Join us in celebrating Italian Research Day in the World with an engaging program that brings together science, history, and culture through film and live presentations.
Monday, April 20, 2026
6:00 PM Opening Presentation
~~Consul Paolo Zanotto: The University of Padua and its scientific legacy.
~~Patrizia Schiavo:
Siracusa and its heritage.
~~Docum. Screening: Federico Faggin: The Man Who Saw the Future
In Italian with English subtitles
Where: DAS of Michigan Conference Center
30400 Telegraph Rd. – Ste 151
Bingham Farms, MI 48025
The University of Padua, one of the world’s oldest universities, was founded in 1222.
Paolo’s talk will highlight the university’s pivotal role in the Scientific Revolution and its connection to some of history’s greatest minds, including Galileo Galilei, Nicolaus Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, and William Harvey. He will also touch on major contributions to modern medicine, including the creation of one of the world’s first anatomical theatres, and the remarkable achievement of Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman in history to earn a university degree.
Following this introduction, actress Patrizia Schiavo will present the documentary “The Man Who Saw the Future”, dedicated to Federico Faggin, the Italian physicist whose groundbreaking inventions helped shape Silicon Valley.
Ms. Schiavo will also offer a brief introduction to the film and a special presentation on her hometown, Siracusa, a city of extraordinary historical and artistic significance, and the birthplace of Archimedes, one of the greatest pioneers of mathematics and science.
This program, organized by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit and the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan, offers a unique opportunity to explore the deep connections between Italian scientific excellence, cultural heritage, and global innovation, from the Renaissance to Silicon Valley.
Free and open to the Public, a reservation is required.
faggin
