From a young age, Matteo Giacani exhibited a keen interest in building things, including small planes and rockets. His fascination with scientific subjects like mathematics and physics naturally led him to pursue an education in aerospace engineering.  

This passion for aerospace engineering fueled Giacani's educational journey, which began with his pursuit of a bachelor's degree at Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy. Driven by his ambition for further academic excellence, Giacani's aspirations extended beyond his undergraduate studies, ultimately leading him to Georgia Tech's aerospace engineering master's program. 

“Georgia Tech has one of the best-ranked aerospace engineering programs in the world. My choice was based on the university rankings,” said Giacani.  

Fall 2023 marked the beginning of Giacani’s graduate journey at Georgia Tech. He also received the exclusive Domenica Rea D’Onofrio Fellowship, which is only awarded to native Italian citizens.  

“Being economically covered helped me focus on my studies, and in Fall 2023, I managed to both start doing some research and take four graduate-level classes where I got all A’s,” said Giacani. “Considering the rhythm at which I am going, I will be able to graduate in three terms.”  

While Giacani is thriving in his studies now, adapting to the American academic system posed a challenge for him initially.  

“Being used to the Italian academic system, it was not easy to adapt to the American one with a lot of constant coursework and stress across the term,” said Giacani. “At first, I got overwhelmed, but working out every day helped me get all the stress out and stay consistent with getting a perfect GPA.”  

Giacani emphasizes the importance of his daily workouts at Tech’s gym as a crucial aspect of his routine to destress and prepare for the challenges of the next day.  

With an open mind toward future opportunities, Giacani positions himself for a promising future in aerospace engineering. He expects to graduate with his master’s after just three terms in August 2024.