Vincenzo Fiamma

Vincenzo Fiamma serves as Assistant Professor of Ocean Engineering at the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria (UNIRC), where he has been an active member of the NOEL laboratory research team since 2009. Previously, he contributed to the Maritime Engineering Laboratory through the OKEANOS consortium (1998-2008) and participates in Italy's National Group for Defense from Hydrogeological Disasters since 1996. His three-decade career centers on experimental coastal engineering with Professor Boccotti, including foundational work on wave mechanics and energy conversion systems.

His research spans Ocean Engineering, Wave Energy Conversion, and Coastal Protection Systems, characterized by innovative field experiments at sea. Key contributions include the development of U-OWC (U-Oscillating Water Column) breakwaters and REWEC (Resonant Wave Energy Converter) devices for dual-purpose coastal infrastructure. His methodology uniquely bridges theoretical modeling with real-sea validation, advancing sustainable solutions for Mediterranean coastal challenges through practical engineering applications.

Recent publications (2020-2024) demonstrate evolving expertise from wave mechanics fundamentals to integrated renewable energy systems. His work shows increasing interdisciplinary scope, connecting U-OWC technology with coastal hazard analysis, infrastructure resilience, and environmental impacts. Notable trends include Mediterranean-focused full-scale implementations (e.g., Salerno and Civitavecchia ports), advanced uncertainty quantification in floating structures, and investigations into compound climate hazards like concurrent floods and sea storms.

Professor Fiamma has supervised 20 degree theses in maritime engineering and environmental hydraulics while contributing to major national research initiatives. His project portfolio includes multiple biennial Projects of Relevant National Interest (PRIN), notably the 2001 hydrodynamics study of low-crested breakwaters, 2004 coastal protection/wave energy integration project, and 2005 REWEC port breakwater experiment that pioneered wave-to-electricity conversion technologies.

As a core member of UNIRC's NOEL laboratory, he directs experimental campaigns on wave energy converters and coastal structures. His earlier foundational work contributed to Professor Boccotti's seminal texts Idraulica Marittima (1997) and Wave Mechanics for Ocean Engineering (2000), establishing theoretical frameworks still referenced in contemporary research on wave group dynamics and coastal processes.