Roberto Navigli serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Sapienza University of Rome, conducting pioneering research in Natural Language Processing. He holds editorial leadership positions including Associate Editor of the Artificial Intelligence Journal and membership on the Journal of Natural Language Engineering editorial board. His research program centers on multilingual semantic technologies, with foundational contributions to word sense disambiguation, ontology learning from unstructured text, and large-scale knowledge acquisition systems. Navigli's work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications in relation extraction and open information extraction, emphasizing cross-lingual capabilities and resource scalability. Publication analysis reveals a sustained focus on semantic resource development, evolving from early WordNet extensions (2003) to contemporary open knowledge extraction frameworks (2015). This trajectory demonstrates consistent innovation in transforming unstructured text into structured knowledge representations for multilingual applications. Major scientific recognition includes: Marco Cadoli 2007 AI*IA Prize for best doctoral thesis in AI Marco Somalvico 2013 AI*IA Prize for best young AI researcher ERC Starting Grant (2011-2016) for multilingual word sense disambiguation Google Focused Research Award on Natural Language Understanding Navigli directs significant research initiatives funded by competitive grants, including his ERC project and Google collaboration, while providing academic leadership through area chair roles at ACL, WWW, and *SEM conferences. His service as senior program committee member for IJCAI and editorial board positions underscores substantial community impact.
Dr Ting Sun is an Associate Professor in Climate & Meteorological Hazard Risks at University College London , Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction. He earned his BEng (2009) and PhD in Hydrology (2013) from Tsinghua University , followed by a visiting period at Princeton University (2011–2012). After postdoctoral appointments at Tsinghua and the University of Reading , he held a NERC Independent Research Fellowship at Reading (2017–2022) before joining UCL in May 2022. Education PhD in Hydrology, Tsinghua University, 2013 BEng in Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, 2009 Visiting PhD Student, Princeton University, 2011–2012 Research Interests Dr Sun’s work converges on urban climate modelling across scales —from neighbourhood blocks to global grids—focusing on the impacts of weather and climate extremes such as heat waves and extreme rainfall in cities. He is the lead developer of the Surface Urban Energy and Water balance Scheme (SUEWS) and its Python wrapper SuPy , developed in collaboration with Prof Sue Grimmond’s micromet group. He also contributes as a core member of the Urban Multi-scale Environmental Predictor (UMEP) development team. His multidisciplinary expertise integrates hydro-climate dynamics, computational modelling, machine learning, built-environment processes, and public-health linkages . Research Trends from Recent Publications Across the 15 most recent articles, a clear trajectory emerges from high-resolution urban-process modelling toward integrated socio-environmental assessments . Studies published in 2024–2025 couple atmospheric models (WRF-SUEWS) with global building-morphology datasets (GLAMOUR) to quantify how cities alter rainfall patterns, temperature sensitivity, and heat-related mortality. Earlier works progressively refined SUEWS’s physical parameterisations and Python accessibility, while recent outputs leverage deep-learning remote-sensing tools (SHAFTS) and hybrid hydrological-neural architectures to deliver actionable insights for urban planning and climate adaptation. Scientific Awards & Fellowships NERC Independent Research Fellowship , University of Reading, 2017–2022 HEA Fellowship , University College London, 2023 Professional Service & Editorial Roles Topic Editor , Geoscientific Model Development (from 2025) Editorial Board Member , Scientific Data (from 2024) Peer review and consultancy for journals, conferences, and policy bodies Supervision of taught-course projects and research degrees External examining and mentoring Labs, Teams & Collaborations Dr Sun leads and collaborates within the UCL Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction , working closely with the micromet group at the University of Reading (Prof Sue Grimmond) on SUEWS/SuPy development. He is an active member of the UMEP consortium and maintains extensive international collaborations spanning Tsinghua University, Princeton, and numerous European research centres, underpinning a vibrant, interdisciplinary research network focused on urban climate resilience.
Damiano Piovesan is Associate Professor in Bioinformatics (SSD BIO/10) at the Department of Biomedical Sciences , University of Padua , Italy. Since March 2022 he has held this rank, having previously served as Assistant Professor (2022) and PostDoc researcher (2019) in the same department. Education 2013 – PhD in Biotechnology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Bologna 2009 – MSc in Bioinformatics, University of Bologna 2007 – BSc in Biotechnology, University of Bologna Research Focus Piovesan’s research integrates machine-learning approaches with structural bioinformatics to advance understanding of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and protein function prediction . He develops widely used resources such as MobiDB for disorder annotation, DisProt for functional curation of disordered regions, and RING for residue interaction networks. Additional interests include tandem repeat proteins , cancer-related IDP targets , and community benchmarking initiatives (CAFA, CAID, CAGI). Publication Trends His 2024–2025 output is dominated by updates to flagship databases ( InterPro , DisProt , MobiDB ), next-generation disorder predictors leveraging deep learning ( PredIDR , MobiDB-lite 4.0 ), and large-scale genomics challenges ( CAGI6 ). Across the decade, recurring themes include methodological advances in disorder prediction, creation of interoperable bioinformatics platforms, and rigorous benchmarking to ensure community-wide reliability. Scientific Awards No specific awards are listed in the provided materials. Advising & Grants No individual students or grant details are explicitly supplied; however, his leadership in multi-institutional consortia (e.g., InterPro, DisProt, CAFA) implies substantial supervisory and funding coordination roles. Labs & Teams Piovesan is affiliated with the BioComputingUP Lab ( https://biocomputingup.it/ ) at the University of Padua, a hub for computational biology and bioinformatics tool development.
Fabrizio Falchi is a researcher at the Artificial Intelligence for Media and Humanities (AIMH) Lab of the Institute of Information Science and Technologies (ISTI) within Italy's National Research Council (CNR). He also maintains an associate position at the Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. His work focuses on developing advanced multimedia retrieval systems, with the VISIONE platform being his most notable contribution, which has won international competitions including the Video Browser Showdown in 2024 and placed second in 2023. Falchi's educational background includes: Ph.D. in Information Engineering from University of Pisa (Italy) Ph.D. in Informatics from Faculty of Informatics of Masaryk University of Brno (Czech Republic) M.B.A. from Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa His research spans deep learning, convolutional neural networks, deep features extraction, similarity search algorithms, distributed indexing systems, multimedia information retrieval, computer vision applications, and peer-to-peer systems. Falchi has made significant contributions to fine-grained visual understanding, cross-modal retrieval (particularly image-text matching), and robustness of deep learning systems against adversarial attacks. His work demonstrates a strong focus on practical applications of these technologies, particularly in video retrieval systems and safety monitoring solutions. Analysis of Falchi's recent publications reveals a strong focus on video and image retrieval systems, with the VISIONE platform being central to his work. His research shows increasing emphasis on fine-grained understanding in computer vision, cross-modal retrieval, and addressing practical challenges like cross-resolution face recognition. Recent work demonstrates innovation in making these systems more efficient through techniques like knowledge distillation (ALADIN) and leveraging virtual worlds for training data. His publications consistently bridge theoretical advances with practical applications in surveillance, safety monitoring, and multimedia search. Falchi's work has received significant recognition: Best paper award at CBMI 2024 for 'Is ClLIP the main roadblock for fine-grained open-world perception?' VISIONE 2024 won the Video Browser Showdown competition in Amsterdam VISIONE obtained second place at Video Browser Showdown 2023 in Bergen Best Paper Award for 'Learning Safety Equipment Detection using Virtual Worlds' at CBMI 2019 Falchi collaborates extensively with researchers at ISTI-CNR, particularly within the AIMH Lab. His work on VISIONE involves collaboration with Giuseppe Amato, Paolo Bolettieri, Fabio Carrara, Claudio Gennaro, Nicola Messina, Lucia Vadicamo, and Claudio Vairo. As co-chair of Ital-IA 2023, the 3rd National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, he plays an active role in the academic community. He is a member of ACM (since 2012), the Computer Vision Foundation, the Italian Association for Computer Vision Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning (CVPL), and the CINI Lab on Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems. Falchi is a key member of the Artificial Intelligence for Media and Humanities (AIMH) Lab at ISTI-CNR, where he leads research on video retrieval systems. The lab has developed the award-winning VISIONE platform, which combines multiple scientific results in content-based video retrieval. His team focuses on developing systems that enable users to search for target videos using textual prompts, drawing objects and colors, or images as query examples. The lab's work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging computer science with practical applications in media, safety monitoring, and urban environments.
Giovanni Semi is a Full Professor in Urban Sociology at the Interuniversity Department of Territorial Sciences, Planning and Policies (DIST) at Politecnico di Torino. His academic career spans multiple institutions, with significant teaching contributions to doctoral programs at both the University of Milan and University of Turin over the past decade. University of Milan (2013-2023): Multiple cycles of Sociology and Methodology of Social Research University of Turin (2016-2018): Sociology and Methodology of Social Research His research focuses on three interconnected areas: urban studies (particularly gentrification, platform capitalism, and public spaces), migration studies (Mediterranean circulations and daily multiculturalism), and sociology (ethnographic methods, class analysis, and housing dynamics). Semi's work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical fieldwork, often employing qualitative methodologies to examine contemporary urban transformations. Semi's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the evolving nature of urban inequality, particularly examining how short-term rental platforms, post-pandemic conditions, and gentrification processes reshape urban landscapes and social relations. His work often centers on Turin as a case study while maintaining broader theoretical implications for Southern European urban contexts. As an academic, Semi has contributed significantly to methodological discussions through his practical guide to participant observation, now in its second edition. His research has appeared in prominent journals including Cities, European Urban and Regional Studies, and Identities. His work on urban sociology, particularly concerning gentrification processes and the impact of platform economies on housing markets, has established him as a significant voice in contemporary urban studies, with particular expertise on Southern European urban contexts.
Andrea Passerini is a Full Professor in the Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Trento, Italy, where he also serves as Coordinator of the PhD programme in Information Engineering and Computer Science (Ministerial Decree 45/2013). His academic footprint spans multiple departments including Mathematics, Sociology, Cellular Biology, and Industrial Engineering, reflecting deep interdisciplinary engagement across computational sciences and life sciences. His research centers on Machine Learning and Data Mining with specialized expertise in Neuro-Symbolic AI , Probabilistic Reasoning , and Statistical Relational Learning . He pioneers methods for graph-based learning, medical AI applications, and explainable systems, with significant contributions to bioinformatics (particularly RNA-protein interactions) and healthcare diagnostics. His work bridges theoretical rigor with practical implementations in critical domains. Analysis of his 2025 publications reveals dominant trends in neuro-symbolic integration for graph data, human-AI collaboration in medical decision-making, and robust recommender systems. His research increasingly focuses on interpretable AI for high-stakes applications like surgical planning and physician support, while advancing foundational techniques in graph neural networks and concept-based modeling. As PhD programme Coordinator, Professor Passerini mentors doctoral candidates across AI and computer science disciplines. His collaborative network extends to medical researchers at CIBIO (Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology department) and industrial partners, though specific lab structures aren't documented in available materials. Current projects emphasize medical AI validation, temporal network modeling, and LLM integration with structured reasoning frameworks.
Daily Rodríguez-Padrón is a Research Fellow at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, affiliated with the Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and the Research Institute for Green and Blue Growth. She holds a BSc from the University of Havana (2013) and a PhD from the University of Córdoba, Spain (2020). Her research focuses on sustainable catalytic processes, nanomaterials, and biomass valorization. Key areas include the development of bio-based catalysts, green chemistry methodologies, and applications of chitin and other natural resources in catalysis. She has contributed to over 70 peer-reviewed articles, emphasizing eco-friendly synthesis and energy-related materials. Her work spans collaborations with institutions like KelAda Pharmachem Ltd (Ireland) and participation in EU-funded projects such as GreenX4Drug (Marie Skłodowska-Curie RISE). Rodríguez-Padrón’s research integrates mechanochemistry, continuous-flow systems, and waste-derived materials to advance sustainable industrial processes.
Luisa Mannina is a Full Professor of Food Chemistry at Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine. She leads the Food Chemistry Laboratory (FOODCHEMLAB) and serves as Director of the Metabolomics Unit focusing on Foods, Nutraceuticals and Biological Fluids Research. Her academic career spans over 25 years with progressive appointments from Assistant Professor to her current Full Professor position since January 2019. Full Professor of Food Chemistry (2019-present) Associate Professor of Food Chemistry (2009-2019) Director of multiple Master's programs in Nutraceuticals and Cosmeceutics Coordinator of PhD program in Molecular design and characterization for health promotion Member of numerous institutional committees at Sapienza University Professor Mannina's research centers on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methodologies for food analysis and metabolomics. She has developed innovative analytical protocols for determining metabolic profiles of food matrices and biological fluids, enabling authentication of geographical origin, variety, and cultivation methods for diverse food products. Her work spans olive oils, fruits, industrial hemp, and various agricultural products, with particular emphasis on NMR-based metabolomics for food authentication and quality assessment. She has established herself as a leading expert in industrial hemp analysis, publishing extensively on cannabis inflorescences, seed oils, and related products. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on sustainable food systems, with particular attention to agri-food waste valorization, novel food development from unconventional sources like medicinal mushrooms, and advanced analytical techniques for food authentication. Her work increasingly integrates NMR with other analytical methods to address complex food science challenges, including food fraud detection, nutritional enhancement through processing techniques, and chemopreventive properties of plant-based products. The research demonstrates consistent evolution from fundamental food characterization toward applied solutions addressing contemporary food system challenges. Her scientific recognition includes: GIDRM/GIRM 2018 Gold Medal ANVUR Research Funding (2017) Associate Editor of Journal of Integrated Omics Member of Scientific Committee of La Rivista Italiana delle Sostanze Grasse Professor Mannina has successfully supervised numerous PhD students and directed multiple Master's programs. Her research is supported by substantial funding from regional, national, and European sources, including projects on industrial hemp valorization (€150,000), innovative bio-packaging (€50,000), and metabolomic studies of Mediterranean diet adherence (€14,500). She maintains active collaborations with European research institutions and industry partners through various research contracts. Her Food Chemistry Laboratory (FOODCHEMLAB) is equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation including NMR, HPLC-PDA, GC-MS, and other advanced equipment for comprehensive food analysis. The laboratory serves as a hub for metabolomic research, food authentication studies, and valorization of agricultural by-products, contributing significantly to Sapienza University's research profile in food science and technology.
Giorgio Riello is a Full-time Professor and Chair of Early Modern Global History at the European University Institute in Florence, where he joined in 2019 after a distinguished career at the University of Warwick. He previously served as Professor of Global History and Culture at Warwick University (2011-present), Director of the Warwick Institute of Advanced Study (2014-17), and Chair of the Pasold Research Fund (2016-19). His academic journey began with a Ph.D. in History from University College London (2002) following a Laurea in Economia Aziendale from Ca' Foscari University, Venice (1998). Riello's research fundamentally explores the intersections of material culture, trade, and consumption in early modern Europe and Asia, with particular focus on textiles, fashion, and luxury goods. His work challenges Eurocentric narratives by demonstrating how Asian commodities and production techniques shaped global economic development. Key research areas include global cotton trade networks, the material culture of fashion, early modern capitalism, and Indian Ocean trade systems. His methodological approach combines economic history with material culture studies, using objects as primary sources for understanding global connections. His influential publications include Cotton: The Fabric that Made the Modern World (2013), which won the World History Association Bentley Prize, Luxury: A Rich History (2016, co-authored with Peter McNeil), and Back In Fashion: Western Fashion since the Middle Ages (2020). His recent work has focused on the 'Diamond-shaped Trade' concept connecting Atlantic and Indian Ocean systems, and he is currently co-authoring 'Cultures of Innovation: Silk in Pre-Modern Eurasia' with Dagmar Schaefer. World History Association Bentley Book Prize (2014) Iris Foundation Award for Decorative Arts (2016) Philip Leverhulme Prize (2011) Fernand Braudel Senior Fellowship (2012) Stanford Humanities Center Fellow (2010-11) Riello leads the ERC Advanced Grant project 'CAPASIA: The Asian Origins of Global Capitalism' and has successfully secured numerous major research grants including a Marie Curie COFUND and Leverhulme International Network funding. He supervises approximately 10 PhD students at the EUI and serves as second reader for another 8 students. His collaborative work extends to major international museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, and MUDEC Museum in Milan, where he participated in the redisplay of their permanent collection between 2019-2022.
Elena Korchmina is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Bologna. Her research focuses on the Economic History of Early Modern Europe, particularly the Fiscal History of European Elites and the Economic History of Eastern Europe. She holds a PhD in Russian History and has specialized in Russian economic history, analyzing topics such as serfdom, taxation, and elite behavior. Her work explores the interplay between fiscal systems, social structures, and economic development in historical contexts. Notable research areas include the impact of serfdom on economic growth, tax compliance mechanisms among aristocrats, and the conceptual evolution of terms like 'profit' and 'luxury' among Russian elites. Korchmina has received multiple awards from the Higher School of Economics (HSE), including recognitions for academic excellence in publications and teaching. Her research has been published in leading journals such as The Journal of Economic History, The Economic History Review, and The Journal of the History of Economic Thought. She has also contributed to collaborative projects comparing historical agricultural policies between Denmark and Russia, and analyzing corruption dynamics in the Russian Empire. Her recent studies include groundbreaking work on income inequality in Moscow Province during the early 19th century and the role of gender in wealth accumulation among Russian nobility. Korchmina's interdisciplinary approach combines archival research with quantitative methods to shed light on long-term economic and social processes.
Dario Viberti is a Full Professor at the Polytechnic University of Turin, affiliated with the Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI). He is a member of the Interdepartmental Center Ec-L - Energy Center Lab and actively contributes to the Master's and Continuing Education School. He serves as Coordinator for both Master’s levels I and II of the Natural Resources Development and Storage program and participates in doctoral colleges for Civil and Environmental Engineering and Materials, Sustainable Processes, and Systems for the Transition. His research focuses on flow in underground porous media , geoenergy , and underground energy storage , particularly hydrogen and CO₂ storage. His expertise spans numerical modeling, reservoir engineering, fluid mechanics, well testing, and energy transition systems. He is involved in commercial research projects with ENI Corporate University and leads initiatives related to sustainable energy applications. His recent publications reveal a strong trend in underground hydrogen storage , biogeochemical modeling , pore-scale simulation , and PVT analysis of gas mixtures . These works emphasize safety, efficiency, and long-term integrity of subsurface storage systems using advanced computational and experimental methods. Scientific Manager, Underground CO2 Storage Project (2022) Scientific Manager, Reservoir Modeling Project (2022) Coordinator, Master’s Program in Natural Resources Development and Storage Member, SEASTAR Competence Center Committee (2020–2025) He mentors several PhD students, including Michel Tawil, Marialuna Loffredo, Alice Raeli, and Alice Massimiani, supporting research in microfluidics, Lattice Boltzmann simulations, and thermodynamic characterization. He teaches courses such as Numerical Modeling for Multiphase Flow , Underground Energy Storage , and Well Logging and Testing across multiple degree programs. His work aligns with UN SDGs 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and 13 (Climate Action).
Mauro Bonfanti is a Fixed-term Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS) at Politecnico di Torino, Italy. His academic work focuses on wave energy conversion systems, mechatronics, and applied mechanics within the field of industrial and information engineering. Dr. Bonfanti's primary research interests include wave energy conversion systems, system identification, optimal control, mechatronics, and renewable energy systems. His work centers on developing advanced control strategies for wave energy converters, with particular emphasis on improving energy extraction efficiency through innovative mechanical designs and control algorithms. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of wave-structure interactions, hydrodynamic modeling of floating bodies, and optimization of wave energy converter systems under various sea conditions. His research bridges theoretical modeling with practical implementation, often involving high-fidelity numerical simulations validated through experimental testing. His publication record demonstrates a strong focus on advancing wave energy conversion technology, with particular emphasis on control systems, hydrodynamic modeling, and optimization techniques. The research shows progression from fundamental modeling approaches to increasingly sophisticated control strategies and system integration. Recent work has expanded to include hybrid renewable energy systems that combine wave and wind energy technologies. Dr. Bonfanti serves as a Scientific Responsible for several research projects including OCEANGLIDE, AQUALEV, and WISE, which focus on innovative wave energy conversion technologies. He holds multiple patents related to wave energy conversion systems, including the WISE (Water-air Injectable Swath Elevator) and AQUALEV magnetic support systems. He actively supervises PhD students including Alessandro Brusasco, Matteo Mastorakis, Francesco Balestrieri, and Domenico Edoardo Sfasciamuro, guiding research in sustainable materials, mechanical engineering, and wave energy conversion systems. His teaching responsibilities include courses on System Identification and Optimal Control of Wave Energy Conversion Systems, as well as Mechatronics across multiple academic years. Dr. Bonfanti is a member of the Mechatronics and Servosystems research group at DIMEAS, where he collaborates on projects related to marine renewable energy systems and advanced control technologies.
Carlo Combi is a Full Professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of Verona. He serves as Department Director and holds roles in various academic committees, including the Faculty Board of PhD in Computer Science and the Computer Science Teaching Committee. His research focuses on databases, healthcare information systems, temporal data mining, and business process management. He leads the STARS laboratory and has contributed to projects like PREPARE (prostate cancer evaluation) and EDIPO (neuroimaging genetics). His teaching spans courses on biomedical databases, software engineering, and Python programming. Combi's work integrates ethical considerations into process models and addresses challenges in healthcare workflows, temporal analytics, and AI applications in medicine. Education: Not explicitly listed in provided texts. Research Projects: Includes 30+ projects since 2008, emphasizing healthcare informatics, temporal systems, and data warehousing. Labs/Teams: STARS (Semistructured Temporal clinical Geographical Systems) and collaborations with CBMC (Computational Biomedicine Center). Grants: Multiple national/international grants, including funding for temporal data mining and healthcare process modeling. Awards: None explicitly mentioned, though his leadership roles and extensive publications highlight academic recognition. His research bridges clinical processes, temporal databases, and AI, with applications in acute kidney injury prediction, BPMN extensions for healthcare, and explainable AI in medical systems. Combi actively contributes to open-source solutions for clinical data analysis and integrates ethical frameworks into process management.
Enrico Franconi is a tenured full Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy. He is the founder and director of the KRDB Research Centre for Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence, established in 2002. His research focuses on applying database, AI, and semantic technologies to address challenges in information systems design, data integration, and big data analysis. He holds leadership roles including former Vice-Rector for Research (2005-2006) and director of the European Masters Program in Computational Logic (2004-2019). His academic contributions span Description Logics, knowledge representation, and ontology engineering, with a strong emphasis on theoretical foundations and practical applications. He has led numerous EU-funded projects, including ONTORULE and SeWAsIE, and contributed to international conferences as a program committee member and keynote speaker. His work bridges theory and practice, aiming to translate foundational results into real-world solutions. He is a prolific author with an h-index of 42 and has mentored researchers in areas like semantic web technologies and conceptual modeling. Key achievements include advancing ontology-driven data integration, developing tools like ICOM for conceptual modeling, and contributing to standards for semantic web languages. He is affiliated with the Computational Logic community and actively participates in international research networks such as CAIRNE. His research has been recognized through ANVUR evaluations ranking his department among Italy’s top computer science faculties.
Lucia Zappalà is a Full Professor of General and Applied Entomology at the University of Catania's Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A) since 2020. She serves as University Delegate for International Relations since 2019 and President of the European University Alliance EUNICE since 2024. Her research focuses on Hymenoptera parasitoids, integrated pest management (IPM), and pesticide effects on natural enemies. She is a member of the Italian Entomological Society's Agricultural Entomology section and the Italian National Academy of Entomology. PhD in Agricultural Entomology (University of Naples Federico II, 2001) Postdoctoral fellowship at University of Florida (2003) University of Catania faculty since 2006 Visiting professor at UC Berkeley (2015) Her research spans biological control agent discovery, pesticide risk assessment, and invasive pest management across Mediterranean agroecosystems. She has published over 300 indexed articles (h-index 37) on parasitoid-pest interactions and sustainable control strategies. Recent work examines botanical extract compatibility with natural enemies and essential oil-based plant defenses . She contributes to Phytoparasitica and European Journal of Entomology editorial boards. Scientific awards include a 2003 postdoctoral fellowship. She has served as Principal Investigator for national (FIR, PRIN) and international (FP7, ARIMNET 2) projects, and contributes to EFSA's Plant Health Panel. Her laboratory (Biocontrol Lab, Di3A) conducts applied entomology research on invasive Hemiptera and quarantine pest evaluations .
