The Minister of Education, University and Research, Francesco Profumo, and the Minister of the Environment, Corrado Clini, visited AREA Science Park in Trieste. They were welcomed by the new president of AREA, Adriano De Maio, as well as Vice President Roberto della Marina, board member Paola Secchiero and Managing Director Enzo Moi.

"Only by stimulating research and innovation can we make Italian industry more competitive," stated Francesco Profumo, Minister of Education, University and Research. "AREA's role in this is essential. I believe that De Maio's experience makes him the ideal person for promoting a close relationship with both the region and the country in general," he continued.

After leaving the Padriciano campus, Minister Profumo visited AREA Science Park's ELETTRA Synchrotron Light Laboratory, where he was welcomed by Carlo Rizzuto, President of Sincrotrone Trieste. Profumo was shown the new Fermi@Elettra free-electron laser, one of only four such lasers operating in the world, which has applications in dynamic material analysis and the development of nanosciences.

"I have found AREA Science Park to be even better, in terms of activities and results, than I anticipated," stated President Adriano De Maio. "In a couple of months I will have a fuller understanding of the system and will then propose my vision for future strategies, while taking into consideration the ideas of my predecessor, Minister Clini, and consulting with AREA's management. I expect everyone to participate, be proactive and offer constructive criticism. For my part, I will be a president who is available and approachable."

Adriano De Maio was named the new President of AREA Science Park on 23 February this year. An electronics engineer, he began his career as a researcher at CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - National Research Council ) and as a lecturer in Business Economics and Organisation in the Faculty of Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano from 1969 to 1971. In 1972 he was a Research Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley.

De Maio was Full Professor of Business and Complex Project Management at the Faculty of Structural/Architectural Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano. He was Dean of the same university from 1994 to 2002, after having been Pro Vice-Chancellor from 1990 to 1994. De Maio was the Dean of LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome from 2002 to 2005 and, during the same period, Full Professor of Business Management in the Faculty of Economics. He was then Full Professor of Innovation Management at the IMT Institute for Advanced Studies in Lucca from 2005 to 2006.

Among the many management positions he has held at research institutions and universities, De Maio was President of IReR (Istituto Regionale di Ricerca della Lombardia - Lombardy Regional Institute for Research) from 1996 to 2010, and, from 2003 to 2004, Special Commissioner of CNR (National Research Council) and President of the committee that evaluates centres of excellence at MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research). He was also President of the Ministerial Committee on University Reform from 2003 to 2005. He is currently President of Fondazione CEN (Fondazione Centro Europeo di Nanomedicina - European Centre for Nanomedicine).