(February 20, 2017) Pisa and Boston are closer and closer thanks to research. It ended, in fact, the evaluation of the projects submitted in response to the fifth call of the MIT-UNIPI Project, an initiative that since 2012 promotes collaboration between research groups of the University of Pisa and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Among the 9 submitted proposals were selected and funded 6 projects drawn from the areas of engineering, chemistry and economics, with a total funding of € 90,000. Since the start of the collaboration with Boston 38 projects were funded, for a total of about 263,000 euro, of which 90,000 allocated from San Miniato Savings Bank, which each year offers a contribution, thanks to an agreement signed in 2014. "The collaboration with MIT it is now an excellence for the University of Pisa and the number of projects funded to date confirms its success - said Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi, dean delegate for research in Europe and internationally - Boston offers our researchers the opportunity to work in an international environment of the highest level and MIT researchers the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research of our university. MIT-UNIPI Project - he added - is a concrete proof of the value of our researchers; we received praise from MIT and furthermore, some of the initiated collaboration, thanks to the initial contribution of the project, then continue independently and provides opportunity for essential mobility for our researchers. Armed with this experience, we intend to try and build relationships of this kind with other research centers of excellence at world level. " (Red)

ABOUT / FROM PISA TO BOSTON

Project activities, coordinated by a Principal Investigator (PI) from the University of Pisa and one from MIT, will be held until August 2018. The contribution of the University is funding the travel, accommodation and meals expenses of the Pisa research group who will travel to Boston. Similarly, the MIT finances the costs of travel, accommodation and meals of its research team that will travel to Pisa.