The Città della Scienza (Science City) museum in Naples hosted the Leonardo Innovation Award ceremony, held on November 28, 2018 during Innovation Day, an event that focuses entirely on new technologies in the Aerospace, Defence and Security (AD&S) sector, including advanced technologies, new trends and global challenges. The event was attended by, among others, the Minister of Education, University and Research, Marco Bussetti, as well as senior representatives from industry, Italian institutions and the world of science. 

The Innovation Award ceremony featured both Group employees and university students who won in the various categories, awarded by the CEO Alessandro Profumo and by the Chairman Gianni De Gennaro.

At Innovation Day the debate focused on the importance of dialogue between different technological sectors, which was at the center of the round table titled “Innovation through contamination”. Other seminars provided insight into the very latest frontiers of technology: ‘Roboethics’ considered the ethical and societal implications of robotics, while another discussion focused on Big Data Analytics, Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence. The event also offered guests an opportunity to look in-depth into Leonardo’s technological heritage across a range of products, platforms and systems, with a vast exhibition area highlighting the tangible, if not immediately obvious, effects that Leonardo’s innovations have had on everyday life, particularly in public safety and protection. 

University students, whom Leonardo sees as of central importance in propagating a sense of ‘scientific citizenship’ amongst future generations, were involved throughout the day, working closely with senior engineers in Leonardo’s various divisions. These interactions were in line with the fourth sustainable development goal of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and the objective was to generate a deeper understanding of new technological trends, the importance of universities in scientific research and the strategy of collaborative innovation being promoted by Leonardo.
 
For more information, read the Innovation Day press release.
 

Leonardo Innovation Award for university Students
 

• First Place University Students/Graduates: Matteo Sacchetti (Polytechnic University of Milan). Virtual Reality - Glove Controller. 
• Second Place University Students/Graduates: Matteo Buffagni (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia). Blockchain - Blockchain for aeronautical maintenance. 
• Third Place University Students/Graduates: Vincenzo Pantone, Amelita Grazia Laurenza and Teresa Pantone(University of Bari). Circular Economy - SOBRERO. 
• First Place Ph.D. Students/ Ph.D. Graduates: Antonino Galletta, (University of Messina). Blockchain - How Blockchain Can Revolutionise Air Transport. 
• Second Place Ph.D. Students/ Ph.D. Graduates: Nicola Felice Capece and Monica Gruosso, (University of Basilicata). Cognitive Systems - Use of deep learning to support airport security checks.
• Third Place Ph.D. Students/ Ph.D. Graduates: Paola Vesco and Gabriele Accarino (University of Venice). Cognitive Systems - An artificial intelligence tool for migration analysis and projections. 

Leonardo Innovation Award for Employees
 

• The Incremental Innovation category: Stefano Pastore, Bruno Addivinola, Augusto Albolini, Antonio Ciliberto, Lucia Cutillo, Giuseppe Stefano Gallo - Aircraft Division. Tartaric-Sulphuric Anodising process for the protection of aluminium alloys. 
• The Radical Innovation category: Philip Rodriguez Stefano Di Rollo, Osman Kalden, Douwe Lambers, Gian Paolo Plaia, Luca Preziosi, Roberto Ronchini, Vanessa Sicurello – Telespazio. Ionosphere prediction service for GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) users.
• The Idea category: Marco Lopez, Eden Mei - Leonardo DRS. Quantum WVA-based (Weak Value Amplification) inertial navigation at a chip scale using photonic waveguides. 
• The Best Patent: Luke Alexander Pillans - Land and Naval Defence Electronics Division. Thermal imaging calibration system and method. 
• The Processes category: Vincenzo Sabbatino, Vincenzo Arrichiello, Paolo Casanova, Alessandro Garibbo, Daniele La Rosa, Paola Savoia – Leonardo. Lunch Time Seminar. 
• Special Mention: Roberto Sanguini, Fabio Bello, Zaira Burlo, Alberto Clocchiatti, Salvatore D'Onofrio, Ludovica Rendine, Fabio Russo, Gabriele Tonini, Raffaele Vertucci - Helicopter Division. Support And Learning Anywhere Integrated (SALAI).