Mobilising algae. Multidisciplinary perspectives on algal herbaria

Wednesday 16 September the international workshop Mobilising algae: multidisciplinary perspectives on algae herbaria across space and time will take place at the Teatro botanico, a study day dedicated to the role of algal herbaria in scientific research, in the conservation of botanical heritage and in the enhancement of historical collections, organised by the Department of Historical, Geographical and Ancient Sciences - DiSSGeA in collaboration with the Orto botanico. The initiative brings together scholars from Italian and international universities, museums and research institutes for a discussion of the most recent research perspectives and the potential offered by these precious archives of biodiversity.

Algae herbaria are archives of the living world that preserve not only algae specimens collected in different periods and places, but also traces of scientific practices, exchange networks, the circulation of knowledge and the relationships between people and the environment. Originally created mainly for taxonomic and descriptive purposes, they are now recognised as valuable resources for a wide range of research fields, from botany and ecology to the history of science, from the environmental humanities to mobility studies.

Developed within the framework of Claudia Addabbo's research project on Achille Forti's algae herbarium (1878–1937), the workshop addresses themes such as the formation of collections, the circulation of specimens and knowledge, digitisation, conservation and the enhancement of algological museum heritage.

Particular attention will be devoted to algae herbaria as meeting places between the sciences and the humanities, capable of offering new perspectives on the relationships between human beings, algae and the environment, as well as on the production, circulation and reactivation of knowledge over time.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.