Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

CIGS Unimore: fifty years at the service of research. On 20 November a conference to celebrate a half-century history

The CIGS - Centro Interdipartimentale Grandi Strumenti of theUniversity of Modena and Reggio Emilia celebrates its fiftieth anniversary with a conference to be held on 20 November in room L1.1 of the Department of Physical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences.  An event designed to retrace the contribution that the Centre has made to scientific research, training and collaboration with public and private bodies.

The Centre was established in 1974 with the aim of providing advanced technological support to academic and scientific research, a role it has consolidated over time thanks to state-of-the-art instrumentation and a highly qualified technical staff. Located on the University Campus of Modena, CIGS provides resources that include electron and scanning probe microscopes, organic and inorganic mass spectrometers, optical spectroscopes, nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray diffractometers.

These instruments, used in multiple scientific fields, offer analytical solutions for needs ranging from material characterisation to biological, chemical, medical and forensic research. CIGS staff support users in the use of the equipment, data processing, sample preparation and interpretation of results: this has ensured a very high level of service over the years.

Alongside supporting technical activities, the Centre promotes training programmes for students, PhD students and young researchers, through specific classes on the use of the tools and thematic workshops: these events contribute to the dissemination of specialised skills and stimulate comparison between different scientific disciplines.

The programme on 20 November

Next Wednesday, 20 November, the CIGS is organising a day full of talks and highlights to celebrate the half-century milestone. The day will begin at 9.30 a.m. with an introductory greeting by the Centre's Director, Dr. Massimo Tonelli. This will be followed by the contributions of Prof. Paolo Pavan, Unimore's Research Delegate, Prof. Valeria Marigo, Member of the Board of Directors of the Modena Foundation, and Eng. Giuseppe Molinari, President of the Modena Chamber of Commerce.

At 10.30 a.m., Prof. Manuela Raimondi from the Milan Polytechnic and the European Research Council will give a talk entitled ‘ The role of multidisciplinary laboratories in research projects ’. After a short break, the proceedings will resume at 11.30 a.m. with Dr. Pier Luigi Fabbri, former Director of the CIGS, who will review the 50-year history of the Centre. At 12 noon, Prof. Anna Francesca Pattaro and Dr. Maria Cecilia Rossi will report on the results of the survey conducted among the Centre's users, which provided useful hints for the future development of services.

The event will end at 12.30 p.m. with a contribution by the Magnificent Rector of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Prof. Carlo Adolfo Porro, who will bring the university's institutional greetings and outline some guidelines for the coming years.

Workshops and training: a vision for science

In addition to the speeches on 20 November, the programme of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the CIGS included a series of workshops dedicated to the most advanced analytical techniques. From 4 to 8 November, training sessions on topics such as mass spectrometry, optical and scanning microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance were held at the ‘Enzo Ferrari’ Engineering Department.

These workshops were an important scientific update for students, researchers and experts, and were particularly useful for acquiring practical and theoretical skills in the use of the tools.

The user survey and the future of the centre

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, the CIGS launched a survey aimed at the centre's internal and external users. The questionnaire, which was open for completion until last March, was used to gather opinions and suggestions on the services provided and the management of the equipment. The aim is to improve the user experience and identify new solutions to meet the needs of an ever-changing research environment.

The answers collected will provide valuable indications for planning future interventions, with a focus on updating technologies and expanding collaborations with research organisations and companies.

Collaborations and third mission

Over the course of its fifty years, the CIGS has consolidated a collaborative relationship with many public and private bodies and has become a strategic node for technology transfer. Companies in the area rely on the Centre as a fundamental support for advanced analyses and applied research projects, and thus benefit from technical and scientific expertise of the highest level.

The Third Mission, therefore, represents a pillar of the CIGS activity, which acts as a meeting point between the university and the industrial world. Through conventions and specific agreements, the Centre encourages innovation and helps to strengthen the link between academic research and economic development.

‘The CIGS ,’ emphasises Unimore's Magnificent Rector, Prof. Carlo Adolfo Porro,’ is a fundamental resource for Unimore, a centre that has been supporting research and education with rigour and competence for fifty years. This anniversary is an opportunity to valorise a path built with commitment and professionalism, in which advanced instruments and a highly qualified staff have contributed to the growth of our academic community and the territory. Our University intends to continue in this direction, continuing to offer high-level technical and scientific support, in line with the needs of an increasingly complex and interconnected society."

Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng