat district seen from above, followed by the reflections in the water in front of the orderly street lamps of the Lungomare Nazario Sauro, which anticipate the backdrop of public buildings and palaces from the 1930s.   

This last part of the story represents a significant urban and cultural evolution of the city of Bari. Modernism and, even more so, Marinetti’s Futurism, currents of thought that stimulated Fascism, led the city to interpret a new role: modern, dynamic, enterprising, politically oriented toward the opposite shore of the Adriatic. Architecture becomes a tool for a new reading of symbols and meanings.

The contribution and experience of Marino Lopopolo are part of the construction of the modern image of the city of Bari. as an emblematic case for understanding the dynamics of modernization of Bari’s urban fabric within the framework of Fascist “Greater Bari.” Marino Lopopolo (Bisceglie, 1905 – Bari, 1980), who graduated in architecture in 1932 from the Royal University of Naples, followed, shared, and expressed many features of Futurist thought through his works. A supporter of the establishment of the register of architects of Apulia (1952), he remained proactive even in the postwar period until the mid-1970s. His archive has been donated to the Order of Architects of the Province of Bari.

Today, a substantial book, “Antonio Lopopolo, Architect and Courageous Pioneer” by Antonio Labalestra, Quasar editions (368 pages, €22.00), through careful work on archival sources, reconstructs the human and professional profile of the Bari architect, restoring its complexity and significance within the broader context of twentieth-century Italian architectural culture.

The volume highlights Lopopolo’s contribution to defining a new idea of architecture and the city, tracing his activity across public buildings, working-class districts, ministerial buildings, planned towns, and commercial spaces among the most representative of Bari at the time.

A profoundly rooted figure emerges in the cultural climate of Futurism and Rationalism, capable of interpreting architecture as an instrument of social transformation and as an expression of a modern, rigorous, and at the same time ambitious vision. The story of Marino Lopopolo thus also becomes a key to re-reading the debate, opened especially from the 1930s onward, on the relationship between architects, institutions, ideology, and political power.

The book will be presented tomorrow, Wednesday, 25 March, at 4:30 p.m., in the City Council Chamber of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Lungomare Nazario Sauro.

Discussing the book with the author will be Gian Paolo Consoli, Professor of History of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Bari, Carlo Moccia, Professor of Architectural Design at the Polytechnic University of Bari, and Ferdinando Pappalardo, Vice President of the National Association of Italian Partisans and former Professor of Theory and History of Literary Genres at the University of Bari.

The meeting will open with greetings from Umberto Fratino, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bari, Franco Defilippis, Director of the ArCoD Department – Architecture, Construction and Design, and Cosimo Damiano Mastronardi, President of the Order of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservators of the Province of Bari.

Speakers will include: Vito Leccese, Mayor of Bari, Giovanna Iacovone, Deputy Mayor of Bari, Adriano Buzzanca, Director of the State Archives of Bari, and Francesca Romana Paolillo, Director of the Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape.

The author. Antonio Labalestra is Associate Professor of History of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Bari and has been a visiting professor at several foreign universities. He founded and directs a public research laboratory engaged in the training and study of archival sources applied to the history of architecture and design disciplines. His research interests mainly concern architecture between the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with particular attention to Southern Italy and to some central figures in the Italian twentieth-century panorama, including Ernesto Basile, Armando Brasini, Marcello Piacentini, Gio Ponti, and Aldo Rossi. Alongside numerous essays published in volumes and international journals, he has published, for Quasar, The palace of the Government of Taranto. Politics, projects and the role of Armando Brasini (2018).

Bari, 18 March 2026 - Imagine a community in which homes produce energy with photovoltaic panels, batteries store excess electricity, electric cars become mobile energy reserves, and buildings communicate with one another to reduce waste and costs. Is this a vision of a distant future? No, this is the reality of the new energy communities and distributed energy systems that are emerging in Europe and around the world. Making these systems work effectively, however, is not simple. Each user has different needs, each renewable plant produces variably, energy markets change rapidly, and users do not always behave predictably. Governing this complexity means bringing together different interests and sometimes conflicting objectives.

This is the context in which the CONSENSUS project was born “Control and Optimization of Networked Smart Energy Systems through User-driven and Sustainability-oriented Strategies”.

The project idea is to develop control architectures capable of building “consensus” among the different components of the energy system: between production and consumption, between economic convenience and environmental sustainability, between local autonomy and coordination with the electricity grid. In this context, consensus is not only a social concept but an engineering principle that indicates the ability of a set of autonomous units to reach, through local and distributed interaction rules, an agreement on certain variables of interest (exchanged power, prices, load levels, etc.), ensuring global coherence of the system without resorting to a single command center. In other words, it means designing rules and algorithms that guide the system toward shared, sustainable, and technically robust solutions.

CONSENSUS has been funded by the Ministry of University and Research under the third edition of the Italian Fund for Science (FIS 3), one of the most competitive national programs dedicated to basic research. The project will be coordinated by Raffaele Carli, winner of a Consolidator Grant, and will benefit from funding of 1.53 million euros. Carli is an associate professor of “Automatic Control” at the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of Poliba. The project, which will run for five years (2026–2031), represents the first funding obtained by the Polytechnic University of Bari under the Italian Fund for Science (FIS).

“It is not simply a matter of optimizing energy flows – says Raffaele Carli - but of designing decision-making mechanisms that enable the various actors: citizens, businesses, operators to cooperate intelligently. To do so, CONSENSUS will integrate advanced mathematical models, mechanisms inspired by game theory, and machine learning tools. The aim is to promote local energy exchange, enhance the flexibility of consumption, optimize the use of renewable resources, and maximize self-consumption, reducing costs and emissions. A distinctive element of the project will be attention to the human dimension. Users’ preferences, habits, and behaviors will become an integral part of the decision-making models. Energy will no longer be managed as a purely technical system, but as an ecosystem in which technology and people continuously interact. The project – concludes - stems from the need to address, in a scientific manner, the growing complexity of new distributed energy systems”.

CONSENSUS provides for the creation of a simulation platform that will make it possible to test scenarios and strategies before their actual implementation, supporting administrators and stakeholders in designing more efficient and sustainable energy communities. It will represent an important step toward further consolidating Poliba’s “Decision and Control Laboratory” as a center of excellence in the development of control architectures for complex systems, particularly for smart energy systems.

Raffaele Carli, is Associate Professor of Automatic Control at the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Bari. He earned a degree in Electronic Engineering with honors in 2002 and a PhD in Electrical and Information Engineering in 2016 from the same university, after professional experience in the space and defense sector. He conducts research at the Poliba “Decision and Control Laboratory”. His research focuses on the modeling, optimization, and control of large-scale complex systems, with particular attention to smart and sustainable energy systems. He is the author of more than 140 international scientific publications.

The Italian Fund for Science (FIS) is a national program promoted by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) to support excellent basic research in Italy. FIS funds highly innovative projects proposed by researchers working at Italian universities and research institutions, selected through highly competitive procedures based exclusively on the scientific quality of the proposals and the profile of the Principal Investigators. The resources awarded enable the winners to develop their project in full scientific autonomy, forming research groups and equipping themselves with the necessary infrastructure. FIS is now one of the most prestigious and selective instruments at national level for funding basic research.

Bari, 16 March 2026 - The Affinity Trio, coordinated by Leopoldo Sebastiani, electric bassist, leader and author of the arrangements, will present “Chaplin”, a sound balanced between jazz, new age and world music, on the occasion of the performance scheduled for Thursday 19 March, at Politecnico di Bari, on the occasion of the second event of the 7th edition of “The Concerts of the Politecnico”.

Alongside Sebastiani's electric bass, the voice of Paola Arnesano and the imaginative percussion of Pippo D’Ambrosio will join in.  

Chaplin is the trio's first album. Released in 2002 by the Italian label PHILOLOGY, it focuses mainly on melodies from films by the great English comedian, composed by Chaplin himself.

The album was immediately acclaimed by specialist critics. It was followed by an intense concert activity by the trio at prestigious clubs and cultural associations.

A second record project by the group is currently in preparation and is expected to be recorded shortly.

Chaplin, according to Leopoldo Sebastiani and Affinity Trio, is scheduled Thursday, 19 March, 6:30 p.m., at the Foyer of the new Rectorate building of Politecnico (Via Re David, 200, university campus). Free admission. BOOK HERE to proceed with ticket reservation. Reservations will be accepted until all available seats are sold out. Reservation deadline: Thursday, 19 March 2026, 12:00 p.m.

Tracks of the protagonists. Leopoldo Sebastiani, electric bassist and composer, is a long-standing musician. His curriculum includes important prestigious collaborations and a substantial discography, which includes the solo albums “Chaplin e “Night" He collaborated for many years with flautist Nicola Stilo. In 2004 he founded the group “Storytelling, a research project on the singer-songwriter tradition. In 2016 the group undertook an international tour with Paul Mc Candless. In the summer of 2017 he toured with Brazilian guitarist Toquinho. He occasionally performs with Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta. 

The debut of Paola Arnesano as a jazz singer dates back to the late 1980s, with the quintet bearing her name, formed among others by Mario Rosini on piano. She collaborates with major figures on the Italian jazz scene such as Stefano Bollani, Roberto Ottaviano, Gianni Cazzola, Ettore Fioravanti, Franco Cerri, Gianni Basso, Dado Moroni, with whom she recorded a duo album, among others. She won the Italian Jazz Awards “Luca Flores” 2009 in the “Best Jazz Singer” category. She has been teaching singing, harmony, and improvisation technique at the “Il Pentagramma” school in Bari since 1993.

Pippo D’Ambrosio was born in Bari in 1965, and is a drummer, percussionist, and composer. He studied drums in the 1980s with Ettore Fioravanti and Roberto Gatto at ‘Siena Jazz’ and specialized in 1993 at the ‘Drummers Collective’ in New York. He graduated with honors with first- and second-level Academic Diplomas in Jazz Music from the N. Piccinni Conservatory in Bari. He has collaborated with internationally renowned artists and groups. He is a member of projects such as “Radiodervish”. With more than 70 recordings to his credit, he has released three albums as a leader.

The seventh edition of “The Concerts of the Politecnico” is an initiative of Politecnico di Bari and the Regional Association of Apulian Choirs.

Bari, 16 March 2026 - The line in geometry, interpreted by mathematics, an object of philosophy. The line as the arrow of time. It can mark a boundary, knowledge.

“A line can unite. Two parts can be divided by a line, but two points can be united by a line.” Thus begins “The Line,” the title of the short film by the students of the Architectural Design Laboratory of the fourth year of the Architecture degree program at Poliba.

An innovative initiative for experimental teaching, aimed at involving students in a participatory way through the magic of cinema. A thin line between teaching and innovation, a powerful stimulus for students’ creativity, thanks to the critical use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools for images and video.

Objective: to encourage creative reflection on certain contemporary themes related to architectural design, making use of the support and experimentation of the main software of digital culture and artificial intelligence, which thus become means to explore new horizons between science and science fiction. Drawing inspiration from real conditions and information about the present world, the film moves toward futuristic projections capable of testing credible creativity.

The short film, developed in the Department of Architecture, Construction and Design (DARCOD), involved 33 students, 8 researchers and PhD candidates, and the faculty coordinator of the Design Laboratory and the initiative, Prof. Giuseppe Fallacara. The work, which lasted 4 months, from April to July 2025, resulted in an audio-video production of 26’ and 25”. 

For its production, the entire class was transformed into a film studio following a multidisciplinary process in which they had to engage with both architectural-design elements and the language of cinema itself, starting from the development of a story, moving on to scene management, and arriving at the actual acting component.

Bari, 10 March 2026 - In this direction, the result published in Nature Nanotechnology (doi: s41565-026-02129-w), the outcome of the international collaboration involving the “PETASPIN” research group, composed of researchers from the Polytechnic University of Bari and the University of Messina, together with the Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics (SINANO) in China and KAUST in Saudi Arabia. The authors include Prof. Mario Carpentieri and Prof. Riccardo Tomasello from the Polytechnic University of Bari, together with Prof. Giovanni Finocchio from the University of Messina, who played a central role in the design and development of the device. Prof. Carpentieri, full professor of electrical engineering, is Vice-Rector for Research. Prof. Tomasello is an associate professor in the same scientific field.

The team developed a microwave detector measuring less than half a square millimetre, fully compatible with CMOS technology. This technology is used in the microprocessor industry. The device integrates, in a single architecture, a magnetoelectric antenna and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), a key spintronic element already used in next-generation magnetic memories. This integration eliminates the need for bulky external antennas, overcoming one of the main limits to the miniaturization of microwave detectors. The result is an ultra-sensitive wireless sensor, with a sensitivity above 90,000 volts per watt and capable of detecting signals in the nanowatt range. Moreover, by integrating multiple magnetic junctions on the same device, sensitivity can exceed 400,000 volts per watt without significantly increasing the size.

Full compatibility with CMOS technology is a decisive factor for future transfer to production scale, making direct integration into chips possible without modifying existing industrial processes.

The result consolidates the role of the Polytechnic University of Bari and the University of Messina in advanced research in the fields of spintronics and magnetoelectrics, enhancing the contribution of the Italian university system to scientific innovation in a context of high-profile international collaboration.

Bari, 3 March 2026 – Although with different characteristics, other crises also shape the present: environmental, energy, or sustainability crises, for example, call for major or minor shifts in direction. In this context, research can contribute greatly.

A research group from the Departments of Architecture, Construction and Design (ARCOD) and Civil, Environmental, Land, Building and Chemical Engineering (DICATECh) of the Polytechnic University of Bari has been working on this line of study for several years. It is here that the “Blokko” Project was born in November 2021, a spin-off of the Polytechnic University of Bari that became an innovative start-up company in June 2024, based in Bari. The initiative was created by two Poliba professors: Calogero Montalbano and Carla Chiarantoni.

The initiative proposes, inspired by LEGO, the “E-Wall” concept, a system for the rapid reconfiguration of spaces with dry assembly, aimed at micro-prefabrication. The study of a new “brick”, a physical “bit” for a new architecture for modular systems, becomes central. Designed and diversified into four units with different dimensions: from the classic rectangular block to the corner unit, they will modulate the spaces to be built, both indoor and outdoor, according to new requirements, in line with the characteristics of different materials such as plastics, wood, lightweight cements, and high-density polyurethane.

Two international patents from 2021 and 2022 support “E-Wall”, while three other Italian patents (one of which is a design patent) were filed in 2025 and in January 2026. Four differently shaped blocks become the standard models, like Lego, for designing, assembling, disassembling, and reusing the same materials. And yes, because “E-Wall” also promotes a circular and ecological economy. When the block reaches the end of its mechanical life, it is in fact shredded and reused as raw material to print new blocks, eliminating the concept of construction waste.

The blocks feature interlocking solutions with metal connections that pass through the blocks and bundle the system, giving it stability that goes beyond simple interlocking. An internal metal reinforcing mesh, finally, makes the built ensemble stable and compact as a single solid block. Lastly, unlike traditional masonry, where any modification requires "chases" (physical breaking of the wall), the E-Wall system is designed with an integrated technical cavity that allows full inspectability. These and other features have led to the success and recognition of the start-up created through Poliba. Among these is the recent special mention obtained at Future Hub Startup Competition by Klimahouse 2026 and by PoliHub in Milan in Bolzano for E-Wall.

But “Blokko” does not stop there: more recently, last February, it was admitted to the second phase of the start-up competition "Basilicata Open Lab" 2026.

​"The success in Bolzano and entry into PoliHub Milan mark the definitive transition from research to industrial-scale production of the product – says Prof. Calogero Montalbano, administrator of the Blokko start-up. Now our mission is clear: we want to establish a cutting-edge production chain in Puglia and attract forward-looking investors who want to bet with us on circular, flexible, barrier-free construction. We are not just launching a product; we are building an ecosystem of excellence that starts from the South to revolutionize the way the world lives and transforms its spaces."

Blokko srl - profile

Academic spin-off of the Polytechnic University of Bari in November 2021.

Innovative start-up since June 2024

Patents: No. 2 international patents: EP3401457B1-2021, EP2992146B1 – 2022) to which are added No. 3 Italian patent applications filed in July 2025, December 2025 (design) and January 2026.

Awards: 2022. Winner of the National Award for Best Invention ITWIIN

2022. Selected among the 12 emerging start-up companies, and one of the 4 that took part in the Talk, for the launch of Tech4Planet by CdP, of PoliHub in Milan

2023. Winner of the International Award Gold Inventor, at GlobalWIIN 2023 for the best invention and innovation worldwide;

2024. Selected among the best 40 Italian university start-ups that took part in We Make Future in Bologna 2024;

2026. Klimhouse 2026, special mention for E-wall from Polihub in Milan and Future Hub of the Bolzano trade fair

2026. (ongoing) admitted to the second phase of the start-up competition "Basilicata Open Lab" 

Bari, 20 February 2026 – The award certificates ceremony took place at the Chamber of Deputies on 26 January. D’Antino graduated on 24 February 2025 with a thesis entitled “Explainable Artificial Intelligence and the Innovation Process”, supervisor Prof. Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli. The master's degree follows the bachelor's degree in Management Engineering obtained at the same Polytechnic University of Bari.

In addition to the award certificate, the young award recipients received a full scholarship to access free of charge the exclusive online master's programme of the Italia USA Foundation in “Leadership for International Relations and Made in Italy”.

The winners of the America Giovani Award were selected by the Italia USA Foundation, through the database of Italian universities, among recent graduates with a study plan aligned with the Foundation’s interests and on the basis of various parameters indicative of their academic path, any experience abroad, curriculum vitae, and other comparative assessments.

The America Giovani Award of the Italia-USA Foundation aims to recognize every year one thousand talents from our country with an excellent university background, to support them in their entry into the global job market and international challenges.

Bari, 18 February 2026 – Polilabodif, supported by Poliba, comprises a series of initiatives carried out together with Labodif, a research and training institute specialising in issues related to differences.

Among the events open to the public, a central moment will be the evening of Friday, 20 February. At 7:00 p.m., at the Aula Magna of the Polytechnic (University Campus), the film will be screened Hidden Figures, with an introduction and commentary by the founders of Labodif: Giovanna Galletti and Gianna Mazzini. Participation is open and free of charge.

With this series of initiatives, the Polytechnic addresses gender issues as drivers of quality and innovation in scientific and engineering education and promotes women in STEM disciplines as an indispensable resource.

University orientation is therefore understood not as a choice limited to the moment of university enrolment, but as a process that is built over time.

The program is funded by the project “Territorial Agreements for Higher Education for Businesses”.

Hidden Figures (2016). Introduction to the synopsis. 1961: America is still segregated. Six years earlier, in 1955, Rosa Louise Parks had refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus; two years later, in 1957, there would be Martin Luther King’s famous speech with that “I have a dream”. There are marches in the streets, clashes with law enforcement. At NASA there are separate sections, restrooms and cafeterias for white and Black people, but inside everything proceeds impervious to change. At least until three highly gifted and equally determined mathematicians decide to pursue their goal with determination...

Bari, 18 February 2026 – The initiative, organised by the Polytechnic and ARCoPu, the Regional Association of Apulian Choirs with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Apulia Region, will take place at Poliba from 19 February to 11 June next.

The 7th edition will be dedicated to the theme “Music, the extra character in cinema,” with the aim of exploring the role of music as a narrative element of cinematic language, capable of giving voice to emotions, creating atmospheres, and guiding the viewer’s gaze.

From the great soundtracks that have marked the history of cinema to contemporary dialogues between image, sound, and technology, the festival will also examine cinema as a place of cross-pollination between music, art, science, and contemporary thought.

The season, aimed at the student community of the Polytechnic as well as the general public, will be presented tomorrow, 19 February, 9:30 a.m., at the new Rectorate headquarters of Poliba (University Campus).

Participants: Umberto Fratino, Rector Magnificus of the Polytechnic University of Bari; Pierfranco Semeraro, President of ARCoPu; Sergio Lella and Francesco Martellotta, Members of the Coordination Committee.

During the press conference, the artists and guests involved, the concert venues and side events, the cultural guidelines, and the full program of the 2026 season will be presented.

The season is free and open to all. It will be possible to reserve a seat starting one week before each event until the morning of the concert itself, subject to availability.

Bari, 17 February 2026 – Projected onto an exterior wall of the building, the slogans, in an imperative tone, were intended to encourage thoughtful reflection on the issues of energy saving, environmental sustainability, and the responsible use of resources.

On the occasion of the lighting, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Poliba, Michele Ruta, intended to emphasize that the “The Polytechnic must be present and shout to the territory that we are aligned in this battle for energy saving, environmental protection, conscious lifestyles for, and above all, for the new generations.”

The initiative, carried out in collaboration with the other universities of Puglia, saw the participation of Meit srl, specialized in real estate asset management, energy and engineering services, with the President of Meit srl, Donato Dell’Anna, intending to highlight the collaboration with Poliba in the initiative aimed at “contributing to raising community awareness on environmental sustainability issues, promoting everyday actions capable of generating a positive impact on the environment.”

These are the eight suggestions proposed in the projection on a green background, which will be repeated every afternoon from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. until 20 February: Turn off and breathe. The future matters. Act now. Every gesture counts. Respect the planet. Care for resources. Protect the future. Be aware.

Bari, 16 February 2026 - The Polytechnic University of Bari is taking part in the 2026 edition of “I Light Up with Less - Energy Saving and Sustainable Lifestyles Day” promoted by Caterpillar, Rai Radio2 (www.caterpillar.rai.it) scheduled throughout Italy on 16 February.

It will do so with the RUS, the Network of Universities for Sustainable Development (www.reterus.it), which in Puglia includes, in addition to Poliba, the universities: “Aldo Moro” of Bari, Foggia, Salento and LUM, all united in promoting concrete actions for energy saving and sustainable lifestyles.

The actions planned by the Polytechnic also involve Meit srl, an ESCo company specialized in property management, energy services and engineering.  

At the Polytechnic, for one week, from 16 to 20 February, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., concurrently with the shutdown of the new Rectorate building (university campus), awareness messages will be projected onto the building wall (Re David Street side) to encourage thoughtful reflection on energy saving, environmental sustainability and the responsible use of resources.

This is intended to promote an immersive experience capable of combining visual communication and environmental awareness, in line with the values and objectives of the national initiative. The 2026 edition will focus on the crucial role of women and men scientists in researching solutions to the climate crisis and in building virtuous models.

On the occasion of the national day, 16 February, at 6:00 p.m., at the building of the new rectorate of the Polytechnic, the outdoor projection will be activated in the presence of the Rector, faculty members and students, and representatives of Meit srl.

Bari, 6 February 2026 – The Italian Thermotechnics Association (ATI), a historic and prestigious technical-scientific association promoting the development of industrial culture and technological innovation in the sectors of energy, environment, energy efficiency, mobility and sustainable construction in implementation of a new modern and sustainable development model, has signed a framework agreement with the Polytechnic University of Bari that will make it possible to develop close cooperation in the scientific field, advanced training, and applied research through technology transfer, the enhancement of research results, and technical updating.

The agreement was signed last 4 January at the Rectorate of the Polytechnic University by the Rector, Umberto Fratino, and by the National President of ATI, Riccardo Amirante, who has led the Association since 1 January and is a Poliba professor.

The ATI, moreover, it is stated in the agreement, will make available its well-regarded monthly journal, “La Termotecnica”, as a privileged channel for the publication of outreach and technical-scientific articles relating to research, projects and results developed by the Polytechnic University of Bari; the enhancement of studies and experiments with high potential for technology transfer; the dissemination of best practices, case studies and industrial applications arising from university research; information on new degree programmes and activities of the Polytechnic University of Bari in line with the ATI’s objectives. Access to “La Termotecnica” will be reserved for all students enrolled in degree programmes at the Polytechnic University of Bari.

These activities, including outreach, may contribute to the enhancement of Poliba research, third mission activities and the quality assessment system implemented by ANVUR (National Agency for the Evaluation of the University and Research System); Evaluation and Accreditation (AVA3), with particular reference to quality indicators for research, technology transfer, public engagement and impact on the socio-economic system.

During the presentation and signing of the memorandum of understanding, they said. Riccardo Amirante: “The ATI, with a century of history behind it, today represents, in the national landscape, an authoritative point of reference for technical-scientific culture. The agreement signed strengthens the ATI’s role as a national bridge between research and the productive system and, at the same time, offers universities a concrete opportunity to enhance scientific results, technology transfer and third-mission activities. The collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Bari, in particular, shows how dialogue between the academic world and the technical-industrial community has now become essential to generate sustainable development”.

Umberto Fratino: “The POLIBA-ATI protocol opens up an interesting scenario for collaboration that brings the university world closer to that of businesses. The initiative may enable advanced professional training for those already working in production and, at the same time, allow companies to make use of existing university technologies. The effects of this collaboration may, not least, also foster new experiential and employment opportunities for our young graduates.

The operational procedures for the shared activities shall be governed by implementing agreements. The framework agreement signed has a three-year term and may be renewed by agreement between the parties.

Bari, 11 February 2026 -   Green Life 4 Seas (GREen ENgineering solutions: a new LIFE FOR SEdiments And Shells) is the European project, funded under the European LIFE Programme, which aims to transform the problem of the difficult disposal of two categories of marine-derived waste: dredged port sediments and mussel shells, into a large-scale industrial resource for the production of new manufactured products with greater energy savings.

With a five-year duration (2023-2028) and funding of approximately 4 million euros, GL4S is coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Bari. Launched in 2023, the project has achieved promising technical-scientific results that have been translated into several prototypes of industrial products, including full-scale ones, suitable for production and on-site testing, namely in the ports participating in the project: the Port of Bari and Barletta, the Port of La Spezia and the Port of Piraeus (Athens) in Greece.

At the midpoint of the research and experimentation process, GL4S will receive a visit from Dr Yael Meroz, Senior Monitoring expert for the European LIFE Programmes on the days 12 and 13 February near the Polytechnic University of Bari. All project partners will be present at the visit. On this occasion, the Coast Guard, a partner affiliated with GL4S, has organised, for the day 12 February, 3:00 p.m., at the Maritime Directorate of the Bari Coast Guard, a technical session aimed at initiating the concrete implementation of a virtuous supply chain for the collection of mussel shell waste. This is the programme at the Coast Guard.

12 February, 3:00 p.m. . Institutional greetings by Rear Admiral Donato De Carolis, Commander of the Maritime Directorate of Puglia and Ionian Basilicata. The President of AdSPMAM, the Director of DICATECh, CF (CP) Tommaso Capodiferro of the Coast Guard, the European senior monitor of the LIFE Programme, Yael Meroz, the President of AMIU, Antonella Lomoro, and the regional councillors Eugenio Di Sciascio (Economic Development and Employment) and Debora Ciliento (Environment and Climate) will speak. All time 16:45 a visit to the Port of Bari by the participants is scheduled.

Poliba. The scientific sessions to be held at the Polytechnic, in the Council Chamber of the Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Building and Chemical Engineering (DICATECh) on the morning of 12 and 13 February, will instead be reserved only for the researchers involved and the representatives of the project partners. These are the topics: technical update on ongoing activities, verification of the milestones achieved and preparation of the final results expected. Treatment, certification and marketing of shell powder. Characterisation, dredging and decontamination of sediments for their reuse. Mix-design engineering of sediments-shell powder-cementitious component. Industrialisation, sustainability and exploitation of the project results. Assessment of environmental and economic sustainability.

The GL4S Italy-Greece partners. Polytechnic University of Bari, Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Building and Chemical Engineering (DICATECH), CNR-IRSA of Taranto, CNR-IRET of Pisa, ISPRA offices in Rome and Livorno, Southern Adriatic Sea Port System Authority (AdSPMAM), Eastern Ligurian Sea Port System Authority (AdSPMLOr), Port Authority of Piraeus (PPA), Vitone eco, SIMEM SpA,

Other partners of the extended partnership: Coast Guard with the Maritime Directorate of Bari, Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, Municipality of Bari, Municipality of Taranto, ETH Zurich Polytechnic, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (India), Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (Brazil), Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain), Université Grenoble Alpes (France), Mapei, Heidelberg, Vibrotek, Prefabbricati Pugliesi, Geosintex, W3dshells, Terre Leggere, Sednet, Remtech expo, fish-farming companies and mussel-farming cooperatives.

Bari, 4 February 2026 - Following the previous editions: 2018 (Venice–Padua–Piazzola sul Brenta); 2022 (Rome–Tivoli), the Stati Generali will come to southern Italy in 2026, in Puglia and Basilicata, with the aim of reaffirming the importance and strategic value of Italy’s industrial history. This history cannot be attributed solely to the large manufacturing hubs of the North; rather, it is a complex and widespread process that also developed in the South through specific productive experiences, which have fostered a rich, layered heritage that has long been underestimated.

Over four days, from Bari (Polytechnic University of Bari, 5-7 February) to Matera (University of Basilicata, 6 February) and then to Lecce (Museo Archeo Industriale Di Terra D’Otranto, Maglie), scholars, researchers, professionals, public administrators, cultural operators, associations and local communities will discuss the themes of knowledge, protection, enhancement and regeneration of industrial heritage, both tangible and intangible. Factories, infrastructure, production architecture, archives and memories of work will be at the centre of an interdisciplinary reflection that intertwines scientific research, design, cultural policies and territorial development strategies. Particular attention will be devoted to the processes of redevelopment and reuse of disused or underused areas, public and private, considered as a strategic resource for the economic, social and cultural relaunch of territories, as well as to the definition of governance models capable of combining protection, innovation and community participation. In this framework, industrial heritage is confirmed as one of the privileged areas for experimentation with cultural policies oriented towards sustainability and a long-term vision.

The General States represent an important opportunity to build and strengthen networks among universities, research bodies and institutions, and associations, with the aim of enhancing the role of education and teaching practices as fundamental levers for the dissemination of a culture that is aware of industrial heritage and for the transfer of knowledge to the territories.

The congress is organised into ten thematic areas: 1) Machines, patents and historical production cycles of industrial heritage. 2) Cities and landscapes of industry and labour. 3) Territorial and urban infrastructure. 4) Design and construction for industry. 5) History, culture and memory of industry and labour: research, archives, museums and enhancement practices. 6) Digitalisation and AI of industrial heritage: knowledge, design, management and use. 7) Restoration and conservation of industrial heritage. 8) Reuse and urban and environmental regeneration practices. 9) Industrial tourism, cultural routes, user experiences. 10) Image, cinematography, digital media and communication of industry.

The inauguration of the third edition of the General States of Industrial Heritage will take place in Bari, at the Polytechnic University, tomorrow, Thursday, 5 February, at 9:00 a.m., in the “Attilio Alto” main lecture hall, with the plenary session.

The programme is as follows. Institutional greetings. Introduction by Fabio Fatiguso, Vice-Rector for quality, care and management of heritage, Polytechnic University of Bari; Umberto Fratino, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bari; Vito Leccese, Mayor of Bari and of the Metropolitan City of Bari; Carlo Contesi, President of the Order of Engineers of the province of Bari; Cosimo Damiano Mastronardi, President of the Order of Architects of the province of Bari; Leonardo Damiani, Director of the Department of Civil, Environmental, Land, Building and Chemical Engineering (DICATECh). This will be followed by speeches and presentations on the topics.

The third edition of the General States of Industrial Heritage is organised by AIPAI – Italian Association for Industrial Archaeological Heritage, the Polytechnic University of Bari, the University of Basilicata (UNIBAS) and the National Research Council (CNR – Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences), with the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and with the support of public administrations, cultural institutions, foundations and local organisations.