An event in Milano-Bicocca to bring scientific research closer to the city, promote dialogue between the university and citizens, and illustrate urban redevelopment and sustainable innovation projects.
On March 20th, Piazza della Scienza was transformed into a meeting point between university research and city life thanks to the event “Mettiamoci in Piazza”. Promoted by MUSA and the National Biodiversity Future Center, the initiative took place as part of the second edition of “Università Svelate” (Unveiled Universities), the International University Day, with the aim of bringing the public closer to scientific research.
The University of Milano-Bicocca opened its doors to the community, sharing its commitment to the territory through a guided walk and an exhibition dedicated to student housing. Particular attention was paid to the urban redevelopment of the square, illustrating the processes that transformed this space into a more sustainable and inclusive environment.
Among the institutional guests, Elena Grandi, Councilor for Green Areas of the Municipality of Milan, and Giovanna Iannantuoni, Rector of Bicocca University and President of MUSA, took part in the event. Their presence underlined the importance of dialogue between academia and public administration to address urban challenges with a scientific and innovative approach.
The Energy Group found the event to be a valuable opportunity for discussion with citizens and institutions. “We appreciated the public’s interest in our photovoltaic research and had the opportunity to dialogue with a political representative of the Municipality of Milan, a sign of growing attention to scientific innovation,” stated Simona Binetti and Giorgio Tseberlidis.
The Geothermal Group emphasized the importance of directly involving local authorities: “The event garnered interest from local administrations (Municipality and Metropolitan City), demonstrating how effective MUSA is in transferring scientific expertise to administrative bodies,” explained Alberto Previati.
The Microbiome Group aroused great curiosity, offering the public a glimpse into the extraordinary variety of microorganisms that inhabit our environment. “These occasions are valuable for raising awareness of their positive role in our daily lives and helping to make them part of the collective imagination,” said Sara Fumagalli and Alice Armanni.
The Podcast Group presented “Sustainability and the City,” a scientific dissemination project in audio format. “It was interesting to discuss it with young students, researchers, and citizens. Moments like this are fundamental to bringing citizens closer to the results of scientific research,” said Maddalena Sottocorno, Veronica Berni, and Marco Salvadore.
“Mettiamoci in Piazza” represented an important opportunity to build a direct dialogue between science and society. The enthusiasm of the researchers and the active participation of the public demonstrate how fundamental it is to make research results accessible, fostering widespread awareness of the challenges and opportunities related to innovation.
