Strategic Innovation for Sustainable and Smart Ecosystems (SIS2E)

The Program for the Industrial Doctorate on Strategic Innovation for Sustainable and Smart Ecosystems (SIS2E), activated in agreement with companies ENI, Italfarmaco, Intesa San Paolo, A2A, AVSI, focuses on two fundamental opposites, i.e., (1) Development of basic science and technology versus its valorization and dissemination, and (2) A cross-disciplinary versus a specialization approach. As such, educational and research methods are stretched and oriented towards spanning the scientific world with the ‘real’ world where science contributes to society and business.

The program builds on interaction between peers as well as individual and personalized coaching, aimed at improving the participants’ economic and social skills. We aim to ‘create’ researchers that develop brad competencies enabling them to take up managerial responsibilities in companies and in the larger international context.

Contacts

Director: Prof. Paul Matthyssens
Deputy Director: Prof. Francesco Peri

SIS2E creates an international cultural context that stimulates the doctoral candidates to share their research results and engage in dissemination and valorization activities. Through systematic mentoring, students are guided their research findings with stakeholders from business and social entities, thereby participating in the societal and political debate. This excellence program offers a cross-disciplinary perspective combining research rigor with relevance for organizations, community and society.  

After completing the program, the participants will be able to : (1) contextualize their own research output; (2) set up and participate in high level innovative research projects with practical implications; (3) link research projects to the Sustainable Development Goals; (4) participate actively in the political and societal debateat local, national and supranational levels; (5) think cross-disciplinary, in line with the mission of the university’s mission.

The program offers a semi-flexible approach to each participant with a focus on specific projects. It starts in the first year with a common foundational perspective (the ‘trunk’ with deep ‘roots’), and evolves into a tailored and specialized approach engaging in the specialization area (the ‘branches’ and ‘leaves’).

There are four specialization areas called ‘innovation tracks’:

  1. Innovation of Processes;
  2. Innovation of Products;
  3. Innovation in Society & Organizations;
  4. Innovation and Welfare.

SIS2E combines in a new mode the methodological instruments with  innovation oriented themes, thereby contextualizing the research results.

SIS2E forms researchers with an innovation-oriented profile that is very popular among companies and national and international public entities. Especially the following abilities are developed: (1) leading complex research projects for sustainable and smart innovation; (2) ambidexterity, implying a balanced approach between development and implementation; (3) understanding the relation between science/technology and businesses; (4) understanding complex systems and managing interrelated ecosystems and networks in which they are created and realized.

More specifically, the doctors in SIS2E will find jobs as

  1. data scientists, data analysts, Artificial Intelligence experts, and so forth; 
  2. managers of energy transition and experts in circular economy;
  3. product developer and R&D managers;
  4. setting up start-up companies and develop scale-up strategies;
  5. work for investment funds and venture capitalists specialized in cutting-edge technologies,
  6. manage social innovation projects and innovate welfare systems.  
Cognome Nome Ateneo / ENTE
ANDREOTTI   Alberta Argia   MILANO-BICOCCA  
ANTONACCI   Francesca   MILANO-BICOCCA  
BELLINI   Fabio   MILANO-BICOCCA  
BENTIVEGNA   Angela   MILANO-BICOCCA  
BRANDUARDI   Paola   MILANO-BICOCCA  
CAPOCCHI   Alessandro   MILANO-BICOCCA  
CASTIGLIONI   Ida   MILANO-BICOCCA  
CORTESI   Paolo Angelo   MILANO-BICOCCA  
DELLA VEDOVA   Gianluca   MILANO-BICOCCA  
DI CREDICO   Barbara   MILANO-BICOCCA  
FACCIOLI   Pietro   MILANO-BICOCCA  
FRANZETTI   Andrea   MILANO-BICOCCA  
GORINI   Giuseppe   MILANO-BICOCCA  
GRASSI   Paolo   MILANO-BICOCCA  
LASAGNI   Marina   MILANO-BICOCCA  
MANERA   Matteo   MILANO-BICOCCA  
MATTHYSSENS   Paul Marc   MILANO-BICOCCA  
MAZZUCCHELLI   Alice   MILANO-BICOCCA  
MORESCO   Rosa Maria   MILANO-BICOCCA  
PERI   Francesco   MILANO-BICOCCA  
RUSSO   Laura   MILANO-BICOCCA  
VARINI   Valerio   MILANO-BICOCCA  
VECCHIO   Luca Piero   MILANO-BICOCCA  
VILLA   Alberto   MILANO-BICOCCA  
ZECCA   Luisa   MILANO-BICOCCA  
ALBERTI   DAVIDE   A2A S.p.a.  
GIACOMAZZI   MAURO   Fondazione AVSI  
STEINKÜHLER   CHRISTIAN   Italfarmaco S.p.A.  
PONTAROLLO   ALBERTO   Eni S.p.A.  
DE MARCHI   ELIANA   Eni S.p.A.  
COSENTINI   ANDREA CLAUDIO   Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A.  

The program offers to each participant a semi-flexible approach and assigns each of them to a specific research project. During the first year, the program starts with a common track introducing advanced research and theoretical skills. In the second and third year the program becomes ever more specialized by focusing on the specific research topic of the participant which is anchored in one of the four specialization tracks.  Besides the foundational and cross-disciplinary courses,  more specialized foci will be added inside and outside the university. Through coaching and mentoring, thematic workshops and conferences more depth will gradually be added. A stay of 3-6 months abroad and an internship in a company will be added to develop higher-level skills.

by Scuola di dottorato, last updated on 27/01/2025