When you were at the EUI, what was your research on, what were you working on?
I am a political scientist by training, but here at the EUI I was involved in the creation and development of a voting advice application called the EU&I. We created it in 2014 at the Schuman Centre, and it's been used so far by millions of Europeans.
It was a fantastic way to, on the one hand, help millions of citizens find out their position within the political landscape of Europe. It was also a fantastic challenge because I oversaw the coordination of the country teams. This meant about six to seven people per country, making up around 150 people who volunteered for the project.
I think this is an example of the type of research that you can only do at the EUI.
If you want to develop a transnational platform that needs knowledge of the political system of every European country, that basically requires knowledge of all the European languages, you need talented, skilled people from each of our European countries.
What is your fondest memory from your time?
This place brings back so many fond memories that basically every corner I look around, there's a memory of my time here.
But if I must mention one, I would rather mention the sort of common denominator, what really binds together all these memories that I have from the EUI. It's the sense of community that pervaded all my professional and social life at the EUI, and all the connections that I made and still have with people from my time here.
What I really found unique about this place, at least back in those days, was that at the EUI people didn't want to go back home [after a workday]. They would spend a long time in the library. They would take full advantage of the facilities of this place for their work, for their research, but then they would not want to go home because this place kept offering so many other initiatives and possibilities.
And how can I not say bar Fiasco?
What advice would you give to current and future EUI-ers?
My advice for every current and future EUI-er is to make the most of the precious (and yet limited) time up on those hills.
My second piece of advice: Make sure to take part in Coppa Pavone!
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The EUI Alumni Testimonials series offers a glimpse into the diverse paths and experiences of our alumni. Through their stories, we revisit meaningful moments from their time at the EUI and discover how these experiences continue to shape their personal and professional journeys.
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Disclaimer: All information reported in this article reflects solely the perspective of EUI alumni and former EUI members. In no case does this article represent the view of the organisations the interviewees are affiliated with.