Anna Picco-Schwendener is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and scientific collaborator at USI’s eLearning Lab. She coordinates the CCdigitallaw project and lectures on Online Communication Design and E-Government, with research spanning e-Government, wireless networks, digital law, and sustainable tourism applications. She earned her Communication Sciences degree with Communication Technologies specialization from USI. Prior to academia, she managed IT infrastructure and corporate training at Duferco SA, a Lugano-based steel trading company. Her research examines user motivations in wireless communities (e.g., FON networks) and digital governance frameworks. Key projects include Wi-Com (SNF-funded study of hybrid wireless participation), DICE (digital copyright solutions for Swiss HEIs), Mobile UniApp (standardized university mobile applications), and UNESCO Chair initiatives for World Heritage site preservation through technology. Publications from 2010-2011 reveal dual research trajectories: mobile learning adoption in higher education through empirical Ticino-based studies, and socio-technical analyses of wireless community participation using qualitative methods. These works bridge educational technology with network sociology, emphasizing user experience and institutional implementation barriers. She directs externally funded projects including CCdigitallaw (digital law competence center) and MAPAW (privacy-aware systems), developing practical resources like the DICE Copyright Handbook and case study tools. Her grant portfolio demonstrates strong collaboration across Swiss HEIs and international bodies like UNESCO. Embedded in USI’s NewMinE Lab and eLab, she contributes to the Lugano Living Lab (L*3) and UNESCO Chair projects. Her interdisciplinary work integrates LEGO® Serious Play® methodologies with ICT for cultural heritage, focusing on real-world applications in tourism, education, and urban digital infrastructure.




