Michele Pigliucci is an Associate Professor of Economic and Political Geography (M-GGR/02) at Link Campus University in Rome. He serves as Rector's Delegate for European Relations and Territorial and Cultural Heritage Policies since 2023, and as an expert in the 'Struttura di missione ZES' under Italy's Ministry of European Affairs since 2024. He holds a PhD in Culture and Territory from the University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' (2014), where he secured five research grants and briefly taught GIS Cartography and European Territorial Planning. He has also been an adjunct professor of Geography and Tourism at the University of Sassari and teaches at eCampus University. His research focuses on geopolitics (European, Balkan, and Slavic regions), territorial cohesion, regional development (especially Southern Italy and port systems), and the History of Geographical Thought. He contributes to the Foundation Ugo Spirito e Renzo De Felice, directing it from 2018–2020 and serving on the editorial board of its journal. His work integrates spatial analysis tools like GIS with policy evaluation frameworks (e.g., STeMA-TIA 3.0), addressing topics such as Special Economic Zones, cultural heritage valorization (e.g., ADAMO Project), and the EU's geopolitical role. Notable contributions include analyzing the geopolitical implications of the Ukrainian conflict, territorial impact assessments of EU cohesion policies, and the interplay between COP21 goals and food security in the EU. He has participated in major European projects (ESPON, Erasmus+, ENPI CBC MED) and authored monographs and articles on geopolitical theory and regional development strategies. He received the National scientific qualification for second-rank professor in Geography (sector 11/B1) in 2020 and won a prestigious European selection for economic geography research. His recent work emphasizes sustainable tourism, metropolitan urban planning (e.g., Rome's development), and the innovative application of technology to cultural heritage conservation.






