Member Spotlight: Francesca Viliani (Italy/Denmark)
IAIA member Francesca Viliani shares how growing up in Italy led her to impact assessment, plus some tips for new IA practitioners.
TRANSCRIPT
Hi. I’m Francesca Viliani. I am originally from Italy, and I live in Copenhagen. I’ve been a long-time member of IAIA — I think I’ve been a member for 20 years. I think I’ve never missed a conference.
How is being a member of IAIA valuable to you?
It’s valuable because for me IAIA is like a square — it’s like a place. It can be virtual or physical. It’s a great place to meet colleagues or come discuss and exchange ideas and bring issues we are passionate about forward. So it’s very valuable.
What is one tip you have for new impact assessment professionals?
Some time ago we did a special issue of the journal IAPA, and it was called “The Art and Science of Impact Assessment.” I strongly believe impact assessment is both art and science. I think for a new professional, get your science very right before you start to experiment on the art component. You can come at IAIA with any questions you can ask — there is no stupid question — but be clear on what you want and what you know. And then be curious — go and get two sessions that you don’t know, meet with an expert of another area — they might really bring your practice to the next level.
What are you reading right now?
I’m a little bit of a geek. I’m reading a lot of comics and different types of visual material. So I’m reading a book called “Les Algues Vertes” — it’s a French one — I think it’s called “The Green Tide” in English. It’s interesting because it’s a journalist that is investigating the death of a few French people on the French coast, and it results that the culprit are the green algae that are there because of industrial pollution. I find it fascinating to see environment, journalism, and comics in one. And for those that don’t like comics, there is a film so you can enjoy the content.
How did you get involved in impact assessment?
I’m originally from Casale Monferrato, a place which has the highest level of mesothelioma in the world due to asbestos production. The factory has been closed for many years but people are still dying of exposure. If an impact assessment had been done — if a health impact assessment had been done, and this is what I’m doing — I think the situation would be very, very different, and we would not see five generations of people dying because of environmental pollution.
