Design and Autism at Politecnico di Milano: Connections, Experiences and Collaborations

On the occasion of the World Autism Awareness Day, Politecnico di Milano is promoting an event dedicated to awareness and training, confirming its commitment to the issues of inclusion and support for students with disabilities and DSA.

The meeting, scheduled for 2 April 2025 at 9:15 a.m. in the Aula Magna of the Rectorate, Leonardo Campus, will be an opportunity for a multi-voiced discussion between those involved in research, activism and professional practice to explore the role of design in the field of autism and social inclusion. The event will be open to the academic community and the external public, with the participation of the press.

After the institutional greetings by Prof. Mara Tanelli, Rector's Delegate for Diversity and Inclusion, and Prof. Alessandro Campi, Rector's Delegate for Disability and DSA situations, the Politecnico's working group on personalised support for students with special needs will be presented, with the testimony of a Polimi alumna, Martina Santambrogio, who will share her academic and professional experience.

The programme includes a round table with influential voices in the field: among the participants are Giovanni Coletti (Fondazione Trentina per l'Autismo), Vanna Barca (Fondazione Bellora Onlus), Tommaso Elli (Politecnico di Milano and Associazione Abilitiamo), Giorgia Favìa (soprano and creator), Prof. Manuela Grecchi (Prorettrice del Polo di Lecco), Ottaviano Martinelli (ASST Lecco) and Isabella Zonca (Mondi Connessi Onlus). The debate will be moderated by Prof. Venanzio Arquilla, COmeta Project Coordinator.

The event will conclude with the presentation of the book Design & Autism, which explores the intersection between design and autism with a multidisciplinary approach, and of Open COmeta, an open source platform for sharing projects and ideas dedicated to the autistic community, born from the experience of the COmeta Metaproject laboratory of Politecnico di Milano, with the aim of promoting collaboration between universities, the territory and autistic people, offering an open space to develop, test, disseminate and build new ideas together.

To participate, it is necessary to register at this link.