Summer school on Planetology, Exploration, Terrestrial analogs, Robotics, Astrobiology, Spectroscopy
Call for students/attendees is open until March 27th
Vulcano, Aeolian islands, Italy May 27th – June 1st 2026
The PETRAS Summer School 2026 will be held from 27/05/26 to 01/06/26.
PETRAS is a summer school aimed at PhD students, but also open to master’s students and post-doctoral researchers. This is a result of a collaboration between researchers belonging to University of Perugia (UniPG), Italian Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), IU international University of Applied Sciences (IUBH), European Astrobiology Institute (EAI), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), University of Cologne (UK), Italian space agency (ASI) and various sections of German Aerospace Center (DLR). The school is part of the training program offered by the PhD Board of the Earth System and Global Changes doctoral course of the University of Perugia.
PETRAS promotes a multidisciplinary approach, involving volcanologists, astrophysicists, geophysicists, astrobiologists, electronic/mechanical engineers and computer scientists to provide a 360-degree vision of the different skills needed by the planetary sciences community.
PETRAS Summer school is going on since 2024, inheriting the legacy of the Vulcano International Summer School initiative which has been ongoing since 2015 and has been funded over the years by Helmholtz Alliance Robotic Exploration of Extreme Environments (ROBEX), EAI, Europlanet, ARCHES and iFOODis.
Program
PETRAS field experiences will alternate with thematic seminars in various areas of planetary sciences. Here there is a tentative scheme of the program which might be subjected to change. Confirmed list of seminars and activities follows below, and it is currently updating.
SEMINARS
Planets & Asteroids
- Alemanno Giulia, DLR: “Venus in the lab: bridging remote-sensing spectroscopy and laboratory experiments”
- De Toffoli Barbara, University of Padova: “The Surface of Venus: a Volcanic World”
- Ieva Simone, INAF: “Basaltic asteroids”
- Ortenzi Gianluigi, INGV: “Volcanic outgassing and planetary atmospheres”
- Pisello Alessandro, University of Perugia: “Volcanism on rocky planets in the Solar System”
- Poggiali Giovanni, INAF: “From the lab to space: natural and synthetic analogues as the key to interpreting planetary surfaces”
- Porreca Massimiliano, UniPG: “Geological history of Vulcano island”
- Schmidt Gene, INAF-IAPS: “Tectonism across the Solar System”
- Schmitz Nicole, DLR-WR-GEO: “In-Situ Exploration of Mars with Perseverance and Rosalind Franklin”
Astrobiology
- Baqué Mickael, TU Berlin (probably): “Planetary analogs and life in extreme conditions”
- Cassaro Alessia, ASI: “Astrobiology and extreme environments”
- Geppert Wolf, Stockholm University: “The European Astrobiology Institute and Astrobiology Campus: Opportunities for Early Career Scientists”
- Martella Costanza Maria, University of Roma Tor Vergata – “Extremophiles and their applications”
- Urso Riccardo, INAF: “Astrochemistry and Astrobiology in the Lab”
Exploration
- Börner Jana, University of Cologne and Klaus Spitzer, TU Freiberg: “Geophysical methods for geological exploration”
- Irmisch Patrick, DLR-WR-EDP: “Integrated Vision-based Localization and Inspection at Vulcano”
- Iz Selim, DLR-WR-SEC: “From Tradition to Innovation: Analyzing 3D Mapping with Conventional and Deep Learning Methods”
- Riedel Christian, University of Potsdam “Geospatial data from drone images and scientific applications on Vulcano”
Miscellaneous
- van Erp Dianthe, University of Amsterdam: “Echoes in the Interface: A conversation on technological mediation, AI, and slow science (preliminary)”
- Breul Philipp, University of Cologne: “Modeling the Future Climate”
Robotics
TBA (DFKI)
ACTIVITIES
Fieldwork
- Volcanological excursion on La Fossa Crater – M. Porreca, A. Pisello (UniPG) G. Ortenzi (INGV)
- Environmental Sampling and Analysis (sediments, fluids and biofilms): implications for astrobiology – A. Cassaro (ASI), R.G. Urso (INAF)
- Spectroscopy: on-field detection of minerals – M Baqué (DLR), G. Poggiali (INAF), A. Alberini (INAF)
- Drone flying and IPS demonstration on planetary field analogues – P. Irmisch (DLR), C. Riedel (Univ . Potsdam)
- Geophysics for subsurface imaging – J. Boerner (UK)
Workshops/Panels
- WORKSHOP: Geospatial data products from drone imagery – C. Riedel (Univ. Potsdam)
- WORKSHOP: Raman and IR spectra interpretation – M. Cassetta (UniTO)
- WORKSHOP: Surface Spectroscopy on Mars with CRISM data using open source softwares – M. Baroni (UniPG)
- WORKSHOP: Sun observation – T. Bohnhardt, A. Schmusch (DLR)
Evening & Night activities
- WORKSHOP: Astrophotography – T. Bohnhardt, A. Schmusch (DLR)
- Stargazing – G. Poggiali (INAF)
| Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) | Local Organizing Committee (LOC) |
| M. Baqué (DLR) J. Boerner (UK) J Dodiya (IU) P. Irmisch (DLR) C. Riedel (UP) G. Poggiali (INAF) T. Bohnhardt (DLR) A. Pisello (UniPG) G. Ortenzi (INGV) W. Geppert (EAI) R. G. Urso (INAF) | A. Pisello (UniPG) G. Ortenzi (INGV) M. Porreca (UniPG) R. G. Urso (INAF) S. Ieva (INAF) A. Cassaro (ASI) V. Unnithan (CU) F. Sohl (DLR) K. Gwinner (DLR) |
Application
Admission is subject to limited availability (ca. 20-30 students) and will be selected by the organizing committee after the evaluation of two documents:
- a 1-page CV
- a one-minute video or one Slide/Poster introducing yourself informally and explaining why you want to participate.
To apply, send an email to alessandro.pisello@unipg.it with the subject “PETRAS 26 APPLICATION” attaching the two documents (document as .doc, PDF, .ppt or Jpeg and video as MP4, MOV or AVI).
The application deadline is March 27th.
Costs
PETRAS summer school for students/Phd candidates/Post docs is offered for free, thanks to the contributions of the involved institutions.
Lectures will take place at the Vulcano Blu residence, where the LOC can also accomodate students at a discounted price in apartments for 4-8 people with kitchen and bathroom. Accommodation costs should be covered by the attendees: maximum expected cost for accomodation is between 300 and 350 EUR for the whole period pf the school, thanks to an agreement between the organization and the residence. The LOC will handle the booking and the accommodation arrangement. Please do not book by yourself, but follow the instructions given by the LOC once your application is accepted.
The attendance from 27/05 to 01/06 is compulsory to obtain a certificate of attendance. Lectures will start on 27/05 at 15:00, students are therefore required to arrive on the island on the morning of the 27th or on the evening of the 26th.
PETRAS 2025 group picture.
PETRAS 2024 Group Picture
How to reach Vulcano island
Participants should be on the island on May 27th, activities start at 15:00. It is strongly recommended to be on the island at latest in the late morning.
The island can be reached by boat from Naples, from Reggio Calabria or from Sicily: the nearest international airports are Naples (Napoli Capodichino airport) and Catania (Catania Fontanarossa airport):
– If you land in Naples, it is necessary to be there on May 26th since there is a weekly ferry (operated by Siremar/Caronte&Tourist) leaving from Naples’ central harbor on at 20:00 arriving on Vulcano the next morning. Some fast boats also serve this lines.
– If you land in Catania: there are daily buses leaving from Catania airport to reach Milazzo harbor (2 hours connection). From there, several fast boats are available to reach Vulcano (operated by Liberty Lines) . If you choose this option, be aware that it takes averagely 3-4 hours from Catania’s airport to Vulcano island.
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Special thanks for Logo Artwork: Maria Teresa Muscari Tomajoli