Michele Donati is an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical, Life and Environmental Sustainability Sciences, University of Parma. With expertise in agricultural economics and agro-environmental policy, he specializes in quantitative analysis using mathematical programming models and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for evaluating sustainability in food systems. His teaching includes courses in Environmental Economics and Economic Modeling, and he leads research on CAP reforms and bio-economic modeling. Education: PhD in Agri-food Economics (2001–2003), Master in Environment and Natural Resource Economics (1999–2000), Degree in Economics (1992–1998) Research: Focuses on CAP policy evaluation, sustainable agri-food supply chains, bio-economic modeling, and greening strategies. Projects include Horizon2020's Strength2Food and EUROTOOLS. Teaching: Environmental Economics (2009–present), Economic Modeling (2008–present), and Rural Development (2011–2012). Awards: Received the 2016 European Association of Agricultural Economists Publication Award for policy contribution.
Paola Lorenzon is an Associate Professor of Physiology at the University of Trieste 's Department of Life Sciences since 2002. She coordinates the International Master's Degree in Neuroscience , serves as Coordinator of the OPBA program , and holds key roles in multiple PhD cycles including Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (XXVIII to XXXVIII cycles) and Biology (SM50). Her research focuses on neuromuscular plasticity , aging effects, and microgravity adaptation mechanisms. Education : Bachelor's in Biological Sciences and PhD in Biochemistry from University of Trieste Research Experience : University of Milan, San Raffaele Milan, University of Ljubljana, University of Bonn Her research spans three main areas: neuromuscular junction plasticity , electrostimulation protocols for muscle regeneration, and Piezo1 ion channels in mechanotransduction. Current projects funded by the Italian Space Agency (MIAG, NEMUSY) investigate muscle atrophy in spaceflight and aging. Notable collaborations include working with Annalisa Bernareggi (electrophysiology), Marina Sciancalepore (electrostimulation), and Alessandra Bosutti (project coordination). Her lab employs primary satellite cell cultures , electrophysiology , and mechanotransduction studies to explore muscle regeneration mechanisms.
Anna Chiara SCAPOLAN is an Associate Professor at the Department of Communication and Economics, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE). Her office is located at Viale Allegri 9, 42121 Reggio Emilia, 2nd floor, office 3.10. She specializes in Business Organization (Scientific-Disciplinary Sector ECON-08/A) and teaches courses related to human resources management, organizational behavior, and sustainable growth. Her research interests focus on: Human Resources Management and Strategic HR Organizational Behavior and Work Organization Digital Workplace and Work Datafication Collaborative Spaces and Coworking Environments Generation Z Work Expectations and Career Development Performance Management in Hybrid Work Contexts Professor Scapolan's research examines the intersection of traditional organizational structures with emerging digital work environments. Her work particularly investigates how digital transformation impacts employee performance, work-life balance, and organizational purpose in both traditional and alternative work settings like coworking spaces. She has conducted extensive empirical research on Italian freelancers, digital nomads, and Generation Z's expectations from the workplace. Her scientific contributions reveal several key trends: The dual impact of digitalization on work-related stress - increasing stress when exceeding certain thresholds of digital actions but reducing stress through positive employee attitudes How collaborative spaces foster organizational purpose and community among freelancers The evolving expectations of Generation Z regarding meaningful work and organizational culture The role of physical workspace design in supporting creativity and innovation Professor Scapolan actively teaches multiple courses at UNIMORE including: Human Resources and Sustainable Growth Organization of Labor Relations People Management Organization and Human Resources Her teaching approach combines traditional lectures with testimonials from managers, case studies, and group project work. She emphasizes the connection between theoretical concepts and practical applications in contemporary organizational settings.
Marco Buzzelli is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication (DISCo) at the University of Milan-Bicocca, where he also obtained his PhD in Computer Science in 2019. His academic career is centered around cutting-edge research in signal, image, and video processing with a specialized focus on color imaging and machine learning applications. Dr. Buzzelli's research interests span multiple interconnected domains within computer vision and image processing. He has established himself as a leading researcher in color constancy, with numerous publications exploring illuminant estimation, white balance algorithms, and perceptual aspects of color imaging. His work extends to video restoration, particularly addressing challenges in low-light conditions and HEVC-compressed video processing. Additional research areas include hyperspectral imaging applications for historical document analysis, food authentication technologies, and neural architecture search for various computer vision tasks. His publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational work in logo recognition and saliency detection toward increasingly sophisticated approaches to color science and video processing. Recent work shows strong emphasis on uncertainty estimation in color constancy, Bayesian optimization for night photography, and multimodal approaches combining spectral information with traditional RGB imaging. His research often bridges theoretical advances with practical applications across diverse domains including cultural heritage preservation, food safety, and computational photography. As an active ELLIS member, Dr. Buzzelli maintains significant European collaborations with institutions including Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Université Jean Monnet, and Universidad de Granada. His research group participates in major challenges such as the NTIRE series on night photography rendering and spectral recovery, contributing both methodological innovations and comprehensive surveys of the field. His laboratory work focuses on developing practical imaging solutions with real-world applications, particularly evident in projects addressing food authentication, historical document analysis, and vision-based monitoring systems. The integration of traditional image processing techniques with modern deep learning approaches characterizes his methodological approach across multiple research domains.
Anita Maria Tabacco is a Full Professor at the Department of Mathematical Sciences (DISMA) of Politecnico di Torino, with a focus on Engineering Education and Harmonic Analysis. She holds multiple administrative roles, including Rector's Delegate for Transparency and Internal Communication, Director of the University Observatory for academic dynamics, and Head of the INDAM local unit. Education: PhD in Mathematics, Washington University in St. Louis (1986) Research: Harmonic and Functional Analysis, Applications to PDEs, Gender Equality in STEM Her recent publications highlight intersections of mathematical analysis, educational technology, and gender diversity initiatives. She has led Erasmus+ projects like HerTechVenture and W-STEM to empower women in tech. Tabacco supervises PhD students including Maria Giulia Ballatore and contributes to textbooks such as Palestra di Analisi Matematica I . She co-leads the TEACH research group at DISMA, integrating pedagogical innovation with advanced mathematics.
Monica Naretto serves as Full Professor of Restoration at the Polytechnic of Turin's Department of Architecture and Design, where she coordinates the Doctoral College of Architectural and Landscape Heritage for the 2024-2027 term and sits on the Doctoral School Council. Previously, she was Deputy Director of the School of Specialization in Architectural and Landscape Heritage from November 2019 to May 2024. Her international academic presence includes visiting positions at the Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art in Paris (2017-2018), Université Clermont Auvergne (2019), and Universidad Internacional de Andalucía (2024). PhD in "History and Criticism of Architectural and Environmental Heritage" (2002) Specialist in "History, analysis and evaluation of architectural and environmental heritage" (1998) Naretto's research program focuses on the intersection of historical architectural knowledge and contemporary conservation practices. Her work examines preventive and planned conservation strategies, the evolution of restoration thought in European contexts (particularly Italian, French, and Belgian), and the practical implementation of architectural restoration projects. She investigates the delicate balance between conservation and innovation, with special attention to how historical sites can be sustainably integrated into modern contexts while maintaining their cultural significance. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on community-based conservation approaches, the documentation and analysis of restoration sites, and the development of systematic methodologies for heritage preservation. Her work bridges theoretical understanding with practical application, addressing both monumental and widespread heritage systems. Basic Research Activities Funding from MIUR, Italy (2018) Premio 'Giovani ricercatori - 2011' from Politecnico di Torino, Italy (2011) Naretto actively mentors PhD candidates including Ester Germani, Xiang Li, Giulia Assalve, and Giulia Beltramo, guiding research on architectural heritage conservation. She leads significant research initiatives such as the PRIMA project for preventive conservation of Monastero Bormida's 'Della Rovere' Castle (2023-2025), protocol development for UNESCO World Heritage sites, and multiple departmental agreements with Italian municipalities for heritage conservation. Her editorial roles with prestigious publications including BIBLIOTECA DI CULTURA DEL RESTAURO and Collana 'Cultural Heritage' demonstrate her influence in shaping conservation discourse. She maintains active participation in international professional networks including the Association des scientifiques au service de la restauration de Notre-Dame de Paris, AHAI - Association des Historiens de l'Art Italien, and SIRA - Società Italiana per il Restauro dell'Architettura, contributing to the advancement of restoration practices globally through scholarly exchange and collaborative projects.
Francesca Rappa is a Full Professor in the Department of Human Anatomy and Histology within the School of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Palermo. Her academic position (BIOS-12/A classification) centers on biomedicine, neuroscience, and advanced diagnostics with a focus on molecular mechanisms of disease. Her research spans multiple interconnected domains centered on stress response systems. Key interests include: Molecular chaperone networks (particularly Hsp60, Hsp90, Hsp27) in carcinogenesis Thyroid and colorectal cancer pathophysiology Glioblastoma multiforme molecular characterization Probiotic interventions for gut-liver-muscle axis disorders Nanovesicle-based therapeutics from citrus and tomatoes Diagnostic applications of heat shock proteins in inflammatory diseases Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on chaperone systems across cancer types (thyroid, salivary, colorectal, brain), with recent expansion into nutraceutical mechanisms involving citrus nanovesicles and golden tomatoes. Her 2023-2025 output shows increasing emphasis on multi-organ communication pathways (gut-brain, gut-liver-muscle) and industrial-scale therapeutic applications. Methodologically, she integrates immunohistochemistry, proteomics, and animal disease models. Teaching responsibilities include core anatomy courses for Medicine and Radiology programs: Anatomy I (10 CFU) and II (6 CFU) for Medicine Human Anatomy with Histology elements (6 CFU) for Radiology Integrated Anatomy/Biochemistry/Physiology modules (12 CFU) She actively supervises graduate research, with four theses directed between 2020-2024 covering celiac disease histopathology, stress protein interactions in colorectal cancer, glioblastoma biomarkers, and thyroid stress responses. Her laboratory work focuses on immunomorphological analysis of chaperone systems in tumor tissues and development of probiotic/nanovesicle interventions for metabolic and inflammatory conditions.
Carolina Giaimo is an Associate Professor at the Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST) at Polytechnic University of Turin, where she serves as Degree Course Leader for Territorial, Urban, and Environmental Landscape Planning. She is also a member of the Interdepartmental Center R3C - Responsible Risk Resilience Centre. Her academic work spans urban and territorial planning with a strong focus on sustainability, resilience, and ecosystem services integration. Dr. Giaimo's research interests center on blue and green infrastructure, climate change adaptation and mitigation, ecosystem services, urban equalization, and metropolitan governance. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications, particularly in developing methods to integrate ecosystem services analysis into urban planning decision-making processes. She has pioneered approaches that demonstrate how urban planning incorporating environmental benefits assessment can significantly reduce land consumption while saving public finances through natural resource protection. Her scholarly output shows a consistent focus on innovative planning approaches that respond to contemporary urban challenges, particularly the integration of ecological considerations into traditional planning frameworks. Recent publications demonstrate growing emphasis on nature-based solutions, urban welfare systems, and the role of public space as the structural framework of contemporary cities. Her work increasingly addresses the intersection of environmental sustainability and social equity in urban contexts. Effective member of AISU International (2022-present) Executive Committee member of INU - Istituto Nazionale di Urbanistica (2019-present) Steering Committee member of INU (2016-present) Member of ESP - Ecosystem Services Partnership (2016-present) Fellow of INU Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta section (2004-present) Director of Urbanistica Informazioni journal (2021-present) As an academic advisor, Dr. Giaimo supervises multiple PhD students working on urban and regional development, with current research focusing on spatial planning and ecological transition. She leads significant research projects including METRO-CASE (2025-2029), a European-funded initiative on metropolitan collaborative strategies. Her collaborative work extends to agreements with the City of Turin for research related to General Urban Planning. Her laboratory work centers around the application of ecosystem services assessment tools like SIMULSOIL for soil management in the Metropolitan City of Turin, demonstrating practical applications of her theoretical frameworks for urban resilience and sustainable planning.
Lorenza Belinda Fontana serves as a Full Professor of Political Science within the Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST) at the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy. Her academic profile is deeply rooted in political geography and human rights studies, with significant contributions to understanding socio-environmental conflicts, ethnic politics, and the dynamics of vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities and domestic workers globally. Fontana's research program critically examines the ethnic dimensions of environmental conflicts, the domestic implementation of human rights for marginalized populations, and the emerging field of wildfire politics. She has pioneered work on the post-2015 development agenda, emphasizing challenges in Global South participation with Sustainable Development Goals. Her methodological approach combines qualitative analysis with intersectional frameworks, often focusing on Latin American contexts but increasingly expanding to Africa and global comparative studies. Her 2024 publications reveal a cohesive research trajectory centered on conflict resolution, human rights advocacy, and environmental justice. Key themes include inter-ethnic conflict dynamics in Colombia, indigenous-peasant rights tensions in Argentina, innovative peacebuilding through forum theatre in Bolivia, and theoretical explorations of ethnic perception. These works demonstrate her commitment to bridging academic research with practical interventions in socio-environmental struggles across the Global South. Her distinguished research contributions have been recognized through: European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant (2023-2028) for the FIREPOL project investigating wildfire politics in the Global South Fontana actively mentors the next generation of scholars, currently supervising PhD candidate Greta Mazzocchi (researching wildfire mobilities in Brazil). Her substantial grant portfolio centers on the €1.5 million ERC Starting Grant for FIREPOL, alongside collaborative projects including 'On Burning Ground' (wildfire politics in Africa) and long-term research on Andean recognition politics. These projects facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration with institutions across Europe, Latin America, and Africa. She leads the FIREPOL research team, which employs comparative methodologies to analyze wildfire governance across multiple Global South contexts. This initiative involves partnerships with environmental scientists, political theorists, and local communities. Additionally, her work connects with broader networks studying socio-environmental justice, including collaborations with human rights organizations and development agencies focused on indigenous rights and sustainable development.
Valeria Vitulano is a Research Fellow and part-time lecturer at the Interuniversity Department of Territorial Sciences, Planning and Policies (DIST) at Politecnico di Torino. She contributes to courses such as Planning the City (Workshop) and Interpreting the City and the Territory , focusing on local and territorial planning. Her research centers on urban planning, green infrastructure integration, and ecological transition strategies. Publications analyze multilevel governance in metropolitan areas (Turin, Stuttgart), socio-environmental welfare models, and historical urban planning frameworks like Turin's 1964 inter-municipal plan. Key collaborations include Carolina Giaimo, Carlo Alberto Barbieri, and Giulio Gabriele Pantaloni. Her work connects spatial planning with climate resilience, territorial equity, and pandemic-era urban challenges. Valeria Vitulano teaches in Urban and Regional Planning and Landscape-Environmental Planning programs, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary urban issues. She has contributed to Green Infrastructure integration Metropolitan governance models Education infrastructure planning through conferences and journal publications.
Fosca Giannotti is a Full Professor at Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, and leads the Pisa KDD Lab - Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Laboratory, a joint research initiative of the University of Pisa and ISTI-CNR. Founded in 1994, the Pisa KDD Lab is one of the earliest research labs focused on data mining. Giannotti is a pioneering scientist in mobility data mining, social network analysis, and privacy-preserving data mining. Her educational background includes a Master Degree in Computer Science from the University of Pisa (1982) with 110/100 cum laude. She has held numerous visiting positions including at MCC in Austin, CWI Amsterdam, UCLA, and the Barabasi Lab at Northeastern University. Giannotti's research focuses on social mining from big data, encompassing smart cities, human dynamics, social and economic networks, ethics and trust, and diffusion of innovations. She has authored more than 300 papers and coordinated tens of European projects and industrial collaborations. Her current work increasingly centers on Explainable AI (XAI), as evidenced by her prestigious ERC Advanced Grant for the XAI project focused on "Science and technology for the explanation of AI decision making." Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on trustworthy AI, with research spanning privacy-preserving techniques, fairness in machine learning, human-AI collaboration frameworks, and medical applications of explainable AI. The breadth of her work demonstrates how data mining principles are being applied across diverse domains from social sciences to healthcare. ERC Advanced Grant for XAI project Premio Internazionale Tecnovisionarie 2021 Intelligenza Artificiale Giannotti has coordinated numerous significant projects including SoBigData (the European research infrastructure on Big Data Analytics and Social Mining), XAI, TAILOR (Foundations of Trustworthy AI), HumanE-AI-Net, and AI4EU. As former coordinator of SoBigData, she led an ecosystem of ten cutting-edge European research centers providing an open platform for interdisciplinary data science. She leads the Pisa KDD Lab, which serves as a hub for research on knowledge discovery and data mining. The lab has been instrumental in developing techniques for mobility data analysis, social network mining, and privacy-preserving data analytics, with applications ranging from smart cities to pandemic response.
Giulio Fontana is affiliated with the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB) at Politecnico di Milano. His research spans robotics, artificial intelligence, and their applications in agriculture and healthcare. He contributes to benchmarking frameworks like ACRE and RoCKIn, focusing on standardized evaluation of robotic systems and AI applications. Primary Affiliation: Politecnico di Milano (DEIB) Research Focus: Robotics, AI, Agricultural Engineering, Bioengineering Fontana has pioneered benchmarking competitions such as ACRE (Agri-Food Competition for Robot Evaluation) and RoCKIn, emphasizing quantitative metrics for robotic performance. His work includes AI-driven pesticide reduction in agriculture, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) in autonomous robotics, and assistive devices for hospital logistics. Recent publications highlight AI-sprint for runtime management of AI applications and multimodal interfaces for robotic wheelchairs. Scientific Contributions : Coordinated design of benchmarking competitions (ACRE, RoCKIn) Developed SLAM benchmarking datasets (Rawseeds project) Innovated AI applications for sustainable agriculture Engineered assistive mobility solutions for healthcare
Mirco Marchetti is an Associate Professor at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, affiliated with the Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari'. He specializes in cybersecurity, network security, and automotive systems. His teaching responsibilities include courses on cybersecurity fundamentals, computer networks, operating systems, and automotive cyber defense. Research interests focus on intrusion detection systems (IDS), vehicular networks (VANETs), machine learning applications in cybersecurity, and automotive cybersecurity. He has contributed to projects like HackCar (automotive attack/defense testbed) and RealCAN (real-time CAN bus analysis tools). His work also explores adversarial attacks on ML-based systems and secure communication protocols for industrial and vehicular systems. Recent publications emphasize automotive cybersecurity (e.g., Mercedes-Benz infotainment system analysis, CAN bus anomaly detection), ML robustness against adversarial attacks, and zero-trust architectures. He collaborates with the SECloud research group (secloud.ing.unimore.it) and uses experimental platforms like Software-Defined Radios for security evaluations. Teaching responsibilities span multiple academic programs including Master's degrees in Computer Engineering and Artificial Intelligence Engineering. Courses emphasize practical skills in Linux/Unix administration, network configuration, and embedded system security.
Renato Ghezzi is an Associate Professor of Economic History at the University of Calabria's Department of Law, Economics and Sociology (DiGES). His research focuses on Mediterranean trade networks, the economic history of Livorno, and the agro-food industry. He has published extensively on topics including early modern maritime commerce, cheese production, and demographic crises. Prof. Ghezzi teaches courses in Economic History for undergraduate programs in Business Administration and Sociology. His work spans both books and articles, analyzing trade between Europe and the Mediterranean, the role of Italian ports, and historical economic systems. Recent research includes studies on post-war agricultural development and the impact of global conflicts on food systems. He is actively engaged in academic conferences, presenting on topics such as maritime networks, cheese manufacturing, and historical food industries. His research combines quantitative analysis with archival studies, often utilizing notarial records to trace trade patterns. Prof. Ghezzi oversees student advising and maintains an active role in departmental activities, including regular office hours and participation in academic initiatives like the StarUPP project. His work contributes to understanding the intersection of economic systems, cultural exchanges, and historical developments in the Mediterranean region.
Oswin Maurer is a tenured Full Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Bolzano (Italy). His work focuses on consumer behavior, tourism management, and experimental design with a strong emphasis on sustainability and innovation. He teaches marketing and tourism management courses in both English and German at the Bachelor and Master levels, including the Bachelor in Tourism, Sport and Event Management and the Master in Tourism Management. Research Interests Professor Maurer explores topics such as pro-environmental behavior in tourism, food waste reduction strategies, and the impact of pricing models on tourist spending. His experimental approaches include interventions like persuasive messaging in hotel buffets and analyzing the role of social media in tourism marketing. He has pioneered studies on workation trends and the integration of work and leisure in South Tyrol. Publications His recent work spans AI adoption challenges in hospitality, metaverse-based consumption patterns, and the socio-economic impacts of tourism. Over 50 publications reflect his focus on sustainability, technology, and behavioral economics. Notable contributions include frameworks for place-related pro-environmental actions and studies on tourism's effects on community well-being. Affiliations He leads the Smart Tourism Laboratory and advises the Tourism Management Club. His research collaborations span international journals like Annals of Tourism Research and Sustainability, emphasizing open-access publishing to maximize impact. Grants & Impact His funded projects address critical issues like food waste reduction in tourism settings and the economic implications of all-inclusive travel packages. He actively engages with policy makers through frameworks for estimating tourism carrying capacity and preserving local resources.
