PhD Day

Discovering the Earth, Shaping Tomorrow

The PhD students of the Department of Geosciences at the University of Padua are pleased to invite you to the seventh edition of the PhD Day, an event dedicated to all Earth Sciences PhD students in Italy.
The event will take place on September 15^th, 2025, at the Department of Geosciences, during the joint SGI-SIMP Congress "Geosciences and the Challenges of the 21^st Century".

In recent years, university enrolments in Geosciences have been steadily declining across the entire country. This discipline is often perceived as outdated, unsustainable, and lacking in relevance. In this context, young researchers and PhD students represent a new driving force for the field: thanks to their commitment, Geosciences can regain a central role in research, education, and public engagement.
With this in mind, science communication is the key tool to bring Geosciences closer to a broader audience and to highlight their dual role as both interpreters and mediators between the human and natural worlds. These objectives touch upon various sensitive aspects, ranging from technical
themes to deeply human questions — such as bridging generational gaps within academia, and presenting research findings in ways that are accessible to non-specialists.

PhD students will be invited to present the core of their research, whether it involves a methodological innovation or a new approach, and to explain how it contributes to the advancement of the current scientific landscape. In the afternoon, a roundtable discussion will be held on the topic of science
communication in Geosciences. The event will feature, as guest speakers, Professor Carlo Doglioni, Dr. Chiara Anzolini, and a representative of the LARES Association, with Professor Fabrizio Nestola as moderator. 

The PhD Day will be held on the ground floor of the Department of Geosciences, in Aula Arduino.

Kindly confirm your attendance at the event by filling the form https://forms.gle/EwT7Ri5J7zyV1CHx8.

Program

9:00–9:15 Participant registration
9:20–9:30 Opening greetings
9:35–11:15 First session of presentations (3-minute pitches)
11:20–11:35 Coffee break
11:40–13:20 Second session of presentations (3-minute pitches)
13:25–14:30 Lunch break
14:30–15:30 Roundtable discussion and closing remarks

Organizing Committee
Marta Baccarin, Alberto Cogliati, Laura Fracasetti, and Alessandro Marraffa

Info: phdday@geoscienze.org