The CNR Institute ITAE: A Suitable Example of the Contribution of Research in the Sustainability Pathways

This study intends to examine the contribution of research centers to stimulate efficacious sustainability paths, encouraging the creation and the maintenance relationships between the protection and the enhancement of natural resources with economic, social and envi- ronmental aspects. We perform a descriptive-interpretative qualitative research through the case study of Institute of Advanced Technologies for Energy “Nicola Giordano” (ITAE) of Messina, as research institute of the National Council of Research (CNR). Since its foundation, in parallel with the evolution of the concept of sustainability, ITAE has been a reference point and centre for promotion and dissemination of scientific knowledge in close relation to environmental sus- tainability issues, with also the design and implementation of new energy technologies of wide economic and social interest. The paper is organized as follows. In the next section, we start by providing a theoretical framework needed to address the empirical analysis. In section 3, we explain the methodological approach we have followed to perform the analysis, whose results are shown in section 4. Finally, section 5 concludes the paper.