SISSA, the International School for Advanced Studies, was founded in 1978 and is a scientific center of excellence within the national and international academic scene. Located in Italy, in the city of Trieste, it features 71 professors, about 115 post-docs, 281 PhD students and 102 technical administrative staff. Situated on the scenic Karst upland, the School is surrounded by a 25 acre park, and offers a stunning view of the Gulf of Trieste. The three main research areas of SISSA are Physics, Neuroscience and Mathematics.