ITALIAN SCIENTISTS & SCHOLARS IN NORTH AMERICA FOUNDATION
Connecting, Empowering, Celebrating the Italian Intellectual Diaspora
About Minnesota
We are the ISSNAF network in the state of Minnesota, dedicated to supporting Italian researchers and scholars in our region.
Our mission is to foster collaboration, facilitate connections with Italian research institutions, and create a strong network of researchers, students, and academic professionals.
We assist Italian researchers who are new to the area by helping them navigate the challenges and opportunities they may encounter. For those who have already established themselves in Minnesota, we offer a support network, and for those considering a return to Italy, we provide guidance and resources.
Founded in 2024, the Minnesota Chapter brings together approximately 80 researchers and scholars from local universities, hospitals, and research centers. We also work to establish relationships with local organizations with Italian ties.
Executive Committee
Chair
SILVIA BALBO
Silvia received her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Torino and then joined the International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) in Lyon, France for her post-doctoral work. She then moved to the University of Minnesota where she is now a professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health and member of the Masonic Cancer Center where she co-leads the Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention program.
Outreach
SANDRA BORSINI GENGLER
Sandra moved to the U.S. from Ancona to attend Indiana University, where she earned a BS and an MBA from the Kelley School of Business. Throughout her career, she held senior leadership roles in brand management, new product development, and global marketing communications with several Fortune 500 companies. In 2018, she was elected President of the Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis/St. Paul and in recognition of her contributions to promoting Italian language and culture, she was awarded the title of Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia in 2020.
MATTIA FAZZINI
Mattia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019. His research interests lie primarily in the area of software engineering, with emphasis on techniques for improving software quality. The central theme of his research is the development of approaches for testing and maintenance of software.
Co-chair
MARIA RAZZOLI
Maria is a Research Project Specialist for the Bartolomucci Lab and Behavior and Metabolism Specialist for the Physiology Core, Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, of the University of Minnesota. She graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Parma and received her PhD degree from the University of Florence. Maria earned a post-doctoral fellowship at the Medical School of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and worked as research scientist at GlaxoSmithKline, Verona.
MARTINA CARDONE
Martina is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the University of Minnesota. Martina received her Ph.D. in Electronics and Communications in 2015 from Télécom ParisTech. From July 2015 to August 2017, she was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UCLA Henry Samueli School.
SILVIA MANGIA
Silvia is a Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Minnesota. She received a master degree in Physics, a Ph.D. in Biophysics, and the title of "Specialist in Medical Physics" at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". Since 2004 she has been working at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota.