From January 18 to April 12, 2025, the Department of Geosciences at the University of Padua presents GeoSguardi: for the Challenges of the 21st Century, a series of four seminars addressing the scientific and social challenges of our time through the lens of Earth Sciences. Open to a wide audience, the events will take place at the Centro Culturale San Gaetano (Spazio 35) in Padua, starting at 5:30 PM with free admission.

Four Events, Four Key Topics

• January 18, 2025 – Predicting Earthquakes
  Prof. Giulio Di Toro will open the series with a discussion on the possibilities and limits of earthquake prediction, exploring deterministic approaches, probabilistic models, early warning systems, and the future of research in this crucial field.

• February 22, 2025 – New Technologies and Hydrogeological Risk: What Impacts?
  Prof. Filippo Catani will delve into the role of drones, artificial intelligence, and other innovative technologies in understanding and mitigating risks associated with landslides and floods, increasingly frequent due to climate change.

• March 22, 2025 – The Venice Lagoon in a Sea of Problems
  Prof. Andrea D’Alpaos will guide the audience through the ecological and morphological challenges facing the Venice Lagoon, an emblematic case of the complex interplay between human activity and climate change.

• April 12, 2025 – "Building" a Sustainable Future: Where Are We?
  Prof. Luca Valentini will close the series with insights into construction materials, such as concrete, and their key role in sustainable global development, with a focus on resource management in the Anthropocene era.

The Role of Geosciences for a Sustainable Future

“GeoSguardi offers an opportunity to explore Geosciences and understand their crucial role in addressing global challenges, from natural hazards to the sustainable use of resources,” explains Prof. Nicola Surian, Director of the Department of Geosciences. “These seminars provide a platform for reflection, showing how research is evolving to tackle the great challenges of our time.”

The seminars are part of the Excellence Project “Geosciences for Sustainable Development” (2023-2027), funded by the Ministry of University and Research. The project aims to promote high-quality research and support the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda.

Details:

• Location: Centro Culturale San Gaetano (Spazio 35), Padua

• Time: 5:30 PM

• Admission: Free

• Language: All seminars will be held in Italian