News Story

Systems Researchers Partner with Trento, Italy

ISR and the University of Maryland’s longstanding and successful relationship with researchers from the Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy, has led to a formal cementing of the partnership.

A recent series of overseas exchange visits has fostered the development of two key agreements. In May 2010 a delegation from Trento visited ISR for presentations and extensive discussions with 12 different University of Maryland faculty members. This May, ISR and other University of Maryland researchers and staff paid a reciprocal visit to Trento for a technical workshop and extensive laboratory tours.

ISR is leading the effort on the U.S. side on behalf of the University of Maryland and the University System of Maryland. The Autonomous Province of Trento initiated efforts overseas. The leading research and education collaborators in Trento are the University of Trento, the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, and Fondazione Bruno Kessler.

The recent Maryland delegation included ISR Director Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), Associate Professor Pamela Abshire (ECE/ISR), Professor Peter Kofinas (BioE), and ISR Director of External Relations Jeff Coriale. This team met with Alberto Lui of the Autonomous Province of Trento International Relations Department; Mariano Anderle, the Autonomous Province of Trento director of international relations; and Carla Locatelli, the vice rector for international studies and research at the University of Trento.

The research and education role of the University of Trento is particularly significant, and a memorandum of understanding between the University of Maryland and the University of Trento is being signed. A second memorandum of understanding between the State of Maryland and the Autonomous Province of Trento is in the works. The partnership is beginning with research, and an education component will be added in the near future.

Specific, strategic research topic areas are being defined to build significant collaborations. Three topic areas have been identified to begin and/or continue collaborations, and more will be added as the partnership develops:

• Bioengineering; biomedical devices; and bio-microsystems
Led by Fischell Department of Bioengineering Chair William Bentley (BioE) and Professor Peter Kofinas (BioE) from Maryland, and Professor Alessandro Quattrone, University of Trento

• Renewable energy and storage; nanomaterials
Led by Professors Gary Rubloff (MSE/ISR) and Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) from Maryland, and Salvatore Iannotta, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche

• Microsystems
Led by ISR-affiliated Professor Elisabeth Smela (ME) and Associate Professor Pamela Abshire from Maryland, and Pierluigi Bellutti, Fondazione Bruno Kessler

The partners are committed to future four- to six-month bi-directional student exchanges, two- to three-month researcher and professor exchanges, and seed-funded collaborations with matching funds from both the Autonomous Province of Trento/European Union and Maryland/United States.

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May 26, 2011