The Italian Association of Physical Geography and Geomorphology (AIGeo) was established on 22 June 2000 on the initiative of the National Group of Physical Geography and Geomorphology (GNGFG) of the National Research Council (CNR).
AIGeo is a non-profit organisation. Its mission is to promote, support and coordinate research in physical geography and geomorphology. The Association also aims to foster the training of physical geographers and geomorphologists and to promote the dissemination of knowledge related to territory and environment.
The decision to transform the GNGFG into a structured and regulated association was taken with a clear objective. Founded in 1983, the GNGFG had played a key role in the development of research in physical geography, geomorphology and related disciplines. A more formal organisational framework was considered necessary to enhance the visibility and scientific weight of a research field that had been active and productive for several decades.
At the same time, the creation of Working Groups was introduced. These are temporary and voluntary aggregations of members, established to develop scientific initiatives on predefined topics. This structure was designed to provide researchers with a more flexible and effective working tool than the former sectional organisation of the GNGFG.
This decision was undoubtedly bold and not without risks. There were concerns that a more formal structure might compromise the original spirit of free scientific association. Shared activities had always represented an important opportunity for both individual and collective growth within the disciplines of physical geography and geomorphology.
Despite these concerns, the establishment of a stable organisational structure has proven successful.
Membership has steadily increased over time. From the initial group of approximately one hundred members, the Association grew to about 200 members by the end of its first decade. Today, AIGeo counts more than 250 members, following a slow but constant growth trajectory.
Currently, more than 82% of tenured university staff (full professors, associate professors and permanent researchers) belonging to the scientific disciplinary sector GEOS-03 are members of AIGeo. When fixed-term researchers in the same sector are also included, this percentage decreases only slightly, to 79.4%. Overall, university staff currently in service represent more than 40% of the total membership. These figures clearly demonstrate the strong roots of AIGeo within the Italian academic community of physical geography and geomorphology.
A significant contribution also comes from colleagues affiliated with the scientific disciplinary sector GEO/05. Many of them have chosen to join both disciplinary associations, AIGeo and the Italian Association of Applied and Environmental Geology (AIGAA). This choice reflects shared research interests across several thematic areas, as well as their inclusion within the same academic recruitment field.
The Association also benefits from the active participation of colleagues working in research institutes and territorial authorities. For these members, involvement in AIGeo and participation in its initiatives represent an important opportunity for professional and scientific development, both at the individual and collective level.
Since its establishment, AIGeo has organised two Assemblies each year. The spring Assembly is dedicated to statutory obligations, including the approval of final and forecast budgets. The autumn Assembly traditionally includes field excursions organised by the host institutions. These activities have allowed members to explore the wide variety of geomorphological settings across Italy and, in some cases, in international contexts such as Tunisia and Morocco.
In accordance with its Statute, AIGeo has regularly organised scientific conferences since 2005. These meetings have represented key moments for discussion, evaluation and synthesis of ongoing research. They have consistently attracted strong participation from members and have addressed topics of major scientific relevance and societal interest. The main conferences organised to date include:
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Mountains and Plains: Recent Developments in Physical Geography and Geomorphology Research. Padua, 2005
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The Geomorphological Environment and Human Activities: Resources, Risks, Impacts. Turin, 2007
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The Role of Geomorphology in Land Management. Modena, 2009
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Geomorphology in the New Millennium: Climate Change, Process Rates and Extreme Events. Palermo, 2012
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Geomorphology for Society: From Risk Knowledge to Landscape Heritage. Cagliari, 2015
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Living on Faults: Human History and Landscape. Camerino, 2018
Particular attention has always been devoted to early-career researchers. This commitment has taken the form of the creation of a Junior Member category and the establishment of the Italian Young Geomorphologists Group (IYG). The IYG includes AIGeo members aged 35 or younger, who currently represent about 16% of total membership. Since 2005, the Group has organised the Young Geomorphologists Meetings on a biennial basis.
To further support young researchers, the Association has provided grants and financial resources to facilitate participation in scientific initiatives organised in Italy and abroad.
Since its inception, AIGeo has been affiliated with the International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) and has actively contributed to its activities. Italian geomorphological research has received broad international recognition, leading to the election of two Italian scholars as Presidents of the IAG: Mario Panizza (2001–2005) and Mauro Soldati (2017–2022). These appointments represent a significant acknowledgement of their scientific standing and international reputation, and are a source of pride for the entire Association.
The recent pandemic years inevitably slowed some of the Association’s activities, particularly those involving in-person meetings and field excursions. These limitations also reduced opportunities for informal interaction, which have always been a distinctive feature of AIGeo’s community.
Nevertheless, statutory Assemblies were regularly held using online procedures, allowing budgets to be approved and routine obligations to be fulfilled. The Executive Board continued to meet regularly, either remotely or in hybrid mode. Activities included the organisation of webinars, coordination with related scientific associations, the granting of patronage, revisions of the Regulations, and the updating and redesign of the Association’s website.
Among the most notable initiatives launched during this period are the establishment of two scientific awards for young members: one for the best PhD thesis (the Giovan Battista Castiglioni Award) and one for the best scientific paper (the Simona Fratianni Award). In addition, AIGeo promoted the launch of the Urban Geomorphology book series, published by Sapienza University Press. The first two volumes (The Geomorphology of Rome, 2019; The Geomorphology of Palermo, 2021) have already been published with considerable success. Two further volumes are currently in preparation (Naples and Perugia), while two more are in progress (Genoa and Trieste).
Another particularly successful initiative was the first edition of the Winter School in Geomorphological Mapping (2021–2022). The School was organised by the University of Camerino in collaboration with ISPRA and the National Council of Geologists, with strong support from AIGeo. This support included both financial contributions and the involvement of numerous members as lecturers in classroom and field activities.
Overall, the balance of the first 25 years of AIGeo’s activity is clearly positive. The achievements attained are the result of the enthusiastic and selfless commitment of the vast majority of members, at all levels of involvement, in the conception and implementation of the Association’s many initiatives.
This commitment and enthusiasm will undoubtedly continue to characterise AIGeo’s activities in the years to come.