MEDiverSEAty

In quest of the human dimensions of MEDiterranean Marine Biodiversity

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Our team: network management

Network Management

The overall management and coordination of MEDiverSEAty is in charge of the Leading Partner (University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy).

Coordinator | University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)

Marcella Schmidt di Friedberg
Valentina Anzoise
Project Manager | University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)

Valentina Anzoise

Coordinator | University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)

Marcella Schmidt di Friedberg

Marcella Schmidt di Friedberg is Professor of Geography at the University of Milan-Bicocca (Italy). She was a member of the Steering Committee of the IGU Commission on Gender and Geography and is now, since 2016, Chair of the IGU Commission on the History of Geography. She is Deputy Director of the Marine Research and Higher Education Centre (MaRHE) in Faaf-Magoodhoo (Republic of Maldives). Her research interests include landscape and biodiversity conservation, hazard and resilience, cultural and gender geography, and the history of geographical thought. Her current research focuses on the culture and heritage of the Maldives. She has worked and published extensively on the relationships between nature, culture, memory and landscape in contexts ranging from the Mediterranean to Japan. Her publications include Geographies of Disorientation (Routledge, 2017).

Valentina Anzoise

Project Manager | University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)

Valentina Anzoise

Valentina Anzoise is a Project Manager with a strong background in social science research. She holds a PhD in Information Society from the University of Milan-Bicocca and a post-graduate specialization in Participatory Local Action and Sustainable Urban Development from the IUAV University of Venice. She has been a Research Fellow at the European Centre for Living Technology at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (2012–2015) and a Young Researcher based in China within the EuropeAid MEDIUM project, New pathways for sustainable urban development in China’s medium-sized cities (2015–2018).
She has over 10 years of experience in designing and coordinating EU-funded and nationally funded projects, with additional expertise in stakeholder engagement and in the organization of events and training programs.

Alongside her work as a project manager, she continues to teach Sociology of Cultural Processes at IED – Istituto Europeo di Design (2010–2015 and 2018–present) and Urban Cultural Studies at the Catholic University of Milan (2023–present).

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  • CONTACT AND INFORMATION

    • OBJECTIVES

      MEDiverSEAty is the legacy of a long-term collaboration among the partners tackling a fundamental node for marine sciences: the reconceptualization of the Ocean as a driver to foster sustainable behaviours and policies.
      The scientific research objectives of MEDiverSEAty are to develop a common theoretical framework of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conservation which integrates human and biological dimensions and implications, to foster the crucial role of human dimensions in the protection and conservation of Marine Biodiversity and to make Biodiversity the focus of Mediterranean Ocean Literacy. MEDiverSEAty seeks to advance the international discourse by translating this multifaceted perspective into concrete actions, policies and strategies. MEDiverSEAty brings the cultural, social and political dimensions of marine biodiversity to the centre of two key objects of local, national and regional policies across the Mediterranean Basin as of the UNESCO Decade, namely:

      1. Ocean Literacy
      2. Biodiversity Conservation

      Ocean Literacy is about a deepened understanding of the ocean’s influence on us and our influence on the ocean. It gathers education, communication and civic engagement strategies. In order to be transferred into factual and transformative actions on the territories, it must focus on precise objects.
      Too often Biodiversity Conservation does not directly involve citizens (and consequently social, cultural, and attitudinal differences), risking being ineffective (“on paper” only), misleading, short-lived, and generating conflicts with marine users and stakeholders (tourists, fishers, developers).

      Due to this background, the scientific research objectives (RO) of MEDiverSEAty are:

      • RO1: To develop a common theoretical framework (lexicon, concepts and interoperable notions) of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conservation which integrate human and biological dimensions and implications (WP1).
      • RO2: To foster the crucial role of human dimensions in the protection and conservation of Marine Biodiversity (WP2.
      • RO3: To make Biodiversity the focus of Mediterranean Ocean Literacy (WP3).
      • RO4: The MEDiverSEAty community is expected to have a long-term positive impact on national and EU planning and implementation of governance strategies for the sustainable management of marine resources. (WP2) and the engagement of relevant stakeholders (WP4 and WP5).

    • ABOUT US

      MEDiverSEAty is a European Doctoral Network investigating the human dimensions of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity. Despite ongoing efforts to conserve Mediterranean biodiversity, there remains a pressing need for more effective implementation of existing conservation measures. MEDiverSEAty proposes integrating the human dimension into biodiversity studies and conservation strategies to address this challenge. Recognizing the significant scientific and social relevance of these dimensions, the project emphasizes areas such as marine citizen science, maritime spatial planning, marine heritage, and the economic values of marine biodiversity.

      MEDiverSEAty seeks to advance the international discourse by translating this multifaceted perspective into concrete actions, policies and strategies. A critical observation is the absence or oversimplification of ‘diversity’ (in terms of cultures, roles, societies, attitudes, identities) as a crucial factor influencing Europeans’ relationship with marine biodiversity in current political and scientific discussions.

      To bridge these gaps, MEDiverSEAty is launching a Doctoral Network Training and Research Program. This program, involving partners from six European countries (Italy, Malta, France, Spain, Montenegro and Greece), focuses on two pillars essential to contemporary marine sciences, policies, and education: Ocean Literacy and Marine Biodiversity Conservation.