Complementing the previous interview with a foreign point of view, we share an interview with Professor Lorenzo di Bari, a specialist in organic chemistry who teaches at the University of Pisa. During the interview, the professor shared with us his experience in conducting research together with Polish scientists, noting the importance of international research cooperation.  

Is Dr. Górecki the first Polish scientist you have worked with?

No; I have worked with Prof. Jerzy Lisowski from Wroclaw in the past, long before I met Dr. Górecki. I also feel obliged to add that some of my closest colleagues are Polish.

How would you assess the cooperation with Polish scientists?

In my experience, working with Polish scientists comes very easily and naturally. I very much appreciate not only their competence, but also their positive attitude to cooperation. On top of that - and this is very important - they tend to respond quickly. During our research, we exchanged chemical samples very often, where quick feedback is very important and useful. The Polish colleagues were always very reliable both in terms of the quality of the products they sent, and in handling those they received from me quickly and correctly.

Did you learn something interesting about Poland? Maybe you can say something about it?

Despite a really long and close relationship with Dr. Górecki, I regret immensely that I was hardly able to learn Polish. Meanwhile, Dr. Górecki spoke Italian very efficiently and expressed a desire to learn my native language even better. On the other hand, I learned an extraordinary amount about life and food in Poland, which became one of my favorite topics.

Why is the university so focused on international cooperation?

Such cooperation has always been a key factor for the development of science. Personally, I very much enjoy working in a team with different people whose knowledge and experience complement each other. Especially in science, there is no room for putting up boundaries, which is what makes international cooperation so effective. Nowadays it is very easy to establish and maintain relationships through online meetings, although I rather believe in the greater value of in-person meetings. Sitting around the same table, conducting experiments and brainstorming together, is something that can hardly be completely replaced by virtual meetings, although it's hard to deny their usefulness.

What is particularly important in your area of research right now?

In my opinion - joint work on two different levels. First, we are concerned with defining precise targets. These can be, for example, new chemical entities, new materials endowed with new or improved characteristics. Behind this are the methods we come up with to achieve these defined goals. Sometimes it happens that the methods become more interesting than the goals themselves. Such situations are fortunate, because it is often the case that it proves impossible to achieve the intended goal, and yet we manage to expand our existing knowledge and experience. Sharing all this with the scientific community is essential, and that's why I think knowledge dissemination is key.

For this reason, I am particularly close to the so-called "third mission" of the University, that is, a place where scientific research meets society, responding to everyday needs and making scientific work accessible to all.