Research Celebration 2026: An Event Dedicated to Excellence and the Impact of Research
Research as a driver of knowledge, innovation, and societal impact. This was the central theme of Research Celebration 2026, which on October 22 brought together researchers, faculty, alumni, and representatives from the professional world in the foyer of the Röntgen building to celebrate the achievements of Bocconi University’s scientific community.
The event provided an opportunity to recognize achievements in securing national and international funding, honor the most impactful publications, and highlight new research projects, with the highlight of the evening being the presentation of the 2026 Research Excellence Career Award to Guido Tabellini.
“The quality of research is certainly measured by publications and the ability to attract competitive funding, but also by the questions we are able to ask ourselves and the contribution we make to understanding major economic and social changes. Artificial intelligence, in particular, opens up truly fascinating research horizons for the social sciences,” emphasizes Elena Carletti, Dean for Research. “This celebration is above all a tribute to people, to their intellectual curiosity, and to their ability to build an open and ambitious scientific community.”
A tribute to Guido Tabellini’s career
The Research Excellence Career Award, presented by Elena Carletti, was the highlight of the evening. The award to Guido Tabellini honors a scientific career of great international influence, characterized by fundamental contributions to political economy and the study of institutions.
“Receiving this award from Bocconi holds special significance for me, because it is a university where I have spent a crucial part of my professional life,” notes Guido Tabellini. “Looking back, what gives me the greatest satisfaction is not only the results of my research, but the ideas developed together with my colleagues, the exchange with scholars from different generations, and the contribution I’ve been able to make to the training of young researchers. A lifetime achievement award is also an opportunity to recognize how much scientific work owes to the intellectual environment in which it takes place.”
Artificial intelligence and the new frontiers of the social sciences
The evening devoted significant time to the future of research, featuring the panel “AI and the Expanding Frontier of Social Sciences,” moderated by Elena Carletti. Participants in the discussion included Massimo Anelli, director of Bocconi’s new AISS laboratory; Vittorio Colao of General Atlantic; Silvia Merler of Algebris; Laura Sanità, professor of Computer Science at Bocconi; and Elena Tomaselli of Nexi.
The discussion focused on the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence to expand the analytical capabilities of the social sciences, along with the methodological challenges and responsibilities that come with the use of these tools.
From competitive funding to scientific impact
Another key segment was dedicated to researchers who have secured competitive grants. Among the most significant achievements are the prestigious European Research Council grants awarded to Grace Ballor, Matthias Rodemeier, and Arnstein Aassve; funding from the Italian Science Fund; and numerous projects supported by the European Horizon programs and the Cariplo Foundation.
Five researchers were also honored with the 2026 Impact Award for the contributions of their scientific publications: Marta Prato, Carlo Schwarz, Rosanna Tarricone, Filippo De Marco, and Germain Gauthier. The awards were presented by alumnae Veronica Diquattro, President of B2C at Omio, and Cecilia Gozzoli, a public notary in the United Kingdom.
The event also featured the six projects selected as part of the TEF Call for Ideas for Postdoctoral Research at Bocconi, presented by Alberto Grando: new lines of research ranging from artificial intelligence to robotics, fr nd neuroscience to decision-making models.
