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Research Research Celebration

Research Celebration – Homecoming 2025: Bocconi Celebrates Far-Reaching Research

, by Andrea Costa
From data science to the ethics of artificial intelligence, from markets to society: an event dedicated to those who turn knowledge into action

Organized for the first time as part of Homecoming 2025, the Research Celebration brought together faculty, alumni, and international partners for an event that was at once a celebration, a dialogue, and a vision.

Introduced by Rector Francesco Billari and by theDean for Research Elena Carletti, the event showed how Bocconi research is building a bridge between knowledge and the transformation of society.

“Bocconi is, first and foremost, a research university,” emphasized Elena Carletti. “But our ambition goes beyond academic prestige: we want to produce knowledge that helps interpret the great issues of our time—from artificial intelligence to sustainability, from inequality to public governance—and that is capable of generating real impact.”

Excellence that inspires

The first award of the day, the Research Excellence Career Award 2025, meant to honor those who have already accomplished a career of outstanding scientific value, went this year not to one person but to two, Arnaldo Camuffo and Alfonso Gambardella of the Department of Management, also in consideration of the value they have been able to build by collaborating with each other. For over a decade, this academic duo has been working to bring the scientific method to the heart of managerial decisions, showing how an experimental approach can improve the quality of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Awarded for their joint work and for their pioneering introduction of artificial intelligence tools in social research, Camuffo and Gambardella represent the “curious and collaborative” vision that Bocconi intends to continue to cultivate.

From theory to practice: a dialogue with the business world

Immediately afterwards, a panel explored the theme "Making managerial decisions with complementary AI agents." On stage, alongside Camuffo and Gambardella, were some prominent figures from the Bocconi Alumni community: Barbara Cominelli (ULI Italy), Veronica Diquattro (Omio), Cecilia Gozzoli (Public Notary UK), and Alessandro Valenti (Givenchy).

The debate touched on the challenges of introducing causal thinking into corporate decision-making processes, the relationship between human and artificial intelligence, and the future of evidence-based leadership. The discussion highlighted Bocconi's role as a place where research meets managerial practice, creating a seamless dialogue between academia and business.

Impact Award 2025: research that leaves a mark

The following ceremony featured the Impact Award 2025, honoring research capable of generating significant influence outside academia. The jury, composed of six alumni with international experience—Alessandro Bogliolo, Alessandro Valenti, Monica Mandelli, Veronica Diquattro, Barbara Cominelli, and Cecilia Gozzoli—selected eight studies of particular relevance, highlighting their ability to combine analytical rigor and social impact.

The finalists: Guido Alfani, Tito Boeri, Catherine De Vries, Giulia Giupponi, Dovev Lavie, Marta Prato, Carlo Schwarz, and Hannes Wagner.

Among these, two special mentions:

  • Giulia Giupponi, for 'Subsidizing Labour Hoarding in Recessions: The Employment and Welfare Effects of Short-time Work' (2022, with Camille Landais)
  • Carlo Schwarz, for "Fanning the Flames of Hate: Social Media and Hate Crime"  (2020, with Karsten Müller)

“Both studies,” reads the jury's statement, “stand out for their visionary approach and their ability to translate academic analysis into useful tools for understanding and guiding contemporary social and economic transformations.”

Grant Winners Celebration: the future of Bocconi research

The event concluded with the Grant Winners Celebration, dedicated to researchers who have obtained significant competitive funding during the year, from Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships to Cariplo projects, to ERC Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants.

Among the winners were Sina Smid, Jérôme Garnier-Brun, Valerio Cini, Pedro Branco, Lucia Corno, Stefano Fiorin, Elia Bruè, Giulia Giupponi, Michele Fioretti, Edoardo Teso, Thomas Le Barbanchon, Elena Carletti, and Giuseppe Savaré.

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