ENGINEERING

The Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications (TIFPA), the INFN's new centre, in Northern Italy, dedicated to particle physics and the development of cutting-edge technologies in sensoristics, space research, supercomputing and biomedicine, was inaugurated at Trento University. The TIFPA stems from the collaboration between the Italian Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), the University of Trento, the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK) and the Trento Provincial Agency for Proton Therapy (ATreP).

The new centre will deal with research in fundamental physics as well as innovation and technology transfer, exploiting the existing infrastructures, skills and human resources of the project's partners in Trento and expanding specific areas of action. It will, for instance, be able to count on the infrastructures of the Centre for Materials and Microsystems and of the European Centre for Theoretical Physics of the Bruno Kessler Foundation, and use the new proton therapy machine that will become operational by the end of 2013.

Francesco Profumo, Italy's Minister for Education, Research and University, spoke at the end of the ceremony, immediately after the INFN, University of Trento, Kessler Foundation and Trento Provincial Agency for Proton Therapy had signed a specific declaration of intent. His presence at the event underlined the strategic importance of the initiative, both for the potential for scientific progress and in terms of building synergies among the various institutions. The declaration officially paves the way for further and closer institutional collaborations to be implemented at the new centre.

This is yet another example of how the Trento district has become an ideal laboratory for new scientific initiatives, also thanks to the experience gained in transferring technology to the business and service sectors.

"At such a difficult time for this country, the TIFPA stands out as a centre of scientific excellence and innovation", said Fernando Ferroni, President of the INFN. "The centre will harness the research capacities and international connections of the INFN to undertake cutting-edge research. It will also foster the transfer of knowledge to society and be capable of attracting European funding. It is hoped that the TIFPA will prompt further initiatives in Italy, so that other skilled players can create synergies and work as a system with Italy's leading scientific and industrial organisations".

"The TIFPA is an example of strength in numbers. By harnessing the INFN's expertise in fundamental research and its rich network of international contacts, and the exceptional technical and scientific skills of researchers in the Trentino district, which are the result of decades of investments in the sector, we will become more competitive at international level in terms of frontier research and applications of economic and social interest. This will allow us to attract the best researchers in the sector, from Italy and abroad", remarked Roberto Battiston, President of the INFN's Astroparticle Physics Committee, who moved to the University of Trento last November.