ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI GEOFISICA E VULCANOLOGIA

Their core work

INGV is Italy's national research centre for geophysics, seismology, and volcanology — responsible for monitoring earthquakes, volcanic activity, and Earth's interior processes across the Italian territory and the Mediterranean. In H2020, they are a major builder and operator of pan-European research infrastructures for solid Earth sciences, ocean observation (EMSO), and seismic hazard assessment. They develop data services, sensor technologies, and observation networks that underpin Europe's ability to monitor geohazards, and they actively engage the public — particularly young people — in understanding Earth science risks. Beyond monitoring, they contribute to high-performance computing for geohazard simulations and to making environmental research data FAIR and interoperable across borders.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2014–2018), INGV focused heavily on building and integrating European research infrastructures — data clouds (EUDAT2020, INDIGO-DataCloud), virtual research environments (VRE4EIC, EVER-EST), and environmental observation networks (ENVRI PLUS, EPOS IP). From 2019 onward, their focus shifted toward making these infrastructures FAIR-compliant and operational (ENVRI-FAIR, e-shape), while deepening their Earth science research in seismology and volcanology (NEWTON, ChEESE, NEWTON-g). The recent period also shows a stronger emphasis on Earth observation, open science, and cultural heritage engagement alongside their core geophysics work.

INGV is moving from infrastructure builder to infrastructure operator, increasingly focused on making solid Earth and ocean data FAIR, interoperable, and usable for geohazard services — a strong fit for future EOSC and Destination Earth initiatives.

How they like to work

INGV overwhelmingly operates as an active partner (40 of 50 projects), joining large European consortia rather than leading them — they coordinated only 5 projects. With 634 unique partners across 59 countries, they function as a well-connected hub in the European research infrastructure ecosystem, not a niche specialist working with a small circle. This makes them an easy, low-friction partner to bring into a consortium: they know how large EU projects work, they integrate well, and they bring deep technical capacity without insisting on the lead role.

INGV has collaborated with 634 unique partners across 59 countries, making them one of the most broadly connected Earth science institutions in Europe. Their network spans well beyond the EU into global partnerships, reflecting their role in pan-European and international observation infrastructure projects.

What sets them apart

INGV is one of very few European institutions that combines operational geohazard monitoring (earthquakes, volcanoes, ocean) with deep involvement in building the digital infrastructure to share that data across borders. Where most Earth science institutes either do field research or contribute to data platforms, INGV does both — and at national scale for Italy. For consortium builders, they bring a rare combination: real operational monitoring data, infrastructure engineering experience, and a track record of public engagement that satisfies EU dissemination requirements.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EPOS IP
  Largest single grant (EUR 2.5M) and coordinator role — building Europe's integrated solid Earth science data platform, now a permanent ERIC.
• ChEESE
  Centre of Excellence applying exascale computing to geohazard simulation — positions INGV at the intersection of HPC and Earth science.
• ENVRI-FAIR
  Major cross-domain effort to make all European environmental research infrastructures FAIR-compliant — reflects INGV's shift toward open science leadership.