UNIVERSITY OF CAGLIARI
UNIVERSITY OF CAGLIARI: HOSTING EGOS 2023 COLLOQUIUM
The University of Cagliari (UniCa) is delighted to host the prestigious 39th edition of the EGOS Colloquium. From July 4th to 8th, 2023, our campuses of Economia, Ingegneria, and Magistero will serve as vibrant venues. Sustainability and Inclusivity lie at the heart of the EGOS Colloquium, reflecting our commitment to fostering a more sustainable and inclusive future. Hosting the EGOS 2023 Colloquium is a significant challenge and opportunity for both the University of Cagliari and the entire region.
The University of Cagliari is part of the Network of Sustainable Universities (RUS), the first coordination and sharing network among all Italian universities committed to environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
We strongly believe in the possibility of hosting a large-scale event that generates significant cultural, social, and economic benefits for the region, while prioritizing environmental sustainability.
UniCa's venues — which embody the principles of sustainability and inclusivity, and are seamlessly integrated into the vibrant fabric of the city of the Good Life — offer an ideal backdrop for such a momentous event.
Good Life for All goes beyond economic value and emphasizes the importance of using research and knowledge to create new models of scientific events that generate social, cultural, and environmental value.
UniCa & SUSTAINABILITY
The University of Cagliari has been carrying out a rich program of sustainable actions and activities for several years, thanks to its adherence to various international programs and protocols
Membership in RUS
UniCa is a member of the Network of Sustainable Universities (RUS)
100% Green Energy
We use energy sourced exclusively from 100% renewable sources
Waste Management
Our waste management follows the Green Metrics protocols
More Green Spaces
We're creating new green spaces throughout the university
Plastic Free
All our food and beverage dispensers are plastic-free
Sustainable mobility
We have a Home-Work travel plan for our staff
Sustainable menus
We follow sustainable food protocols in our dining areas
Social sustainability
We offer services for disabled students and for parenting
Green Metrics for the Sustainable University
Discover the impact of UniCa's sustainable actions in the Greenmetrics infographic
Find out more by consulting the document "Unique in the World Ranking on Sustainability of Universities"
Research Projects for EGOS 2023 Colloquium
Discover the sustainability-focused projects by UniCa researchers that will be promoted during the EGOS Colloquium
Aldo Muntoni - Smart Waste Bins
Aldo Muntoni is a distinguished professor at the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Cagliari..
Aldo Muntoni teaches Solid Waste Management and Environmental and Territorial Engineering. His work focuses on the management, treatment, and valorization of solid waste, remediation of solid matrices, and treatment of liquid waste.
Universities are committed to developing practices that enhance the sustainability of their educational, scientific, and managerial activities. A crucial part of this process is understanding the characteristics of waste production, which is essential for identifying interventions to improve its management and potentially reduce its production.
Achieving these goals requires appropriate metrics. The concept of establishing ecological islands within the University, featuring waste bins equipped with sensors to monitor waste levels, arises from this necessity. The use of such waste bins also has other benefits. In collaboration with the municipal sanitation service, it is indeed possible to implement on-call emptying based on the filling level of each bin, replacing collection rounds based on predetermined frequencies. This would reduce the impacts associated with the circulation of collection vehicles that empty only partially full bins, as well as the costs of the service itself.
The use of smart waste bins has other benefits as well. In collaboration with the municipal sanitation service, it is indeed possible to implement on-call emptying based on the filling level of each bin, replacing collection rounds based on predetermined frequencies. This would reduce the impacts associated with the circulation of collection vehicles that empty only partially full bins, as well as the costs of the service itself.
Rita Cannas - Safeguarding the Coral
Rita Cannas teaches Zoology and Techniques for studying and conserving marine biodiversity at the University of Cagliari. Her work focuses on the conservation and preservation of species. She studies how to protect marine animals.
She also investigates how fish resources can be used sustainably by humans without irreparably altering ecosystem balances.
Specifically, she analyzes the effect of human activities on the health of the seas and the resilience of species, such as red coral, subjected to the stress of anthropogenic activities.
The University of Cagliari, with the marine biology research group of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, created by Emeritus Professor Angelo Cau, has been investigating its depths for decades using many means, today also with the aid of cutting-edge technologies, such as ROVs (remotely operated underwater robots equipped with video cameras) that allow studying organisms in their environment, without taking, damaging, or sacrificing them.
One of the most recent and exciting discoveries was the finding of an extensive 'forest' of black corals of the species Leiopathes glaberrima (Esper, XNUMX), one of the longest-lived species in the world, described in XNUMX during an exploratory campaign in southern Sardinia.
Radiocarbon dating of the calcareous skeleton of a specimen of the same species, collected by fishermen with nets during fishing operations, allowed the age of a colony with a basal diameter of 4.5 cm to be dated; this was estimated to be nearly 2000 years old.
Given that the colonies filmed in the forest by the ROV have diameters equal to or greater than the one carbon-dated, we can describe the Sardinian black coral forest as an exceptional population of millennial individuals.
Sardinia, known as the "island of centenarians" for the longevity of its inhabitants, should more accurately be called the island of millennial corals.
More than a decade after its discovery, in a location kept 'hidden' for precautionary reasons, the University of Cagliari has planned a new exploration to check the status of the black coral population and gather new insights. The study is part of a broader research activity that includes the study of 'precious' corals, including the red coral of Sardinia.
The monitoring data will be crucial for dialogue with institutions and to help define the best possible protection measures, if necessary, including the establishment of a protected area.