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At the end of the academic year, beloved teacher and Linguistics track fellow Gaetano Fiorin will be leaving ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ College Utrecht to take on a new position at the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Trieste in Italy. Before we wish him the best with this new adventure, we asked Gaetano to look back at his time at UCU and share some of his favourite memories with us.

Gaetano has been a member of UCU’s academic staff since 2011. He has taught courses on linguistics, logic, and methodology, such as introduction to Linguistics: Language and the Mind, Language Form and Meaning, Predicate Logic, and The Humanities Lab: Logic and Discourse. Gaetano has also played a key role in curricular development as Linguistic Fellow, and he has contributed to the essay collection, written and edited by UCU faculty members .

As a researcher, Gaetano has been affiliated with the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ. He has researched both theoretical and experimental linguistics, as well as the philosophy of language and the interface between language and perception. Gaetano has also published two books, written in partnership with fellow linguist Denis Delfitto of the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Verona - and .

How are you doing? What keeps you busy these days?

I'm doing well, thanks for asking! A little overwhelmed, I can't deny, but at the same time full of energy for what's coming next. By nature (curse or blessing?) I'm always busy with something, and this time is no different in that respect. I'm working on two new publications - one on the first-person and one on proper names - and as always I'm busy with my music and , an art collective of which I'm a founding member. 

Take us back in time: how did you end up at UCU? What drew you to working at the college?

I started at UCU in January of 2011.  At the time, I was a post-doc in Neurolinguistics at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ and was encouraged by fellow linguist Jocelyn Ballantyne to apply for an opening. I was initially hired as a tutor but began almost immediately teaching. When I think about it, it seems like yesterday!

What was the first class you taught at UCU, and how do you remember it?

I remember very clearly the first class I taught at UCU. It was an introduction to Logic. I had prepared some very extensive class notes and was afraid I wouldn't be able to cover them all in the 1 hour and 45 minutes allocated. So I rushed and, in the end, I finished 30 minutes earlier. The second class, then, I decided to take it more slowly. When I was halfway through my class notes, a student very politely pointed out that class time was actually over since a good 15 minutes. On the third class, finally, everything went well, and so has every other class since then (more or less)!

What did you enjoy most about your time at UCU?

Many things. The academic interactions most especially. I have learned so much from so many colleagues and students. My work on Wittgenstein, of which I'm especially proud, has certainly happened thanks to these interactions. I have also enjoyed immensely the beautiful UCU campus and sharing office with my colleague Nina. It was a fortune to be able to share such a vibrant atmosphere together. Plus, our office assistant, Ms. Moneypenny, made sure no bird would approach our windows (a vexing problem these days, as is well known).

Is UCU different now from when you started, and if so how? Did you have a part in the change?

Inevitably, and thankfully. Time passes, people come and go, and every year a new cohort of students arrives and another leaves. I cherish that UCU has remained faithful throughout the years to its ambition to foster a form of education that is more liberal, creative, and communal and less materialistic, utilitarian, and individualistic. I couldn't say if I have contributed any change. I like to think that my most valuable contribution to UCU, if any, has been in my role as educator. As long as one word I said has had a positive impact on at least one student, I'm happy. 

What are you the most looking forward to in moving to Italy and joining the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Trieste?

In the past years, I have laid down the ground work for a research project on the relation between natural language syntax, the way words are organized in language, and musical rhythm, the way musical events are organized in time. In Trieste, I hope I will be able to get this research project up and running. Of course, I'm also looking forward to the change of scenery and environment. Trieste is a very fascinating city, with many peculiar features and a rich history. I'm also intrigued by the idea of returning to my home country after such a long time. While I'm sure many things will be familiar, I also know that many things have changed.

What is your farewell message to the UCU community? 

My farewell message to the UCU community is that I'm grateful that I have had the opportunity to be a part of it and benefit from it so greatly. I'm grateful for what I have learned, I'm grateful for the friendships I have made, and I hope they will last in the future. 

Grazie mille, Gaetano, and we wish you the very best with this next chapter of your life and career. Ciao, alla prossima!