| ACTIVITIES REPORT | | The Annual Report of USI’s 17th
Academic Year is online The
document – which always refers to the preceding academic year – describes the activities of our University in a detailed manner. In addition to the news, significant facts and key figures that characterised the academic 2012/2013, the report describes the core education and research activities, the most relevant decisions made by the University Council, nominations and promotions. The document is primarily intended for the Great Council of State and Republic of Canton Ticino as activity report, but is also available online to all interested parties (in Italian). >>> | | DIES ACADEMICUS | | Towards a new “Città Ticino”: USI celebrates its 18th birthday The ceremony has been the perfect chance to reflect on USI and the future of higher education. USI’s President Piero Martinoli and the President of the Cantonal Council Manuele Bertoli opened the ceremony with a welcome specch, followed by the interventions of the Rector of ETH Zurich Lino Guzzella, of prof. of the Faculty of Economics Patrick Gagliardini and of PhD. Elena Marchiori from the Faculty of Communication Sciences. An honorary doctorate has been conferred to Jimmy Wales, best known for being the co-founder of Wikipedia, and the CS Award for Best
Teaching has been awarded to prof. Alberto Plazzi of the Faculty of Economics. >>> | | INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN BIOMEDICINE (IRB) | | Symposium in honour of Giorgio Noseda, Founding Member and first President of the IRB The first IRB Alumni Symposium will be held on 26-27 May at the Teatro Sociale of
Bellinzona. On the eve of the15th year of its activities, researchers, students and staff who have contributed through
their effort to make the IRB a biomedical research institute known all over the world, will get together for the first time in Bellinzona. Priority issues such as the future of education and research in today’s society and in particular in our Canton will be tackled with the help of personalities from the political, academic and entrepreneurial sectors. >>> | | LUGANO CAMPUS | | Inauguration of
the Statue donated to USI by the Zonta Club Lugano On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its foundation, the Zonta Club Lugano donated to the Università della Svizzera italiana the work Slancio vitale: la linfa libera del sapere, la conoscenza insieme by Ticino’s own sculpture Ivo Soldini. The official inauguration was held last Saturday after the Dies academicus in the presence of USI’s President, of the President of the Zonta Club Lugano, of the President and vice President of the Zonta Club Lugano Foundation and of the sculptur Ivo Soldini. The statue is located in the park at the Campus northern entrance, in front of the Canteen. >>> | | PLATFORM FOR ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING
(PASC) | | Conference PASC 2014: virtual simulations for health and security High-performance computing may seem a far cry from our everyday lives. But appearances can be deceptive. Storm warnings take their cue from weather simulations made with these computers and computer models help increase flight safety or improve cancer treatments. A special conference at
ETH Zurich (2 and 3 June) now offers the general public a glimpse into the research conducted on supercomputers. PASC is a joint initiative of Swiss Universities coordinated by USI, in cooperation with the CSCS. >>> | | INSTITUTE OF ITALIAN STUDIES (ISI) | | 'Milk': the lecture series on the “matter of living” continues Professor Carlo Ossola will lead the next
encounter of the series Qui e Ora (Here and Now), which comprises 10 lectures to be held from March to October. His lecture entitled Milk, will be held today in Bellinzona and again on Thursday, 22 May at 4pm in room A11 (Lugano Campus). During the
course of the series, ISI’s professors and researchers delve into the symbolic value of five common elements important for our diet such as honey, water, milk, salt and bread. >>> | | STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS | | USI Voices Spring Concert The spring semester closing concert will be the opportunity for the association USI Coro to present itself with a fresher look and a
more modern and less traditional repertoire. To best represent the new style, the name of the association will also change into 'USI Voices'. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, 21 May in room 354 (Main Building, Lugano Campus). At 8pm a welcome drink will be offered and the concert will begin at 8.30pm. >>> | | | Monday, 19 May, 10.30am | | Room A32, Lugano Campus | Tuesday, 20 May, 11.45am | | Room 250, Lugano Campus | Wednesday, 21 May, 1.00pm | | Aula Magna, Lugano Campus | Wednesday, 21 May, 2.30pm | | Room A13, Lugano Campus | Wednesday, 21 May, 8.00pm | | Room 354, Lugano Campus | Thursday, 22 May, 2.30pm | | Aula Magna, Lugano
Campus | Thursday, 22 May, 4.00pm | | Room A11, Lugano Campus | Thursday, 22 May, 5.00pm | | Auditorium, Lugano Campus | |