INGV | Director Stefano Branca appointed corresponding member of the Gioenia Academy of Catania

A prestigious recognition of scientific value and a leading role in Italian volcanology

The Director of the Volcanoes Department of theNational Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Stephen Branca, he was appointed corresponding member ofGioenia Academy of Catania, a prestigious scientific institution that, during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, represented the point of reference for the scientific community of Catania and Sicily.

Former Director of the Etna Observatory of the INGV (INGV - OE) From 2019 to 2025, Branca distinguished himself for his research activities on Sicilian volcanoes, particularly Etna and Stromboli, including geological and stratigraphic investigations aimed at studying their eruptive style and volcanic hazard, for interdisciplinary volcanological, historical, and archaeological studies on the impact of eruptions, as well as for numerous activities to recover and enhance the historical, iconographic, and documentary heritage of Italian volcanoes. He is the author of over one hundred publications in specialized scientific journals, both international and national, and of several geological maps, including the new map of Etna at a scale of 1:50.000.

The appointment of Director Stefano Branca represents a recognition of his scientific contribution, in line with the institutional purposes of the Gioenia Academy, which aims to promote the study of natural phenomena, with particular attention to Sicily, and to promote the progress of science and the diffusion of scientific culture.

Founded in 1824, the Gioenia Academy became part of the Reseau des Academies des Pays Mediterranéens under the auspices of UNESCO. Its activities take the form of public meetings, conferences, seminars, scientific meetings, and publications distributed to cultural and research institutions in Italy and abroad, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue, scientific mobility, the preservation of cultural and scientific heritage, and the dissemination of knowledge through modern tools and information technologies.

Links

National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology

INGV Etna Observatory (INGV - OE)

Gioenia Academy of Catania