Stories of science and migration

Knowing and knowing each other to break down barriers and overcome fears

DSCB contact person: Daniele Mancardi

General project contact person: Claudio Mattutino, Department of Computer Science

Project team:

Raffaella Bonino (Associate Professor, Department of Physics);
Tanja Cerruti (Associate Prof., Department of Philosophy and Educational Sciences);
Daniele Mancardi (Associate Prof., Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences);
Giulia Marroccoli (Associate Professor, Department of Cultures, Politics and Society);
Anna Capietto (Full professor, Department of Mathematics).
Maria Margherita Obertino (Associate Professor, DISAFA).
Soda Marem Lo (Ph.D. student, Department of Computer Science);
Raniere Menezes (Research fellow, Department of Physics).
Jatziri Mota Gutierrez (Research fellow, Department of Veterinary Sciences)
Jordi Manuello (Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology);
Marwa El Soury (Research fellow, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences).
Oleksii Skorokhod (Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology);
Magdalena Kubas (Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy and Educational Sciences);
Paula Serrao (Ph.D. student, Department of Philosophy and Educational Sciences).

Target
The Migrant Science portal was created with the aim of giving voice to migrant stories and to create a virtual space for sharing and aggregation. The new edition of the project will expand the portal to welcome into the community of “migrant scientists” also Italian researchers who have migrated to other countries and refugees.

Migrants are also actors and recipients of the Scientific Aperitifs in which the virtual sharing space is transformed into real occasions of encounter - between research and the public (Citizens) - and inclusion. The project's migrant recipients and protagonists help to spread some underlying values: that of scientific knowledge and the inclusive power of science. The project, which helps to enhance the role of the university in society, will look to schools in the 2024-25 biennium, with the aim of raising awareness among students and teachers about the issues of respect for the other and appreciation of different identities. Among the expected benefits is also to spread in civil society, including from the School, a greater awareness of the importance of integration by using the universal language of science and the value of scientific thinking to convey the message. Finally, through relations with local authorities and associations, the project aims to enhance the role of the university in society and promote interculturalism as a resource of social progress

Description
The project will involve some of the protagonists of the previous edition as co-proponents and firsthand immigrants, making them protagonists of the proposed activities, which are:

1. Expansion of the platform hosting “Migrant Science Stories.”
The portal will host insights proposed by the editorial team, consisting of: two resources hired on the project (at least one non-EU citizen and at least one woman), the proponents and some of the protagonists. In this edition, the audience of protagonists will be expanded to include Italian researchers who have migrated abroad and refugees adopted by our community with the aim of developing collaborative and mentoring practices to foster the path of personal growth and social integration of migrant scientists.
2. Organization of scientific aperitifs in a space for sharing and social inclusion made available by the project partners (Neighborhood Houses Network), where protagonists and researchers from UniTo and partner universities UPO and UNIVDA meet to chat about science and its surroundings in an informal setting.
3. Production of a new series of episodes of the podcast Prof Fantastics and Where to Find Them, Migrant Science special, in collaboration with Frida UNITO.
4.Some protagonists, as well as testimonials, of Migrant Science Stories (first edition) have become co-proponents of the current project and, together with the new protagonists, will carry out public engagement activities aimed at schools, both primary and secondary; the aim is to promote scientific knowledge and reflection on the universal value of the right to quality education.
5. Organization of a Cineforum in collaboration with the Quazza Multimedia Laboratory, through which audiovisual content will be offered and debates on the project's themes will be organized.

Objectives
Migrant Science 2.0 builds on the very positive experience of Migrant Science to extend the action and enhance its strengths, particularly a new narrative of migration and the building of a community of migrant scientists willing to share their wealth of experience and high-level education to help improve social integration and progress. With the new project, it aims to:

open the virtual and real meeting spaces created with Migrant Science to refugees to make their stories known and create a context for sharing;
open up to other academic realities, such as UNIVDA and UPO, whose members are among the project proponents, and broaden the action over a wider territory;
give voice to Italian emigrant scientists to highlight the global aspect of migration;
expand the multidisciplinary and multiethnic community created by Migrant Science so as to implement collaborative and peer learning practices to support the communication skills of refugees and migrants and foster of better social inclusion;
continue to improve communication about migrants and refugees in real spaces and social media to overcome prejudices through positive narratives about migration and science;
promote dialogue with citizenship, education, and local institutions.

DSCB role: Event promotion, DSCB staff involvement.

For more information visit https://scienzamigrante.unito.it