Fosca Giannotti to open the 2021/2022 academic year

Fosca Giannotti will give the opening lecture at the inauguration ceremony of the 2021/22 academic year of the University of Trento, on Friday 26 November, at Teatro Sociale (at 11 am, 19 via Paolo Oss Mazzurana, in Trento). In the past two years, the inauguration ceremony had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.
A pioneering scientist in data science, she is the holder of the first chair of Information Science and Technology at Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, profiled two years ago as one of 19 Inspiring women in AI, BigData, Data Science, Machine Learning by KDnuggets.com, an online platform that also aims to provide role models of women in science and research in STEM areas, usually dominated by men.
Fosca Giannotti, who has held many research positions in Italy and other countries, founded the first Italian research centre on data mining in 1994 (KDD LAB, Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Laboratory, a joint research initiative of CNR and the University of Pisa) and since 2015 has been the coordinator of SoBigData.eu, the European research infrastructure on Social Mining and Big Data Analytics, an ecosystem of ten cutting edge European research centres providing an open platform for interdisciplinary data science and data-driven innovation. One of the most promising research fields for her work is the development of robust, trustworthy AI capable of “understanding” humans, to facilitate AI systems that enhance human capabilities and empower individuals and society as a whole while respecting human autonomy and self-determination.
The ceremony will start with the entry of the academic procession while the University Choir and Orchestra of the University of Trento perform Gaudeamus Igitur. Rector Flavio Deflorian, the President of the Board of Directors Daniele Finocchiaro, the Director-General Alex Pellacani and the President of the Student Council Edoardo Giudici will give their addresses. At this point, Fosca Giannotti will give her lecture. Toward the end of the ceremony, the attendees will watch a video message from the Minister of University and Research Maria Cristina Messa and the academic procession will leave the theatre.
Proof of vaccination is required to attend.
A sign language interpreter will be present during the event.