
ISSNAF confers the Young Investigator Awards every year to outstanding, early career Italian researchers who work in the United States or Canada in recognition of their significant and innovative contributions to their field of study.
Three finalists for each of the Award were selected from the applicant pool. They presented their work to the distinguished Award Juries at the Award Symposia.
The winners were announced at the ISSNAF Annual Event 2022 on November 7 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington DC.
Warmest congratulations to the 2022 winners and finalists on their achievement!
EMBASSY OF ITALY AWARD
FOR RESEARCH IN FOOD EQUITABILITY
Established in 2020, this year’s edition recognizes young Italian researchers in the USA providing fundamental contributions to agriculture, food quality and security with the broader goals of reducing poverty, fighting climate change and improving human health. Research in the specific fields of agricultural and industrial innovation, data science, sensing, economics, human health, environmental sciences and engineering are within the scope of the award.
Winner
Dr. Salvatore Calabrese, Texas A&M University
Finalists
Dr. Cristian Cassella, Northeastern University
Dr. Lorenzo Rosa, Carnegie Institution for Science
Award Chair
Prof. Gabriele Villarini, University of Iowa
Jury
Prof. Gabriele Villarini, University of Iowa
Prof. Paola Passalacqua, University of Texas Austin
Prof. Marta Tuninetti, Politecnico di Torino
FRANCO STRAZZABOSCO AWARD
FOR RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING WITH FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Established in 2013 by the Strazzabosco family in memory of Dott. Ing. Franco Strazzabosco, this award is a tribute to the entrepreneurial courage of Italian engineers who strive to apply scientific discoveries to the public advantage.
Winner
Dr. Bartolomeo Stellato, Princeton University
Finalists
Dr. Luigi Osmieri, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Dr. Francesca Parise, Cornell University
Award Chair
Prof. Alberto Salleo, Stanford University
Jury
Prof. Simone D’Amico, Stanford University
Dr. Emanuele Francesco Pecora, U.S. Dept of Energy
Prof. Alberto Salleo, Stanford University
INFN BRUNO TOUSCHEK AWARD
FOR RESEARCH IN ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS
Established in 2022 by Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, this award honors the memory of Prof. Bruno Touschek for his pioneering work in the fields of elementary particle physics and particle accelerators. It recognizes contributions in these fields as well as cosmology.
Winner
Dr. Claudio Emma, SLAC National Laboratory
Finalists
Dr. Fabio Ravera, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Dr. Marco Siciliano, Argonne National Laboratory
Award Chair
Prof. Claudio Pellegrini, SLAC National Laboratory
Jury
Prof. Giorgio Gratta, Stanford University
Prof. Pietro Musumeci, University of California Los Angeles
Prof. Tommaso Treu, University of California Los Angeles
MARIO GERLA AWARD
FOR RESEARCH IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
Established by the Gerla family in 2019 in memory of Dr. Mario Gerla, professor of Computer Science at UCLA and ISSNAF founding member.
Winner
Dr. Michele Polese, Northeastern University
Finalists
Dr. Marzia Cremona, Université Laval
Award Chair
Prof. Elisa Bertino, Purdue University
Jury
Prof. Elisa Bertino, Purdue University
Prof. Gesualdo Scutari, Purdue University
Prof. Anna Cinzia Squicciarini, Penn State
PAOLA CAMPESE AWARD
FOR RESEARCH IN HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES
Established by Stefania and Vito Campese in 2011 in memory of their young, talented and generous daughter Paola.
Winner
Giulia Biancon, Yale School of Medicine
Finalists
Dr. Annamaria Gullà, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School
Dr. Francesco Maura, University of Miami and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Award Chair
Prof. Riccardo Dalla-Favera, Columbia University
Jury
Prof. Riccardo Dalla-Favera, Columbia University
Prof. Federico Caligaris Cappio, AIRC
Prof. Simona Colla, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
RnB4CULTURE AWARD
FOR INNOVATION IN THE STUDY OF ITALIAN CULTURE
Established in 2021 by RnB4Culture, this award recognizes the vibrancy of research in Italian culture and its evolving nature expressed in a variety of ways such as innovative uses of technology, or originality of approach, or contribution to wider questions and trends in the Humanities at large.
Winner
Dr. Camilla Hawthorne, University of California, Santa Cruz
Award Chair
Prof. Claudio Fogu, University of California Santa Barbara
Jury
Prof. Claudio Fogu, University of California Santa Barbara
Prof. Graziella Parati, Dartmouth University
Prof. Pamela Ballinger, University of Michigan