the next October 14, during the Mad for Science Challenge 2020, eight high schools will compete to realize their dream of having a new, fully-equipped laboratory where they can experience science first hand and biological phenomena through a hands-on approach just like scientists in research laboratories. Eight finalists, eight “mad-for-science” schools, eight projects developed with determination, courage and resilience in such an uncertain period as we are now experiencing due to the Covid-19 health emergency. 

The eight finalist teams, which have been chosen among 1600 Italian scientific high schools, come from all over Italy- from Trentino to Sicily. They have been asked to develop a series of laboratory projects consistent with 3 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda - the underlying theme of this last edition sponsored by DiaSorin. Specifically: SDG2 – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; SDG3 – Endure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages; SDG6 – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

For the first time the Mad for Science Challenge will live stream the event on its Facebook channel. The Jury will meet in the prestigious Hall of the Vivaldi Auditorium in Turin while schools will attend the event remotely. Each finalist team will illustrate its project explaining how it can contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Assessing the best project will be a difficult task for the Jury, which is chaired by Francesca Pasinelli, General Manager of Telethon Foundation and Chairwoman of the newly established DiaSorin Foundation and which involves also Mario Calabresi, journalist and writer; Barbara Gallavotti, biologist, writer and scientific journalist; Ferruccio Resta, engineer and Italian academician, Dean of Milan’s Politecnico University; Andrea Salonia, tenured professor of Urology  at the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan and Gianmario Verona, economist and Italian academician, Dean of Bocconi University.

Watch the “madforscience by DiaSorin” Facebook channel to follow the projects, comment on them and discover the Challenge 2020 winner!