20-03-2025

Politecnico di Milano

Machine learning (ML) has emerged as a critical tool in contemporary climate research. This workshop will explore prospects for ML tools to enhance the design and assessment of medium- and long-term scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions. We will cover some of the latest applications, from the use of ML in the development of integrated assessment models (IAMs) of climate change to the opportunities of ML to assist the construction and evaluation of large ensembles of emission scenarios. Due to the specific nature of ML tools, the workshop will also be an occasion to reflect on emerging issues of opacity and the potential challenges in the implementation of ML in influential exercises of climate policy evaluation, such as those of the IPCC.

Speakers:

Alaa Al Khourdajie (Imperial College London)

Jacopo Ghirri (Politecnico di Milano)

Sara Giarola (Università di Brescia / EIEE)

Moderator: 

Massimo Tavoni (Politecnico di Milano / EIEE)

Funded by Marie Sklodowska Curie Action. Project: VINCE.

27-28 May 2024

(co-organized with Hernán Bobadilla, Rawad El Skaf, Sara Giarola, Massimo Tavoni, Henrik Thorén, and Giovanni Valente)

Politecnico di Milano

The first day of the conference will be concerned with the theme of illegitimate value influences and the responsibility of scientists and institutions in ensuring relevance and integrity of climate change research. The second day will discuss whether and how considerations of justice should enter the evaluation of mitigation scenarios and how doing so could enhance the credibility and effectiveness of future research. Specific proposals will be discussed for operationalizing justice into quantitative emission scenarios produced by the scientific community.

Invited speakers:

Alaa al Khourdajie (Imperial College London)

Mathias Frisch (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

Franziska Hoffart (University of Gottingen)

Kian Mintz-Woo (University College Cork/ IAASA)

Andrea Saltelli (University of Bergen)

Elena Verdolini (Università degli Studi di Brescia/CMCC) 

Discussants:

Chiara Candelise (Bocconi/ Imperial College London)

Francesca Pongiglione (Università San Raffaele)

Marco Grasso (Milano Bicocca)

Amsalu Woldie-Yalew (CMCC)

Caroline Zimm (IAASA)

Funded by Marie Sklodowska Curie Action. Project: VINCE.

24-06-2022

(co-organized with D. Chiffi and G. Valente)

Politecnico di Milano

The use of scientific models is often accompanied by significant and deep uncertainties. The problem is especially acute when dealing with complex systems, where the variables are numerous and difficult to control. This workshop brings together philosophical and applied perspectives concerning the quantification of key uncertainties in scientific research.

Speakers:

Paola Berchialla (Statistics, University of Turin)

Giacomo Marangoni (Policy Analysis, TU Delft)

Ahti Pietarinen (Philosophy, Tallinn University of Technology)

Viola Schiaffonati (Philosophy, Politecnico di Milano)

Behnam Taebi (Philosophy, TU Delft)

Funded by PRIN Project: "From Models to Decisions" (G. Valente)

European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI 2025)

Graz, Austria

The current poly-crisis necessitates a rapid transformation of engineering education to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical awareness required to address contemporary challenges (Graziotin et al., 2014; UNESCO, 2014; World Economic Forum, 2021). In particular, sustainable development and the energy transition call for engineering professionals who are not only technically skilled but possess a deep understanding of the interdependent elements of health, local knowledge, and decent living standards when constructing technology, businesses, and urban environments (Dall’Amico & Verona, 2015; Nusrat, 2016). This EARLI roundtable (https://www.earli.org) explores and compares approaches to accelerating the required transformation of engineering curricula.

Co-organized with:

Francesca Concia (METID, Politecnico di Milano)

Alessandra Tomasini (METID, Politecnico di Milano)

Viola Schiaffonati (DEIB, Politecnico di Milano)

Domenico Brunetto (FDS Lab, Politecnico di Milano)

Giovanni Valente (DMAT, Politecnico di Milano)

Funded by Marie Sklodowska Curie Action. Project: VINCE.

• Pi-Game 2025: Life in Delta City. 14.03.2025

Over 1500 middle and high school students from all over Italy (and abroad!) took part in our activity on Pi-Day 2025. In this escape-room game (co-designed with C. Bassi, H. Dell'Anna, D. Brunetto), students solve logic and mathematical puzzles to help Delta City become sustainable. More info here.

• Pi-Game 2024: The Road to Zero. 14.03.2024

Over 2000 middle and high schools students from all over Italy took part in our activity on PiDay 2024. In this escape-room game (co-designed with C. Bassi, N. Cangiotti, D. Brunetto), students solve logic and mathematical puzzles to help a reseach lab calculate the carbon budget left to reach net zero by 2100. More info here. Also featured in the 2024 Researcher's Night in Milan. 

• Pi-Game 2023: Escape from Mathland. 14.03.2023

Over 1500 middle and high school students from all over Italy took part in our activity on PiDay 2023. In this escape-room game, students solve logic and mathematical puzzles to help a math professor escape a mathematical nightmare. More info here.

• Mr. Caesar and the Stolen Painting. 20.09.24 

A play for elementary and middle schools on the theme of mathematics and cryptography prepared for the 2024 Engineering Festival. 

• Mr. Caesar and the Mysterious Mystery. 10.09.23

A play for elementary and middle schools on the theme of mathematics and cryptography prepared for the 2023 Engineering Festival. 

• Brecht's Life of Galileo. 15.03.19

Hosted the post-show discussion of Life of Galileo at Playmakers Theater in Chapel Hill.