From geomagnetism to ionospheric physics, via paleomagnetism, crustal geophysics and oceanography. The range of disciplines dealt with by INGV researchers and technicians belonging to the Roma2 Section of the Institute is truly wide.
A world-leading scientific section in its fields of expertise, but at the same time ready to offer support and knowledge to colleagues who are experts in 'sister' disciplines, such as seismology and volcanology.
We interviewed Fabio Speranza, Director of the Roma2 Section of INGV, to learn more about the most important aspects of the work he has been carrying out together with his team for the past few years and to learn more about themens behind the leader.
Fabio, how long have you been Director of the Roma2 Section of INGV?
I have been Director since 1 September 2019, therefore for almost three years. The term of office of the Section Director is three years, they are almost expiring.
Thinking of running for a second term?
This position involves difficult tasks and, above all, a Director never goes on vacation… But alongside these 'burdens' there are also many highly positive aspects of my job, so I think so, I will present my candidacy again.
What are the main activities of the Roma2 Section?
I like to tell the Roma2 Section of INGV how the "rest of the world" compared to core business of the Institute, or rather with respect to seismology and volcanology. In fact, we deal with complementary (but not secondary) geophysical disciplines with respect to the main ones of the Institute: geomagnetism, ionospheric physics, paleomagnetism, crustal geophysics and research in the marine oceanographic field, among others.
How many colleagues are in your section?
About a hundred: more than half are tenured researchers at levels I-III, but I would like to remind you how extremely important technological activities are for Roma2 as well.
What does it mean for you to hold the position of Director of a scientific section of INGV?
As I said, it is an honor and a burden. A honor because I represent many colleagues of extremely high scientific level: I lead a Section that is at the top of the Organization not only as regards scientific production, but also and above all in the infrastructural, technological and design fields. It is, on the other hand, a burden because the personnel and activity management needs are continuous and it never really disconnects, you are always ready with the phone in hand to give feedback to a colleague or to solve a problem should it arise.
How is the research that you and your colleagues carry out important for the development and growth of INGV?
It is important because as INGV we are one of the largest research institutes in the geophysical field in the world and therefore, as such, we cannot limit ourselves to the study of seismology and volcanology but it is our duty to also represent all the other geophysical disciplines that act as a corollary ' to these two. On the other hand, then, our applications in these fields can offer a fundamental contribution to solving problems inherent in seismology or volcanology.
And what "applications" do your studies have for the daily life of citizens?
They have several, some really crucial: just think that the activity of the geomagnetic field and the ionosphere are extremely important for communications. Indeed, in the event of strong geomagnetic or ionospheric activity, telecommunications - which as we know are an integral part of our daily life - can be seriously disturbed, with serious consequences, for example, on the correct functioning of satellites and cell phones worldwide. The bulletins that we issue as a Section in this field are therefore particularly important.
To give other examples, our work in crustal geophysics can also help in the identification of pollutants in the ground, or in the identification of seismogenic structures, i.e. potentially capable of generating earthquakes.
But more generally I would like to make a reflection in this sense: we often forget that we deal with basic research, and basic research represents the essential foundation for arriving at applied research which, in turn, has the greatest impact on the well-being of citizens. Without decades of basic research, for example, we would never have had the mRNA vaccines that are so talked about these days.
Even in cases where they seem less "immediate", the effects of our research on citizens' daily lives are (and will be in the future, with the developments in applied research) of fundamental importance for their well-being.
What was, in these years as Director, the most important professional episode that you would like to tell?
More than a single important professional episode, I'd like to tell about an aspect of my daily work that is important to me. Because my job requires me to manage a very large group of colleagues, which when I arrived at the head of the Section was crossed by strong tensions and probably also by a bit of 'rivalry' between colleagues who dealt with similar subjects. One goal that I feel I can ascribe to myself is that of having restored in recent years the tranquility necessary to work well in a climate of trust, while at the same time trying to stand firm in the face of requests that would have benefited those who were making them too much. I learned that to have the leadership of such a large scientific group you need, yes, scientific credibility (which is and must be the fundamental basis from which to start), but at the same time you also need character, firmness, decision and the awareness that for the general welfare it may be necessary from time to time to 'displease' someone. This is because, as I always say to my colleagues, we 'govern' by majority: it is impossible to do it unanimously.
…and the funniest anecdote?
There is one that I would describe as funny yet touching. About two or three years ago, at the beginning of my mandate as Director, I happened to receive a phone call from an old professor who worked with us and who had retired. He called me to get rid of a weight he had on his conscience: when he was still working and he was at the Plateau Rosa, a high-altitude resort near Cervinia, as a joke he had taken a shell he had picked up on the beach and placed it in the middle to some stones that were there next to a geophysical observatory. Years later, he had been seized by the fear of having 'generated' a serious scientific error and, on the basis of his great scientific and moral integrity, he had felt the need to free his conscience. Naturally I reassured him, because anyone who studies rocks knows well that fragments that do not come from compact rock are never analyzed, but the episode struck me a lot.
Are there any future projects regarding Roma2 that you would like to anticipate?
When it comes to technological infrastructure, Roma2 is always at the forefront of the INGV Sections: we have various PON infrastructure projects already launched in recent years and we are also in the field on the PNRR front recently launched by the Government. We have important technological achievements in the works within the fields of our competence (geomagnetism, atmospheric physics, crustal geophysics, …).
The hope is that these technological infrastructures will allow us to make a further leap in quality as regards the knowledge we pertain to, but also for the support of seismology (I am thinking, for example, of a topic that has been talked about so much lately, that of seismic precursors ).
In any case, my advice for those who have read this far is to also take a look at the INGVambiente Blog (), where it is possible to find different focuses and insights and stay up to date on our research and our projects.