Who we are

Anita Zanella

Anita obtained her PhD in Astrophysics at the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique (Paris, France) and later worked as a researcher at the European Southern Observatory in Germany and in Chile. Since 2019, Anita has worked at INAF as a researcher. Anita studies galaxy formation and evolution in time, giving life to the multitude of shapes and colours which we observe today. Anita Zanella is also an enthusiast of scientific popularization, and took part in and organized several festivals and International events in Italy, France and Germany.

Andrea Cottinelli

Andrea graduated in astrophysics after obtaining a classical diploma and obtained a master’s degree in science communication at the University of Padua. He worked for two years as a research fellow at INAF OAPd, on the PLATO mission of the European Space Agency. Always passionate about science, theater and performing arts, he continues to mix the three things by teaching mathematics and physics in high school, organizing festivals and doing research here and there in the educational and popular fields.

Giovanni Liuzzi

Giovanni obtained a degree in psychological science, cognitive and psychobiological at the University of Padova in 2018. In 2021 he collaborated as a tutor for inclusion at the University of Padova. Since 2021, he has been collaborating with the Italian Blind and Visually Impaired Union – Section of Padova in the field of teaching inclusion of visually impaired, ensuring equal access to training opportunities. Giovanni is passionate about innovative solutions for the dissemination of science in an accessible and inclusive way.

Rachele Toniolo

She earned the PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Bologna, where she focused on astronomy education and outreach, with particular attention to playful and inclusive approaches. Since 2026, she has been working in the same field as a technologist at INAF – Cagliari Astronomical Observatory.

Stefano Delle Monache

He received his PhD in design sciences from the Iuav University of Venice (2012). He has carried out research and teaching activities at the Conservatorio di Musica G. Verdi in Como, Delft University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. In 2020 he was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship with the project PADS – Participatory Designing with Sound. He is currently a researcher at the Perception et Design Sonore group at the Ircam Institute in Paris. He mainly works on practices, methods, forms of representation and theory of sound-driven design.

Riccardo Marai

Always fascinated by the universe, in 2025 he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Astronomy from the University of Padua with a thesis focused on studying the performance of the Extremely Large Telescope (Chile) in observing star-forming regions at cosmological distances.
Already an organizer of cultural activities in the area, he now combines his scientific work with outreach efforts to bring the wonders of the sky closer to the public.

Cecilia Maran

She earned a degree in Art Graphics and Drawing from the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice in 2019 and completed her master’s degree in 2021. In 2022, she obtained a Master’s in Graphic Design in Rome. From 2020 to 2023, she was a Tutor for the Course in Printmaking Techniques – Art Graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. She participates as an artist in exhibitions in Italy and abroad and works as a freelance graphic designer and as a teacher of graphics and multimedia at the “M. Fanoli” State Art High School in Cittadella (PD).

Francesca Zanella

Graphics and scenography

Architect and set designer. Francesca obtained a degree in architecture in 2016 at the Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio (Switzerland), and worked as an architect both in Italy and abroad. Since 2017, Francesca has been working in Roma as an assistant designer for film productions, such as “Il traditore” (The Traitor, by M. Bellocchio), “Hammamet” (by G. Amelio), “Lacci” (Laces, by D. Luchetti), “Esterno Notte” ( by M. Bellocchio).

Giuliana Giobbi

Translations

Giuliana has a degree in Modern Foreign Languages from the Sapienza University of Rome, she holds a PhD from the University of Glasgow (UK) in English and Comparative Literature. Since she returned to Italy, she has been working for INAF for many years, first at INAF-OAR and for a year at the Headquarters, for dissemination and linguistic tasks, and for the organization of national and international events. In her spare time she enjoys reading Anglo-Saxon fiction and practicing yoga.