From Federico II to China: students and faculty at Summer School on Physics, Astronomy and Artificial Intelligence

Fourteen students from the Department of Physics "E. Pancini," accompanied by three professors from the same department, left July 15 from Naples to reach China and immerse themselves in two weeks of lectures, laboratories and cultural exchanges under the banner of science and innovation. Thus began the journey that brought Federiciani students and faculty to participate in the first edition of the PAI Summer School - an acronym for Physics, Astronomy and AI - organized by Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) at its modern campus in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, from July 16-30, 2025.

The school was established as part of a bilateral agreement signed between the University of Naples Federico II and SYSU, and is intended as an advanced training platform for students passionate about particle physics, astrophysics and emerging technologies related to artificial intelligence.

Participating for the Federico II was a large group of 14 selected students from the Bachelor of Science in Physics program, accompanied by faculty members Gennaro Miele (director of the department), Massimo Brescia and Giovanni Covone, who were engaged in teaching and seminar activities during the program. The school was organized by SYSU's School of Physics and Astronomy with the participation of Professor Nicola R. Napolitano, who taught for five at the Chinese university, and who helped build the training project.

The school's program is dense and articulated: between the face-to-face lectures are courses on gravitational wave physics, particle physics and cosmology, exoplanets, modules dedicated to machine learning applied to astrophysical research, as well as hands-on workshops in Python language, aimed at preparing interdisciplinary project work. The faculty members involved come from both universities, demonstrating the collaborative and peer-to-peer nature of the project.

Alongside the academic dimension, the Summer School also offers anopportunity for cultural exchange as the Italian participants had the chance to explore Chinese culture and territory, with guided tours in Guangzhou and along the Pearl River Delta coasts, nature excursions and moments of discussion with local students. Lodging, transportation and hospitality are provided by the Chinese University, which has invested significant resources to ensure a welcome that matches the international scope of the initiative.

This experience represents not only a high-level educational opportunity for students, but also a concrete example of how cooperation between universities can generate lasting cultural and scientific bridges . The active participation of the Federico II Department of Physics confirms its international vocation and ability to promote shared paths of growth, in an age when science - and education - must have no boundaries.