APECS - Association of Polar Early Career Scientists has awarded Stefano Schiaparelli with the prestigious APECS International Mentorship Award for 2025.

Schiaparelli, a UniGe professor of zoology and director of the Genoa branch of the National Antarctic Museum (MNA), was awarded for his extraordinary dedication to mentoring and training the next generation of polar scholars.

His work has been instrumental and transformative for the entire scientific community: he has consistently promoted research in Antarctic marine biology, fostered the inclusion of early-career researchers in strategic meetings of the PNRA - National Antarctic Research Programme and within the SCAR - Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, and supported their representation at every possible opportunity.

The award was granted to Schiaparelli at the initiative of PhD students who sent letters of commendation to APECS, from which the following motivation was derived:

"Stefano Schiaparelli's mentorship goes far beyond traditional academic supervision, embracing overall career development through international networking opportunities and innovative interdisciplinary collaborations that also bring the natural sciences into dialogue with the digital humanities. Those who have studied with him have obtained positions at prestigious institutions around the world, participated in research expeditions to Antarctica and presented papers at major international conferences.
Through his leadership at the National Museum of Antarctica and his continued support of APECS Italy initiatives, including funding the APECS Italy 2025 National Meeting, Schiaparelli has forged lasting institutional links from which new generations of polar scientists continue to benefit.
This award celebrates not only his individual excellence as a mentor, but also his decisive contribution in fostering a collaborative and inclusive scientific community that encourages young researchers to pursue ambitious careers in the polar sciences."

In photo, from left to right: Valentina Cometti (PhD student, University of Siena), Stefano Schiaparelli, Marco Grillo (PhD, University of Siena), Alice Guzzi (post doc, University of Genoa). remotely connected: Lara La Tessa (PhD student, University of Genoa, currently at the Stockholm Museum of Natural History), Tiziana Durazzano (PhD student, UiT The Arctic University of Norway).