Elena GHEZZO

Elena Ghezzo is a Marie Curie Research Fellow at Ca' Foscari University's Department of Environmental Sciences, Computer Science and Statistics. Her current project (REFIND) focuses on Pleistocene paleontology and integrates remote sensing technologies with traditional field methods. She holds a PhD from the University of Florence (2015) and an MSc from the University of Ferrara (2011), with postgraduate training in GIScience from Padua (2016).

Her research interests span vertebrate paleontology, Quaternary environmental change, and the application of geospatial technologies in fossil detection. Notable projects include taphonomic studies of the Equi cave site in the Apuane Alps and multidisciplinary analysis of Rancho La Brea megafauna extinctions. She has pioneered the use of multispectral satellite imaging for fossil site exploration and contributed to conservation strategies for museum specimens like Anthracotherium magnum.

Ghezzo has been funded by major grants including the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (2018-2021) and DAAD fellowships (2013). She serves on the council of the Italian Paleontological Society and actively reviews for journals like Quaternary Science Reviews and PlosOne. Her work bridges paleoecology with modern conservation, advocating for interdisciplinary approaches through initiatives like the PaiP workshop for early-career researchers.

• Key expertise: Felid evolution, Pleistocene ecosystems, fossil preservation, drone-based archaeology
• Recent focus: Fire-driven ecosystem shifts in late Pleistocene California and paleontological contributions to ecosystem service assessments