Royal daughter of Italian inventor Marconi visits UOIT

OSHAWA, Ont. – The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has unveiled a new series of scholarships for science students with some help from a member of Italy’s royal family.

The daughter of radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, Princess Elettra Marconi Giovanelli of Italy (who married Italy’s Prince Carlo in 1966), paid a visit to UOIT June 24 as part of her tour of North America to celebrate her father’s entrepreneurial legacy and promote science and technology endeavours by young people.

The donation by the Canadian Italian Heritage Foundation (in co-operation with the National Congress of Italian Canadians – Toronto District and Amici Museum) establishes a $250,000 endowment. Investment revenue will be used to provide annual awards through the Guglielmo Marconi Endowed Scholarship – new entrance and retention scholarships for UOIT students enrolled in the designated Marconi disciplines (physics, computer science and mathematics).

“The University of Ontario Institute of Technology gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the Canadian Italian Heritage Foundation,” said UOIT President and Vice-Chancellor Tim McTiernan, PhD. “Endowments like the Marconi Scholarship reinforce our university’s commitment to student success. We are grateful to Princess Elettra for gracing us with her presence and sharing with our students her father’s legacy and entrepreneurial spirit of discovery.”

The announcement by Michael Tibollo, Chair, Canadian Italian Heritage Foundation (CIHF) further strengthens UOIT’s collaboration with the Italian-Canadian community. These deep ties include scholarships provided through the Italian Cultural Centre of Durham as well as UOIT’s international exchange program and partnership with Italy’s Politecnico di Torino.

Guglielmo Marconi’s name is synonymous with the invention of radio. Where others had failed, the famous Italian entrepreneur found a way to transmit signals without the help of wires, culminating with the first transatlantic wireless message in 1901 and the first transatlantic radio message a year later. Marconi went on to share the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909. Marconi helped make a commercial success of wireless telegraphy – a system that has evolved into the global wireless transmission network many of us now take for granted.

“Guglielmo Marconi was a dreamer that was not afraid to challenge limits,” said Michael Tibollo, Chair, CIHF. “He was an inventor, someone who inspired and continues to act as a role model for students of the sciences.‎ This scholarship is dedicated to him and those that dare to dream beyond limits.”

Prior to her visit to UOIT, Princess Elettra made U.S. stops at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, New Jersey) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts).

To coincide with June being Italian Heritage Month, Princess Elettra’s visit to the Greater Toronto Area includes a meeting with the Italian Consul General and members of the Italian-Canadian community across Durham Region and Toronto.

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Media contact: 
Melissa Levy
Communications and Marketing
University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)
905.721.8668 ext. 6733
289.928.0268
melissa.levy@uoit.ca