SALVATORE SORESI

He is a full professor at the Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua. He has founded the Larios Laboratory and the University Centre for Research and Services on Disability, Rehabilitation and Inclusion of the University of Padova. He is also a founder member of the Italian Society of Vocational Guidance (SIO), of which he was the President for 8 years (and now member of the Executive Board), and of the European Society of Vocational Designing and Career Counseling. In 2008 he received an award from the Society of Counseling Psychology (American Psychological Association), in 2013 from the ESVDC for his envisioning work in career field, and in 2014 the award ‘For Distinguished Contributions to International Counseling Psychology’ from the International Association of Applied Psychology. In 2000 he has received the ‘High patronage of the President of the Italian Republic’ for the Magellano Project. He is member of the Life Design Group, of the Career Adaptability International Collaborative Group, and of the Steering Committee in the Nice project. He was member of the Special Task Group ‘Globalization’ of Division 17 – American Psychological Association (from 2011).

He is the founder and the coordinator of the Italian Network University Training in Vocational Guidance (from 2010) and of the International Hope Research Team — IHRT (from 2011), that involve numerous Italian and foreign Universities. He is the founder and the coordinator of Italian University Networks on Counseling (from 2012). He is the author of about three hundred publications, more than twenty books, and a number of important assessment instruments, among which the portfolios Optimist and Clipper, and the Magellano Project (Giunti-OS, Firenze).

As regards vocational psychology and career counseling, research efforts are directed toward the study of variables involved in Life Design model and toward the planning of preventive intervention programs (for vulnerable persons, persons with disabilities, immigrants, ecc.). In recent years, within the SIO, Nice and Italian network, he has studied the theme of the career counselors competencies and has proposed specific competencies repertories and specific training courses. As regards the field of psychology of disability and inclusion, research efforts are directed toward the study of the problems associated to the development of social abilities, and the issues raised by school, work and social inclusion of individuals with disability, family and social health workers involvement. Particular attention is given to the vocational designing of persons with disabilities.