Personal Trivia
A few fun facts about me!
Languages
I can speak six languages to different degrees. Being European is definetly a cheat code.
| Language | Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | Native | My first language and still the most beautiful one, in my opinion. |
| English | Fluent | The language I now use every day for research, teaching, and life in the U.S. |
| Venetian | Advanced | Despite being officially recognized only as a dialect (from the Veneto region), it still matches the definition of language, which is why I added it to the list. |
| Catalan | Intermediate | My father was born in Alghero, a small town in the North-Eastern side of Sardinia. This town is one of the few places outside of Spain that still speaks a variety Catalan (alguerés). |
| Spanish | Basic | Familiar thanks to its closeness to other languages I speak. I have never properly studied it, but I’m comfortable enough to understand it and hold day-to-day conversations with natives. |
| French | Basic | Very basic knowledge, despite studying it for 3 years in middle school (I’m apologize to my professor for not continuing my studies since). |
Six Degrees of Separation
As someone whose research focuses on networks and graph-based thinking, this feels like a very on-brand piece of trivia. I have always liked the small-world graph concept that says people are often connected through at most 6 chains of acquaintances. I can personally confirm this one, since I verified that I’m only four people away from former President Barack Obama.
National Parks
National parks are one of the easiest ways to make me excited about a trip. Since I started living in the U.S., I try to visit at least a couple every year (honestly, best thing about this country). Below there’s a small map so I can keep track of which ones I have visited and which ones are still on the list.
Personal favourites
1. Zion
Zion is currently at the top of my list. The landscape feels almost unreal, and the Angels Landing trail was an incredible and nerve-wracking experience.
2. Sequoia
Since I first learned as a child that the largest trees in the world existed there, I dreamed of one day standing beside one and hugging one of these giants. Eventually, I got to make that childhood dream come true.
3. Bryce Canyon
The sunrise view from this place was nothing short of spectacular. The snow-covered landscape will forever remain one of the best memories from this trip.
Ultra-Centenarian Genes
Part of my family background, as described above, comes from Sardinia.
This italian island is one of the world’s most famous “Blue Zones”, meaning one of the places often associated with an unusually high concentration of very old people, including ultra-centenarians. Disclaimer: I am definitely not claiming any secret formula for a long life.
Speedcubing
I have been an amateur speedcuber since 2012. It started as a fun challenge and quickly became one of those hobbies that is both relaxing and strangely addictive.
My personal best on the standard 3x3 cube is 12.42 seconds, using the GAN 356X. I am absolutely not a world-class solver, but it’s still fun being able to solve one fast enough to surprise people.
Order of the Engineer
On April 8, 2026, I officially joined the Order of the Engineer. I like that it represents not just technical training, but also a public commitment to the responsibility that comes with being an engineer. Also, considering the cost of my education, the ring that comes with it is most probably the most expensive jewelry I will ever own.