On 13 May 2026, the Department of Mathematics at Politecnico di Milano hosted the closing event of the METHEXIS 2.0 project, whose acronym stands for MatEmaTicHe, narratives and generative spaces for extremely fragile contexts (MatEmaTicHe, narrazioni e spazi gEnerativi per ContestI eStremamente fragili). The project was funded through the Polisocial Award 2024 with the support of the Italian 5×1000 tax donation scheme.
Building on the experience developed at Off Campus San Vittore and carried out in collaboration with the Department of Physics, the project involved more than 80 young adults detained at the Francesco Di Cataldo Prison in Milan. By bringing mathematics and physics into the prison environment, METHEXIS created opportunities for learning, collaboration, and personal growth.
Impact
At the heart of the project were informal mathematics and physics workshops based on problem-solving activities involving puzzles, strategy games, tangrams, skyscrapers, symmetries and other hands-on challenges. The activities were designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of educational background or native language. No grades, assessments or prerequisites were required.
Throughout the project, tutors kept reflective journals, while questionnaires and participants’ feedback provided valuable insights into its impact. Their testimonies tell stories of renewed confidence and self-discovery. As one participant wrote, “I discovered that I am more intelligent than I thought.” Another commented, “These activities are also useful for our future outside of here.”
Project Highlights
Over the last two years, starting with the Polisocial Award 2023 and continuing with the 2024 edition, METHEXIS delivered nine workshop cycles involving both the young adults’ and women’s sections of San Vittore Prison, as well as the Bergamo Correctional Facility.
Eight students from Politecnico di Milano participated as tutors through the PiA course Teaching Mathematics in Fragile Contexts.
The initiative also expanded beyond the prison setting through two outreach events: Pi Day 2025 and the International Day of Women in Mathematics (12 May).
Mathematics as a Right
METHEXIS is grounded in the belief that mathematics is not only an academic discipline, but also a cultural and transformative tool — a fundamental right that helps people understand and navigate the world.
The workshops were designed to foster participants’ empowerment on three levels: mathematical, social and epistemological. Research findings confirm the effectiveness of this approach. Participants showed higher levels of engagement, greater confidence in their own abilities, and an increased capacity to build positive relationships with both peers and prison staff.
The Closing Event
On 13 May 2026, the Council Room of the Department of Mathematics hosted the project’s closing event, attended by researchers, students, prison professionals, and representatives of San Vittore Prison and the Regional Prison Administration.
The event opened with remarks by Alessandro Perego, Vice Rector for Sustainable Development and Impact at Politecnico di Milano, together with Irene Sabadini, Director of the Department of Mathematics, and Mauro Nisoli, Director of the Department of Physics. They highlighted the value of initiatives capable of translating the University’s Third Mission into meaningful action with tangible social impact.
Representatives of the Regional Prison Administration, prison officers and educational staff expressed strong appreciation for the project, emphasizing how participation extended beyond the inmates themselves. Prison personnel became actively involved, engaging with the same challenges and activities proposed during the workshops.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to share the project’s outcomes, reflect on its impact, and celebrate the achievements of everyone involved.
Looking Ahead
The educational materials developed throughout the project are freely available at www.methexis.polimi.it/download for anyone interested in replicating this model in other educational settings or contexts of social marginalisation.
Project Team
The project is coordinated by Domenico Brunetto (Department of Mathematics) and includes Monica Conti, Maurizio Zani, Giulia Bernardi, Giulia Cavallari, Sofia Galli, Roberto Virzi, Andrea Corti, Roberto Mazzola, Francesco Nappo, Ben Jeffers (Math in Prison), Alberto Pellegrini and Agostino Scotti Camuzzi.
In addition to the research team, the event featured contributions from:
- Alessandro Perego, Vice Rector for Sustainable Development and Impact, Politecnico di Milano
- Maria Milano Franco d’Aragona, Regional Director of Prison Administration (PRAP Lombardia)
- Giovanna Propato, Head of the Prison Police Personnel Division, Regional Prison Administration (PRAP Lombardia)
- Irene Sabadini, Director of the Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano
- Mauro Nisoli, Director of the Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano
- Loredana Papararo, Educational and Legal Officer, San Vittore Prison
- Antonella Bruzzese, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Off Campus Programme