2025 Award for Scientific Contributions on Topics of Equality and Diversity

The USI 2025 Award for Scientific Contributions on Topics of Equality and Diversity, worth 2,000 Swiss francs each, was awarded jointly to Andrea Esposito and Daniela Baiardi for their respective Master's theses. A special mention worth 500 Swiss francs was awarded to Kathryn Angelotti for her Master's thesis.

Each year, the awards recognise scientific contributions that stand out for their in-depth analysis of issues related to equality, inclusion, and diversity, promoting studies that offer original ideas and innovative perspectives.

Daniela Baiardi – Joint winner

A graduate of the Master's programme in Art and Architecture History at the Academy of Architecture, Daniela Baiardi was awarded for her thesis Own Bodies Seen Through The Eyes Of Three Colombian Artists: Juan Pablo Echeverri, Nadia Granados and Carlos Motta.

The following is the Laudatio: "The thesis 'Own Bodies Seen Through The Eyes Of Three Colombian Artists: Juan Pablo Echeverri, Nadia Granados and Carlos Motta' examines the work of three artists, all born in 1978 in Bogotá, who share a queer perspective on their identities. Daniela Baiardi's analysis is noteworthy for its well-reasoned approach to the challenging political and cultural contexts, as well as the personal experiences of the artists. The research stands out for its original reflection, which, drawing on first-hand critical sources, highlights the common gender issues explored by these artists. Baiardi presents these three figures as individuals who have transformed their bodies into spaces for artistic experimentation and as sites of reaction and resistance against social and cultural injustices. The thesis is a highly innovative contribution to the historiography of contemporary art, whose relevance extends beyond the case studies examined, placing the value of plurality - social, cultural and gender - at the centre of our attention".

Andrea Esposito – Joint winner

A graduate of the Master's programme in Informatics at the Faculty of Informatics, Andrea Esposito was awarded for his thesis, UI for cognitive accessibility: From redesign to evaluation.

The following is the Laudatio: "This excellent Master's thesis, 'UI for cognitive accessibility: From redesign to evaluation', is an example of a deep commitment to inclusive design and cognitive accessibility. Through the redesign and evaluation of the ACCESS+ app – a tool designed to improve the museum experience for people with intellectual disabilities – Esposito demonstrates methodological rigour, user focus and social impact. The work is based on co-design, iterative prototyping and testing with real users and educators, ensuring a final product that is not only functional but also empowering. The thesis goes beyond simply adhering to technical accessibility guidelines, offering critical reflections on their limitations and proposing innovative solutions such as content-oriented navigation, personalised onboarding and auto-scrolling functionality. Esposito's contribution is both academic and practical, advancing the field of human-computer interaction and promoting equity in access to culture. An exemplary work of technology in the service of dignity and inclusion."

Kathryn Angelotti – Special mention

A PhD student at the Institute of Communication and Public Policy at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Kathryn Angelotti received a special mention for her thesis, Maternal Health: Dialectical Tensions in Returning to Work.

The Laudatio reads: "The thesis 'Maternal health: dialectical tensions in returning to work' examines a crucial dimension of equal opportunities: how new mothers returning to work cope with the demands and tensions of the opposing dimensions of motherhood and career. The work is appropriately up to date with current research on motherhood, working women, parental leave, maternal health and family studies. The literature review covers multiple contexts, with a particular focus on Switzerland and Ticino, highlighting the legal frameworks and specific governance structures. The methodology is rigorous and well articulated; based on 21 interviews with new mothers from Ticino from different backgrounds, the study captures a wide range of lived experiences. Its in-depth qualitative approach provides valuable information on the challenges mothers face at the end of their maternity leave. The data analysis is theoretically sound, comprehensive and sophisticated. Applying relational dialectics theory, the study sheds new light on the complexity of reconciling work and childcare, highlighting the tensions that arise in this process. It is important to note that the research proposes the theoretical formulation of a new dialectical tension."

With this edition, the USI Award for Scientific Contributions on Topics of Equality and Diversity confirms its commitment to promoting and valuing research that addresses issues crucial to contemporary society, stimulating a debate that brings together scientific, cultural and social perspectives.