Giovanna Pedroni

I am Giovanna Pedroni, born on October 4, 1999. I grew up and currently live with my family in Gnosca, a small village of about 800 inhabitants in the Bellinzona area. I have a 23-year-old sister who studies philosophy in Paris — my wise and inexhaustible source of support.

I studied Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich, where I completed both a Bachelor’s degree (2018–2022) and a Master’s degree (2022–2023) specializing in Public Health, graduating in July 2023. At ETH, I worked as a teaching assistant for four semesters, a valuable experience that allowed me to learn how to teach, stay in close contact with the academic world, and develop a strong critical mindset.

I then completed a research internship at the Institute of Public Health at the Università della Svizzera italiana, where I also wrote my Master’s thesis titled “The Importance of a Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Mental Health Problems during Crisis Situations: Evidence from Corona Immunitas Ticino” under the supervision of Dr. Anne-Linda Camerini. Subsequently, I continued working (2022–2023) at the Institute on two projects related to concussions: one, in collaboration with Ticino-based physicians, aimed at studying the current state of concussion awareness among young and adolescent athletes; the other, in collaboration with the Universities of Lucerne and Lausanne, focused on designing head injury prevention campaigns by engaging experts in the field.

Since July 2024, I have been a PhD student on the GIOCO project "The role of analogue, hybrid and digital play in the socio-emotional and cognitive-physical functioning of school-age children and adolescents: A mixed-methods study" under the supervision of Dr Anne-Linda Camerini. Given my background in public health, I primarily focus on the physical-cognitive aspects, whilst my colleague, Matilde Melotto, concentrates on the socio-emotional aspects.
I am also involved in the VIDEOGAME project. VIDEOGAME is an educational programme aimed at primary school children (aged 8–11), developed by Pascal Derigo and Stefania Nessi, teachers at Bellinzona’s municipal schools, with the support of the Centro Risorse Didattiche e Digitali (CERDD). The aim is to promote the responsible use of video games.

In my free time, I love sports: gym training, climbing, running, cycling, and skiing in winter. I hold a personal trainer certificate, a fitness instructor certificate, and a G+S ski instructor certification. I care deeply about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, built on balance, self-care, and a sense of responsibility.

Politics is a genuine passion for me, fueled by the desire to help build a fairer, more responsible, and more supportive society. I believe in the values of freedom, individual responsibility, and solidarity as fundamental pillars of a prosperous and dynamic community. Indeed, I am president of Giovani del Centro Ticino, I am also a member of the Bellinzona City Council for the “Il Centro” party and serve as secretary of the Gnosca Neighborhood Association. 

After completing my studies at ETH Zurich, I chose with conviction to return to my home region of Canton Ticino — a place that has given me so much and to which I now wish to give back, with enthusiasm, rigor, and energy, everything I have learned throughout my academic journey. This is why I have decided to actively engage in the world of politics and civic commitment: to help make Ticino a better, more attractive place, focused on a future of growth and well-being.

Projects

PhD Project GIOCO

PhD Project VIDEOGAME

Young athletes and concussion: a study of the situation in Italian-speaking Switzerland