Stefano Ferraris

Stefano Ferraris is a Full Professor at the Interuniversity Department of Territorial Sciences, Planning and Policies (DIST), jointly affiliated with the Polytechnic University of Turin and the University of Turin. He serves as Deputy Coordinator of the Doctoral College in Urban and Regional Development and actively teaches in both the Urban and Regional Development and Modeling and Data Science PhD programs across multiple academic cycles. His academic leadership includes guiding doctoral students and contributing to interdisciplinary research in environmental and territorial sciences.

His research interests are centered on environmental hydrology, soil moisture dynamics, climate change impacts, and sustainable land use, particularly in alpine and agricultural ecosystems. Key areas include real-time environmental monitoring, data integration for climate systems, and innovative soil management in viticulture. He applies advanced tools such as cosmic-ray neutron sensing, eddy covariance, stable isotopes, and radar-based monitoring to study water-soil-vegetation interactions.

The recent publications (2024) highlight a strong trend in field-scale environmental monitoring, climate model validation, and sustainable agriculture, particularly in North-West Italy. His work bridges data science, hydrology, and land management, often in mountainous and peri-urban regions. There is a clear emphasis on practical applications, including irrigation optimization and groundwater vulnerability under climate change.

Scientific Projects and Leadership:

• CIRCE (2014–2015) – Scientific Manager
• NEXTDATA / NEXTSNOW (2013–2015) – Scientific Director
• Soil Humidity Estimation Improvement (2022–2025) – Scientific Manager
• Automatic Slope Monitoring System (2020–2021) – Scientific Manager
• Climate Change Impact on Groundwater (2016–2019) – Scientific Manager
• PRIN Project: WATER mixing in the critical ZONe
• Flood monitoring in Tanaro River and ecosystem function assessment in Vercelli

Stefano Ferraris supervises PhD students including Giorgio Capello (on sustainable vineyard soils) and Alessio Gentile (on alpine hydrology using isotopes). He is affiliated with the LABFLUX research laboratory at DIST, which focuses on environmental fluxes and data-driven modeling. His research is supported by regional, national, and commercial grants, reflecting strong institutional and practical relevance.