No routine except for the train

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A conversation with Aurora D’Aprile.

Commuting, literature and a stainless attraction for nature. The (few) habits and the (many) passions of Jaroslav Mysiak, director of the RAAS Division and lecturer for the PhD program in Science and Management of Climate Change of Ca’ Foscari University.

What’s your job at the CMCC Foundation?
I deal with issues related to risk, resilience, and vulnerability to climate change, and policies addressing adaptation, pollution, and environmental degradation.

Which road led you to CMCC?
I graduated in forest science and environmental economics at the Polytechnic University of Zvolen, in Slovakia, and I obtained my PhD at the University of Göttingen in Germany. After moving to Italy, I started working at the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation, and later at the CMCC. I have been involved in CMCC activities from the very beginning.

Is your current job the one you had dreamed of when you were a child?
I am lucky because I have always wanted to deal with environmental issues and my work is very stimulating, but I did not imagine an academic career at the beginning. I was about 7-8 years old when I decided to become a forest ranger. I do not remember exactly why but I have never regretted my choice. At the age of 18, I already had the qualification, but it was not enough for me anymore. I got my degree and then the doctorate.

Could you tell us the most beautiful moment in your life as CMCC researcher?
My work offers many challenges, moments of joy and frustration. But the best moments for me are when my students and collaborators achieve a significant milestone, such as completing their PhD

What’s on your workstation?


The usual, ordinary stuff: screen and keyboard, piles of papers. No personal items.

What’s the ritual never missing in your workday?
There are no rituals. Every day is different.

How do you travel to work?
I take the train from Padua to get to CMCC offices in Venice, after having accompanied my daughters to school. I hope to be able to take advantage of my commuting experience in some way, perhaps for a PhD on the psychology of commuters (smile).

What do you do in your spare time?
My daughters take up most of my “spare” time! In the remaining time, I read books, or I go to the theater; I go walking in the mountains. These have always been my passions.

Cinema or literature: give us a title and explain why you chose it.
Among the last books I read, I liked Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf, and Olive Kitteridge by Elisabeth Strout. Both are set in the US countryside and resemble each other. They extraordinarily describe emotions. Among the movies I’ve seen recently, I liked Los Versos del Olvido by Alireza Khatami.

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