On the occasion of Italian Research Day in the World (Giornata della Ricerca Italiana nel Mondo, or GRIM for short), the Embassy of Italy in Washington, together with the Italian consular network in the United States, has promoted a series of initiatives to highlight the contribution of Italian research at the global level, in line with the scientific diplomacy efforts carried out in recent years.
“This year, the Embassy and our network in the United States have spearheaded a series of activities and events aimed at strengthening ties between the Italian and American research communities, showcasing Italian scientific excellence in the U.S. In particular, we sought to promote the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) research centers, with a special focus on priority areas such as life sciences, quantum computing, agritech, and artificial intelligence,” stated the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Mariangela Zappia.
In collaboration with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health), the Embassy organized two thematic workshops as part of the Science Diplomacy Summit hosted in Washington by the prestigious Johns Hopkins Science Diplomacy Hub at Johns Hopkins University. The Director General of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Andrea Piccioli, opened the plenary session of the Science Diplomacy Summit by highlighting the link between scientific progress and international cooperation:
“The United States and Italy have long been leaders in science and innovation. But past successes do not guarantee future ones. Today, we must renew our commitment to scientific diplomacy and strengthen the mechanisms that make it effective.”
The first workshop, titled “Partnership for Research on Ocean and Health”, addressed environmental and health challenges in polar regions and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems and human health. The panel “Chronic Diseases in a Globalized World: The Role of International Cooperation” opened the session dedicated to health diplomacy and provided an opportunity for dialogue between Italian and American experts on the role of scientific cooperation in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. At both events, researchers from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità presented their studies and scientific work to American and international audiences.
Numerous events – organized by the Italian Consulates and Italian Cultural Institutes in collaboration with the Italian Scientists & Scholars in North America Foundation (ISSNAF), AIRIcerca, Miami Scientific Italian Community, Texas Scientific Italian Community, and the entire network of Italian scientists in the United States—have already taken place and many more are scheduled in the coming days.
In Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco, Sistema Italia (Italy’s institutional network) is carrying out initiatives that reflect the dynamism and high quality of the Italian scientific presence in the United States.
