The award ceremony for the local round of CyberChallenge.IT—a national training and selection program for young talents in cybersecurity promoted by the CINI (Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per l’Informatica)—took place on June 12, 2025.
The Pisa node, active since 2019 thanks to the collaboration between the Department of Information Engineering and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Pisa, once again saw strong participation from students enrolled in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics degree programs, as well as from local high schools. The competition is open to young people aged 16 to 24, and aims to enhance and promote skills in cybersecurity, a strategic and rapidly evolving field.
A particularly noteworthy aspect of this edition was the participation of three young women—an unusually high number for a domain still heavily gender-imbalanced—highlighting the importance of initiatives that encourage female participation in STEM disciplines.
During the ceremony, the top three competitors of the local contest were awarded, and the six members of the Pisa team selected to represent the local node in the national competition, scheduled for July 7 in Turin, were officially announced.
Since 2019, the Pisa team has achieved remarkable results, consistently placing in the national top ten, including an overall national victory in 2020. These achievements confirm the high quality of training, the strength of interdepartmental collaboration, and the excellence of the students involved.
The top three winners are:
Aleandro Prudenzano (first place), Bartolomeo Zisa (second), Davide Usai (third). Alongside them, the team that will compete in the national contest includes: Marco Pasquini, Matteo Giaconi e Andrea Massetani.
Pisa organizers:
- Anna Bernasconi, Department of Computer Science
- Giuseppe Lettieri, Department of Information Engineering
- Pericle Perazzo, Department of Information Engineering
- Jacopo Soldani, Department of Computer Science