The “Giovani Naturali” Award is granted by the Società Toscana di Scienze Naturali to recognize outstanding thesis work by students from Italian universities in the fields of Earth Sciences, Anthropology, Paleontology, and Bionatural Sciences. In the 2025 edition, 162 candidates applied to the call, from which 36 finalists were selected across six categories: bachelor’s, master’s, …
On November 12, 2025, Sheleme Abiyou Gamessa graduated with top honours from Addis Ababa University (AAU) with a thesis entitled “Exploring Social Play Behavior in a Population of Geladas Living in and Around Debre Libanos, Central Ethiopia.” His work investigated the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on social play in geladas, addressing the often-overlooked issue of …
Professor Gebresilassie outlined recent trends in malaria incidence and examined the strategies implemented by Ethiopian health authorities to reduce disease burden. Particular attention was devoted to the influence of climate change on transmission dynamics. Rising temperatures, altered patterns of human mobility, and the expansion of mosquito habitats into previously malaria-free highland areas have introduced new …
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This October the University of Pisa had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Bezawork Afework Bogale, an esteemed scholar and co-investigator of the Ethiopian-Italian BRIDGES project. During her stay, she was invited to give a seminar, titled “African Women in Conservation and Traditional Knowledge: Implications for Climate Resilience”, which explored the vital role of traditional knowledge, …
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At the beginning of October, our research group had the pleasure of taking part in the 5th International Gelada Workshop, held in Doncaster (UK). The event brought together people who work with geladas at every level, from zoo professionals who manage these fascinating primates in captivity to researchers studying their behavior, genetics, and ecology. It …
Read more “Our Team at the 5th International Gelada Workshop!”