The second General Assembly of the Central Scientific Unit for Information and Communication Technology (USC-C) of INAF recently concluded in Trieste. Hosted in the evocative setting of the Venetian pier at the Savoia Excelsior Palace, the event marked a turning point in consolidating the digital ecosystem supporting Italian astrophysical research.
The Numbers of Success
With the participation of nearly 300 experts from all structures of the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the Assembly recorded a "sold-out" for in-person attendance, testifying to the growing importance of information technology in modern science.
A Cutting-Edge Scientific and Technological Program
The program covered the entire life cycle of astronomical data, addressing crucial themes for INAF’s international competitiveness over the coming decades:
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High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Quantum Computing: New frontiers for scientific calculation.
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Artificial Intelligence: At the center of a dedicated plenary session led by INAF General Director Gaetano Telesio, who illustrated the transformative impact of AI on daily research activities.
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Big Data Storage: A special focus was dedicated to the closing event of the "Market Survey" (Indagine di Mercato) for big data storage infrastructures, essential for managing the massive amounts of data produced by future observatories.
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Software and Architectures: Sessions on archives, visualization, facility controls, and networks.
Beyond Science: Administration and Digitalization
The Assembly confirmed its transversal nature by hosting parallel sessions dedicated to administrative staff. The debate focused on the digitalization of Public Administration, budgeting, and the challenges related to the adoption of new management systems, emphasizing that technological innovation must go hand in hand with organizational efficiency.
Collaboration and Training
Thanks to the proximity to the INAF - Trieste Astronomical Observatory (OATs), participants were able to take advantage of dedicated spaces for specific training and "splinter" sessions, encouraging "team-up" actions across different areas of expertise. The long-term objective remains clear: facilitating the sharing of skills (from hardware to networking) to grow a robust and integrated IT ecosystem.
Acknowledgments
The success of an event of this magnitude was made possible thanks to the synergy between various entities:
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Special thanks go to INAF - OATs for their fundamental technical and logistical support.
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To the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the impeccable coordination of the numerous parallel sessions.
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Particular praise goes to Cristina Knapic, whose commitment and dedication were key to the organizational and scientific success of the entire week.
The Trieste meeting concludes with the awareness that the sharing of ICT skills is the indispensable engine for keeping Italian astrophysics at the top of the global stage.
