43 Notable Alumni of the University of Catania [Sorted List]

Franco Battiato

Born in: Italy
Years: 1945-2021 (aged 76)
Occupations: film directorwriterfilm screenwritercomposerscreenwriter
Biography: Francesco "Franco" Battiato was an Italian musician, singer, composer, filmmaker and, under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani, also a painter. Battiato's songs explore many themes (including, but not limited to, philosophy, art, spirituality, science, introspection, innovation, esotericism, religiousness), and have spanned genres such as experimental pop, electronic music, minimalism, avant-garde, progressive rock, new wave, symphonic music, sound collage, opera, oratorio and movie soundtrack.

Miriam Leone

Born in: Italy
Years: 1985-.. (age 41)
Occupations: actorbeauty pageant contestantmodelfilm actorstage actor
Biography: Miriam Leone is an Italian actress and beauty queen. She was crowned Miss Italia 2008.

Pippo Baudo

Born in: Italy
Years: 1936-2025 (aged 89)
Enrolled in the University of Catania: Studied law
Occupations: television presenterradio personalitylyricist
Biography: Giuseppe Raimondo Vittorio "Pippo" Baudo was an Italian television presenter. One of the most notable in his native country, he had a career spanning six decades, which included 13 editions of the Sanremo Music Festival – the highest number for a single presenter.

Giovanni Verga

Born in: Italy
Years: 1840-1922 (aged 82)
Occupations: playwrightscreenwriterwriterprose writerphotographer
Biography: Giovanni Carmelo Verga di Fontanabianca was an Italian realist (verista) writer. His novels I Malavoglia (1881) and Mastro-don Gesualdo (1889) are widely recognized as masterpieces. Verga has been called the greatest Italian novelist after Manzoni. D. H. Lawrence translated several of his works into English.

Lucia Azzolina

Born in: Italy
Years: 1982-.. (age 44)
Enrolled in the University of Catania: Graduated with laurea in philosophy and literature
Occupations: teacherpolitician
Biography: Lucia Azzolina is an Italian politician and teacher. She was the Minister of Education during the Conte II Cabinet.

Umberto Agnelli

Born in: Switzerland
Years: 1934-2004 (aged 70)
Occupations: engineerbusinesspersonentrepreneurpolitician
Biography: Umberto Agnelli was an Italian industrialist and politician. He was the third son of Virginia (born Donna Virginia Bourbon del Monte) and Edoardo Agnelli, and the youngest brother of Gianni Agnelli.

Anna Valle

Born in: Italy
Years: 1975-.. (age 51)
Occupations: modelbeauty pageant contestantactorfilm actor
Biography: Anna Valle is an Italian actress and beauty pageant titleholder.

Nicola Gratteri

Born in: Italy
Years: 1958-.. (age 68)
Occupations: writerprosecutor
Biography: Nicola Gratteri is an Italian prosecutor. He grew up in southern Italy and after he witnessed the brutal methods of the 'Ndrangheta mafia group, he resolved to work against them. After studying for a law degree, he became a prosecutor working to bring mafia members to justice. Gratteri has survived a number of assassination attempts related to his work and is now protected by an armed guard. In 2014, prime minister Matteo Renzi unsuccessfully proposed him as Minister of Justice. Gratteri was prosecutor of Catanzaro from 2016 and of Naples from 2023.

Giulia Grillo

Born in: Italy
Years: 1975-.. (age 51)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Giulia Grillo is an Italian physician and politician who served as the Italian Minister of Health from 1 June 2018 to 5 September 2019. A member of the Five Star Movement, she has served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies since 15 March 2013.

Donatella Finocchiaro

Born in: Italy
Years: 1970-.. (age 56)
Occupations: actorfilm director
Biography: Donatella Finocchiaro is an Italian actress. She has appeared in more than 60 films since 2002. She starred in The Wedding Director, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

Giuseppe Fava

Born in: Italy
Years: 1925-1984 (aged 59)
Occupations: writerjournalistpoet lawyerscreenwriter
Biography: Giuseppe "Pippo" Fava was an Italian writer, investigative journalist, playwright, and Antimafia activist who was killed by the Mafia. He was the founder of the I Siciliani, a monthly magazine. His motto in life was "Is there any use in living if you don't have the courage to fight?"

Gesualdo Bufalino

Born in: Italy
Years: 1920-1996 (aged 76)
Occupations: translatorpoetteacherwriter
Biography: Gesualdo Bufalino, was an Italian writer who lived in Sicily for most of his life.

Manlio Sgalambro

Born in: Italy
Years: 1924-2014 (aged 90)
Occupations: librettistpoetscreenwriterwritersinger-songwriter
Biography: Manlio Sgalambro was an Italian philosopher, writer, and poet born in Lentini.

Luigi Capuana

Born in: Italy
Years: 1839-1915 (aged 76)
Occupations: literary criticscience fiction writerwriterjournalistpoet
Biography: Luigi Capuana was an Italian author and journalist and one of the main exponents of Verismo. He was a contemporary of Giovanni Verga, both having been born in the province of Catania within a year of each other. He was also one of the first Italian authors influenced by the works of Émile Zola, French author and creator of naturalism. His critical theories on naturalism envisaged the ultimate fusion of the novel into a purely scientific, impersonal, case-history.

Claudio Fava

Born in: Italy
Years: 1957-.. (age 69)
Occupations: poet lawyerscreenwriterwriterfilm directorpolitician
Biography: Claudio Fava is an Italian politician and writer. He is the Coordinator of the National Secretariat of Sinistra Ecologia Libertà (Left Ecology Freedom). He was until 2009 Member of the European Parliament for the Italian Islands with the Democratic Left (SD), part of the Socialist Group and is vice-chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development.

Anna Finocchiaro

Born in: Italy
Years: 1955-.. (age 71)
Occupations: judgepoliticianmagistrate
Biography: Anna Finocchiaro Fidelbo is an Italian politician. She was the Democratic Party's leader in the Senate from 2007 to 2013. She served as Minister for Equal Opportunities in the cabinet of Romano Prodi from 1996 to 1998.

Vitaliano Brancati

Born in: Italy
Years: 1907-1954 (aged 47)
Occupations: screenwriternovelistwriterplaywrightpoet
Biography: Vitaliano Brancati was an Italian novelist, dramatist, poet and screenwriter.

Salvo Randone

Born in: Italy
Years: 1906-1991 (aged 85)
Occupations: film actorradio drama actorstage actor
Biography: Salvatore Randone, known professionally as Salvo Randone, was an Italian stage, film and television actor.

Pietro Bartolo

Born in: Italy
Years: 1956-.. (age 70)
Occupations: politicianphysician
Biography: Pietro Bartolo, OMRI, MEP, is an Italian doctor and politician. From 1992 to 2019, he was known as the responsible medician for first visits to migrants who landed in Lampedusa; in 25 years, he examined and cared for about 250,000 refugees on the island. In 2019, Bartolo was elected as a member of the European Parliament for the Democratic Party.

Raffaele Lombardo

Born in: Italy
Years: 1950-.. (age 76)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Raffaele Lombardo Italian pronunciation: [raffaˈɛːle lomˈbardo]; is an Italian politician. Born in Catania, he was Sicily's president and former member of the European Parliament for the Italian Islands with the Movement for the Autonomies, and has sat on the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Enzo Bianco

Born in: Italy
Years: 1951-.. (age 75)
Occupations: lawyerpolitician
Biography: Enzo Bianco is an Italian politician, former mayor of Catania and former Minister of the Interior.

Salvo Pogliese

Born in: Italy
Years: 1972-.. (age 54)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Salvatore Domenico Antonio Pogliese is an Italian politician, Mayor of Catania from 2018 to 2022.

Nadia Terranova

Born in: Italy
Years: 1978-.. (age 48)
Occupations: bloggerchildren's writerlecturerwriter
Biography: Nadia Terranova is an Italian author.

Augusto Barbera

Born in: Italy
Years: 1938-.. (age 88)
Occupations: juristjudge of the Constitutional Court of Italypolitician
Biography: Augusto Antonio Barbera is an Italian judge and former constitutional law professor at the University of Bologna. In his political career he was member of the Chamber of Deputies between 1976 and 1994 for the Italian Communist Party and later the Democratic Party of the Left. In 1993 he served shortly as Minister without portfolio for relations with Parliament in the government of Prime Minister Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Barbera has been Judge of the Constitutional Court of Italy since 21 December 2015 and its President since 12 December 2023.

Umberto Scapagnini

Born in: Italy
Years: 1941-2013 (aged 72)
Occupations: politicianphysician
Biography: Umberto Scapagnini was an Italian politician, former mayor of Catania.

Salvo Andò

Born in: Italy
Years: 1945-.. (age 81)
Occupations: juristjournalistuniversity teacherpolitician
Biography: Salvatore "Salvo" Andò is an Italian academic and politician. He was the minister of defence between 1992 and 1993.

Raffaele Stancanelli

Born in: Italy
Years: 1950-.. (age 76)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Raffaele Stancanelli is an Italian politician.

Mario Michele Giarrusso

Born in: Italy
Years: 1965-.. (age 61)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Mario Michele Giarrusso was an Italian Senator. He is a member of the Italexit party, after being expelled from the Five Star Movement. He represents Sicily.

Giuseppe La Farina

Born in: Italy
Years: 1815-1863 (aged 48)
Occupations: politicianwriterjournalist
Biography: Giuseppe La Farina was an Italian lawyer, journalist and politician. He was an influential leader of the Italian Risorgimento. He was founder of the Italian National Society in 1857, a society dedicated to the unification of Italy.

Gaetano Fichera

Born in: Italy
Years: 1922-1996 (aged 74)
Enrolled in the University of Catania: Studied in 1937-1939
Occupations: university teachermathematicianhistorian of mathematics
Biography: Gaetano Fichera was an Italian mathematician, working in mathematical analysis, linear elasticity, partial differential equations and several complex variables. He was born in Acireale, and died in Rome.

Giuseppe De Felice Giuffrida

Born in: Italy
Years: 1859-1920 (aged 61)
Occupations: journalistpolitician
Biography: Giuseppe De Felice Giuffrida was an Italian socialist politician and journalist from Sicily. He is considered to be one of the founders of the Fasci Siciliani (Sicilian Leagues) a popular movement of democratic and socialist inspiration. As the first socialist mayor of Catania in Sicily, from 1902 until 1914, he became the protagonist of a kind of municipal socialism.

Antonio Mario La Pergola

Born in: Italy
Years: 1931-2007 (aged 76)
Occupations: juristjudgeuniversity teacherpolitician
Biography: Antonio Mario La Pergola was an Italian jurist, Advocate General and later Judge for the European Court of Justice, as well as President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.

Tommaso Campailla

Born in: Italy
Years: 1668-1740 (aged 72)
Occupations: physicianpoetphilosopher
Biography: Tommaso Campailla was an Italian philosopher, physician, politician and poet.

Urania Papatheu

Born in: Italy
Years: 1965-.. (age 61)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Urania Giulia Rosina Papatheu is an Italian politician from Forza Italia. She represented Sicily in the Senate of Italy from 2018 to 2022.

Filippo Cordova

Born in: Italy
Years: 1811-1868 (aged 57)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Filippo Cordova was an Italian patriot, jurist and politician.

Simona Suriano

Born in: Italy
Years: 1978-.. (age 48)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Simona Suriano is an Italian politician. She was elected to be a deputy to the Parliament of Italy in the 2018 Italian general election for the Legislature XVIII of Italy.

Giulio Crimi

Born in: Italy
Years: 1885-1939 (aged 54)
Occupations: teacheropera singer
Biography: Giulio Crimi was an Italian operatic tenor.

Marialuisa Faro

Born in: Italy
Years: 1984-.. (age 42)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Marialuisa Faro is an Italian politician and a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies in the XVIII legislature of the Italian Republic representing the Five Star Movement.

Nicolò Mineo

Born in: Italy
Years: 1934-2023 (aged 89)
Occupations: literary criticphilologistuniversity teacherpolitician
Biography: Nicolò Mineo was an Italian literary critic, literary historian and philologist. He was professor emeritus of Italian literature at the University of Catania from 2010.

Piero Carnabuci

Born in: Italy
Years: 1895-1958 (aged 63)
Occupations: film actortelevision actorstage actor
Biography: Piero Carnabuci was an Italian stage and film actor.

Vito Latora

Born in: Italy
Occupations: physicistuniversity teacher
Biography: Vito Latora is an Italian physicist, currently Professor in Applied Mathematics at the School of Mathematical Sciences of the Queen Mary University of London. He is known for his works on complex systems, in particular on the structure and dynamics of complex networks.

Salvatore Raiti

Born in: Italy
Years: 1965-.. (age 61)
Occupations: lawyerpolitician
Biography: Salvatore Raiti is an Italian politician.

Filippo Drago

Born in: Italy
Years: 1954-.. (age 72)
Occupations: psychiatristneuroscientistpharmacologistuniversity teacher
Biography: Filippo Drago is an Italian pharmacologist, neurologist and psychiatrist.