Meet Giuseppe Provenzano, a 22-year-old aspiring economist from Palermo who hopes one day to help monetary and fiscal policy makers by conducting high-quality economic research, which he defines as the financial systems’ “silent hero”. Thanks to the support of the Dompé Foundation, Giuseppe is preparing for his future career with a Master of Science in Economic and Social Sciences at Bocconi. Curious to learn more? Check out our interview.

How do you feel about having won this scholarship?

First of all, this scholarship is the reward for the hard work over the Bachelor’s. Furthermore, it has had a truly powerful effect on me in terms of daily motivation to do better and better every day.

Why did you choose this degree?

I chose the Master of Science in Economic and Social Sciences because it equips students with the quantitative and methodological tools to conduct highly rigorous and cutting-edge economic research, which is what I want to do in the future.

How is economic research relevant today?

I would define high-quality economic research as a “silent hero” thanks to which monetary and fiscal policy makers can operate smoothly and the financial system can stay solid. Problems, instead, arise when policy decisions are taken based on the general sentiment or matters of individual convenience, disregarding the suggestions provided by the evidence. So, in conclusion, I would say that knowledge and competence in the collection, elaboration and interpretation of economic data are necessary for the “silent hero” to effectively do its job.

Who would you have dinner with if you could have it with any person, living or dead?

If I could choose one person to have a dinner with, it would be Friedrich Nietzsche. I’ve always been fascinated by his thoughts, and I’d really like to hear them straight from the “horse’s” mouth. Among the several concepts he proposed, the most interesting one to me, is the concept of eternal recurrence which suggests that individuals should live their lives in such a way that they are willing to experience every moment again and again. And if I could pick one moment to live again and again, it would definitely be playing football with my little sister. She’s 11 years old, I’ve taught her to play football when she was three, now she is way better than me and we will always bond over this activity that keeps us together.