Universit� degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Three Unimore Professors awarded Emeritus status

Unimore awarded the title of ‘Professor Emeritus’ to three new lecturers. This prestigious recognition, established by a Royal Decree of 1933, is awarded to professors who, after leaving the service, have pursued an academic career as full professor for over twenty years and have excelled in their respective disciplines.

During a solemn ceremony held in the Aula Magna of the Rector's Palace, Professors Paola Borella, formerly full professor at the Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Daniela Fontana, formerly full professor at the Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, and Stefano Ossicini, formerly full professor at the Department of Sciences and Method for Engineering, received the title of ‘Emeritus’.

"The University - remarks the Magnificent Rector of Unimore, Prof. Carlo Adolfo Porro - awards the title of Professor Emeritus as a sign of gratitude to those who have dedicated their work to the growth and reputation of Unimore, both nationally and internationally. With this title, which represents the highest academic tribute, the University intends to pay tribute to those colleagues who, true masters in their fields, have been able to create and transmit a solid legacy of knowledge and research’.

During the ceremony, the Rector handed over the appointment decrees, assigned by the MIUR upon proposal of the respective Departments. Each award was introduced by the reading of the motivations in support of the nomination, pronounced by the designated professors: Prof. Marco Vinceti for Paola Borella, Prof. Maurizio Mazzucchelli for Daniela Fontana and Prof. Elena Degoli for Stefano Ossicini.

Profile of new Emeriti

Paola Borella. A graduate in Medicine and Surgery, specialist in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, she joined Unimore in 1975 as a research fellow, then researcher, associate professor and Full Professor of Hygiene at the Faculty of Medicine. She has been president of several Italian and European scientific associations, and organised refresher courses, conferences and congresses, including the World Legionnaire's Disease in Rome in 2017. She worked at the Joint Research Centre of the European Community in Ispra, and was a member of the core group of evaluators of the European Commission for the assignment of projects in the field. National coordinator of 3 PRINs on the prevention of Legionella infections, he has collaborated with public and private companies in the innovation of water disinfection systems. Recently, he has conducted studies on the health of pregnant women in Africa and on nanotechnologies to prevent microbial contamination of surfaces. She is the author of 215 publications, including 123 in journals with Impact Factor in the field of Public Health, mainly on the topic of the relationship between environment and health.

Daniela Fontana. Full Professor of Stratigraphic Geology and Sedimentology, she has held various institutional positions including: Director Department of Earth Sciences, President Conference of Directors, Member Academic Senate, Member Commission for the drafting of the University Statute, Member Board of Directors. The research activity, with expertise in stratigraphy and composition of clastic and carbonate deposits and with international collaborations, concerns Processes and effects of expulsion of methane-rich fluids, Origin and evolution of sediments in the Po Valley, Seismo-induced sand liquefaction phenomena. Responsible for numerous research projects. Organiser and speaker at international congresses. Among the promoters of the bilateral Italy-Korea project on gas hydrates. Among the organisers of the International Earth Science Olympiad in Italy. He has carried out intense teaching activities for degree courses in Geological Sciences and Natural Sciences, for doctorates and for scientific dissemination. She is the author of a hundred articles in international and national scientific journals.

Stefano Ossicini. Graduated in Physics, assistant at the Physics Dept. of ‘La Sapienza’ (Rome), then researcher at the ‘Freie Universität Berlin’, then lecturer at the University of Calabria. Since 1984 at the University of Modena and since 2001 full professor in Experimental Physics at DISMI in Unimore. Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Engineering II, Director of the Doctorate School of Physics and Nanoscience, Director of the Interdepartmental Centre En&Tech, member of the Board of Directors. Expert in electronic structure, pioneer in the study of nanostructure properties. Author of more than 230 publications (more than 9600 citations, H-Index 45) and the books Light Emitting Silicon (2003), What is What in the Nanoworld (2008). Associate of the Nanoscience Institute, CNR, member of the National Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts, Modena. He deals with the relationship between science and society, books: L'universo è fatto di storie non solo di atomi (2012), Non ho nulla da rimproverarmi (2013), L'inganno di Mesmer (2019), Breve viaggio nel nanomondo (2020), Il cristallo e la balena (with C. Ossicini, 2021), L'Aureola della Gloria (2023), L'invenzione del concetto di ‘razza’ (2024).

Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng