The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America at Columbia University Annual Report 2005–2006 new york 2006 Contents Board of Guarantors 9 Senior Fellows 11 Staff 12 Director’s Report 13 Fellows’ Reports 23 Winners of the Premio New York 63 Description of Programs 69 fellowship program premio new york Activities of the Academy 73 fellows’ seminars film series concert series “italy at columbia” lecture series forum on art and the new biology of mind exhibitions the mission of the italian academy ounded in 1991 on the basis of an and society; presents distinguished exam- agreement between the Republic of ples of Italian culture and art; and pro- FItaly and Columbia University, the motes academic, cultural and scientific Academy sponsors advanced research in exchange at the highest level. all areas relating to Italian history, science about the academy t the core of the Italian Academy’s prestige and its location in New York, the work lies its Fellowship Program. Academy has also become a critical site AFellowships are open to senior for meetings between distinguished mem- scholars at the post-doctoral level and bers of the Italian and American business above who wish to devote a semester or a and political communities. Its theater, full academic year to genuinely innovative library, and other public spaces offer work in any field relating to culture, cul- important locations for a variety of con- tural memory, and the relations between certs, exhibitions and films reflecting the culture, the sciences, and the social sci- finest aspects of cultural relations ences. The most advanced part of the Fel- between the Republic of Italy and the lowship Program is the Academy’s ongo- artistic and academic communities of ing Project in Art and the Neurosciences, New York and the United States. in which scholars in both the humanities McKim, Mead and White’s 1927 Casa and the sciences work together in assess- Italiana, beautifully reconstructed in ing the significance of the latest develop- 1993, is the home of the Academy. It pro- ments in genetics and the neurosciences vides exceptional offices for the Acade- for the humanities—and vice-versa. my’s Fellows, as well as housing a library The Academy also serves as the chief and a magnificent theater in Neo-Renais- reference point in the United States for all sance style, in which major academic, links between the worlds of higher educa- theatrical and musical events regularly tion in Italy and the U.S. Thanks to its take place. report on the academic year 2005–2006 5 Annual Report 2005–2006 Board of Guarantors 2005–2006 appointed by appointed by the ministry columbia university of foreign affairs of the republic of italy Barbara Aronstein Black George Welwood Murray Professor of Law, Claudio Angelini Columbia University Director, Italian Cultural Institute, New York Daniele Bodini Livio Caputo Chairman, American Continental Properties, Presidente della Commissione Stranieri ed New York Immigrazione Comune di Milano Jonathan Cole Roberto de Mattei John Mitchell Mason Professor of the Vice Presidente del Consiglio Nazionale delle University and Provost and Dean of the Ricerche Faculties Emeritus, Columbia University Stefano Parisi Zvi Galil Amministratore Delegato, Fastweb S.p.A. Dean of the School of Engineering; Schapiro Professor, School of Engineering; Julian Giovanni A. Puglisi Clarence Levi Professor, Computer Science, Segretario Generale, Commissione Nazionale Columbia University Italiana UNESCO Jeffrey T. Schnapp Salvatore Rebecchini Professor of French and Italian; Director, Presidente, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A. Stanford Humanities Lab, Stanford University Fritz Stern chair University Professor, Columbia University Alan Brinkley Provost, Columbia University report on the academic year 2005–2006 9 10 italian academy for advanced studies in america Senior Fellows 2005–2006 Qais al-Awqati Carlo Ossola Robert F. Loeb Professor of Medicine and Ordinario di Letteratura Italiana Professor of Physiology and Cellular all’Università di Torino, Accademico dei Lincei Biophysics at Columbia University e Membro del Collège de France Bruno dalla Piccola Francesco Pellizzi Ordinario di Genetica presso l’Università Editor of Res and Research Associate in Middle “La Sapienza” di Roma e Direttore Scientifico American Ethnology al Peabody Museum at dell’Istituto C.S.S. Mendel di Roma Harvard University Victoria de Grazia Angelo Maria Petroni Professor of History at Columbia University Ordinario di Sociologia all’Università di Bologna e Direttore della Scuola Superiore Giorgio Einaudi della Pubblica Amministrazione Addetto Scientifico presso l’Ambasciata Italiana a Washington Paolo Simoncelli Ordinario di Storia Moderna all’Università Anthony Grafton “La Sapienza” di Roma Dodge Professor of History at Princeton University Rodolfo Zich già Rettore del Politecnico di Torino ed attuale Denis Hollier Presidente dell’Istituto Superiore “Mario Boella” Professor of French at New York University Eric Kandel Nobel Laureate and University Professor, Columbia University report on the academic year 2005–2006 11 Staff fall 2005 work study staff David Freedberg, Director 2005-6 Elisabetta Assi, Assistant Director Christine Ashley Berthoumeiux Olivia D’Aponte, Assistant Director Joseanibal Colon-Ramos Robert Brooks, Business Manager Camilla Fonseca Will Buford, Events Coordinator Anna Hunt Allison Jeffrey, Administrative Sandra Paine Coordinator Justin Reardon Jenny McPhee, Film Series Curator Emily Reeves Anna Maria Poma-Swank, Librarian Jeff Ryan Rick Whitaker, Theater Manager Matthew Sohm Brian Manning-Spindt spring 2006 Amy Tang Achille C. Varzi, Acting Director (David Freedberg on sabbatical leave) part-time staff Abigail Asher, Acting Assistant Director Ezio Blasetti Irina Oryshkevich, Acting Assistant Director Robert Brooks, Business Manager Will Buford, Events Coordinator Allison Jeffrey, Administrative Coordinator Jenny McPhee, Film Series Curator Anna Maria Poma-Swank, Librarian Rick Whitaker, Theater & Music Director 12 italian academy for advanced studies in america Director’s Report very year the Fellowship Pro- cant pool will continue to grow at the gram at the Academy grows extraordinary rate of the last few years, it Estronger. When I restructured the is clear – both from the demand for Fel- Fellowship Program in the course of lowships and from our national and inter- 2001-2002, it did not seem possible to national reputation – that the Academy imagine that applications would increase has already achieved a reputation that by a rate of almost 100% per year, nor ranks it with the most distinguished insti- that they would come from so wide a vari- tutes of advanced studies in America and ety of disciplines. While there can be no Europe. We should therefore prepare our- question that the overall quality of each selves to deal with the continuing demand year’s group of Fellows has improved for places. In order to do this we will need along with the growth in the applications to expand our growing staff, provide more pool, it is not always possible to predict funds for additional Fellowships, and the collegiality of the group. But this year consider restructuring some of our inter- has been remarkable for the exceptional nal spaces to provide additional offices for civility, erudition, and spirit of collabora- Fellows. Without support for any of these, tion of the group as a whole. For all of us we will not be able to expand as much as at the Academy – and I think for Colum- our current potential indicates. bia in general – the Fellows of 2005-2006 In his report on his Acting Directorship will remain a model of collegiality and of the Academy during my absence on scholarly cooperation. They have shown a Sabbatical Leave during the spring term, notable spirit of devotion not just to the Professor Achille Varzi described the Fel- Academy, but also to Columbia and to the lowship Program in the following way: great traditions of Italian and American “More than ever before, our Fellowship scholarship. Program has flourished, making the While it seems unlikely that our appli- Academy a recognized unique center for report on the academic year 2005–2006 13 interdisciplinary collaboration between antor of the Academy, secured the co- scholars from Italy and elsewhere.” sponsorship of one Fellow in the field of The success of our Program is not only Computer Science, while Professor Eric testified by the wonderful spirit of colle- Kandel, Director of the Center for Neuro- giality and scholarly cooperation that has biology and Behavior, co-sponsored a Fel- driven the activities of our research Fel- low in the field of Neuroscience. In addi- lows during both semesters. It is certainly tion, this year we had our first Alexander worth recording that the number of appli- Bodini Fellow for studies in areas related cations that we have received for next to adolescent mental illness. I am delight- year has increased tremendously, nearing ed to say that all these tangible expres- a total of 200. This makes our Program sions of esteem for our Program will con- one of the most sought-after post-doctoral tinue also next year. In addition, next year research opportunities in the world, we will benefit from a co-sponsorship reflecting the growing esteem in which the through Professor Ottavio Arancio’s labo- Academy is held among scholars in Italy ratory at Columbia University Medical and elsewhere. Of course, this also means School. We are, of course, very thankful that the selection process has become a for this support: not only because it truly challenging task, as many applica- enables us to fund all the Fellowships we tions are of excellent quality. In this have space for, but also because it pro- regard, our distinguished referees on the vides some of our Fellows with the oppor- selection committee have been of invalu- tunity to pursue their research projects in able assistance and I would like to extend close contact with the extraordinary my sincere thanks to all of them. The Fel- resources that Columbia has to offer.