Education and qualifications
Ph.D. in Sociology, obtained in 21/06/2013 at the Department of Sociology, University of Bologna. Dissertation thesis title: Towards a Sociology of Sustainability: the case of Transition Towns. Perspectives and limits of a bottom-up path.
Master Degree in Responsible for the design and coordination of Social Services, obtained in 2009 at University of Bologna. Thesis title: Urban transformations: the Sprawl.
Bachelor Degree in Social Work, obtained in 2007 at University of Bologna.
Academic position
Associate Professor in the academic discipline SPS/10 – Urban and Environmental Sociology, at the Department of Sociology and Business Law of the University of Bologna (from 06/10/2021).
Senior Researcher for the project “Social impact of climate change in urban systems”, Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna (from 05/10/2018).
Junior Researcher with a three year contract for the project “Social practices of sustainability towards a low-carbon city”, Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna (from 05/10/2015).
Research Activity
Since October 2023 head of UNIBO research unit and vice PI for the PRIN project "The role of forests for wellbeing improvement: advances from psycho-physiological analysis and technologies" (FOR.WELL)
Since February 2023 she is member of the UNIBO team of the LIFE Climax PO project "CLIMATE Adaptation for the PO river basin district" (GA n° 101069928, European LIFE Programme)
Since October 2022 she is a member of the UNIBO team of the project ECOSISTER Ecosystem for Sustainable Transition in Emilia-Romagna (funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan PNRR - Mission 4 - Component 2). Spoke No. 5 - Circular economy and blue economy.
Since February 2021 is member of the UNIBO sociological unit for H2020 I-CHANGE “Individual Change of HAbits Needed for Green European transition” (Call H2020-LC-GD-2020-).
Since September 2018 is member of the UNIBO sociological unit for H2020 project MICADO “Migrant Integration Cockpits and Dashboards” (Call H2020-SC6-MIGRATION-2018-2019-2020 Work Programme Part: Europe in a changing world – Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies).
From July 2018 is member of the UNIBO sociological unit for H2020 project OPERANDUM OPEn-air laboRAtories for Nature baseD solUtions to Manage environmental risks. (Call: H2020 SC5-2018-2019-2020 Work Programme Part: Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials).
Research Fellow on the project Community Outcome: Definition and implementation of a model for the evaluation of treatment outcomes of Therapeutic Communities, funded by Department for Anti-Drug Policies, Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers (from 03/06/2013 to 02/06/2014; from 03/06/2014 to 02/06/2015)
Collaboration as a researcher on the project Comunitalia Association, funded by Department for Anti-Drug Policies, Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers (from 01/04/2013 to 30/06/2013).
Collaboration as a researcher on the project Community Outcome: Definition and implementation of a model for the evaluation of treatment outcomes of Therapeutic Communities, funded by Department for Anti-Drug Policies, Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers (from 01/2013 to 05/2013).
Collaboration as a researcher on the PRIN project Geographical mobility, accessibility and social equity. An empirical inter-disciplinary study on the metropolitan areas of Milan, Turin and Bologna coordinated by University of Milano-Bicocca, Dept. of Sociology and Social research (from 2007 to 2009).
Visiting Researcher at ISOE – Institute for Social Ecological Research, Frankfurt am Main, Research Unit Energy and Climate Protection in Everyday Life, from 29 September 2014 to 24 October 2014 in the framework of
Climate KIC Pioneers into Practice Program, promoted by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
Ph.D. Visiting Student at the University of York (UK), Department of Sociology. Supervisor: Prof. Colin Campbell, (from Sept. to Dec. 2011 and from Sept. to Dec. 2012).
Presentations and panels
Presentation at the webinar "Comunità e senso di appartenenza", promoted by Aess (Agenzia per l'Energia e lo Sviluppo sostenibile) Bioarchitecture and Sustainability Week, 26 November 2020.
Presentation at the round table at Fondazione FICO “Climate change: an opportunity for the Appennines?", Bologna 30 maggio 2019. Work title: "La sfida del cambiamento climatico nelle aree interne appenniniche. Processi di vulnerabilizzazione e opportunità di sviluppo".
Chair of the Panel “Social vulnerability and poverty: new territorial and housing emergencies”, Conference Territories, Mobility, Work, organized by the Environment and territory section of the Italian Sociology Association. University of Padova, 21-23 February 2018.
Presentation, with Marco Castrignanò, at the XI Italian Conference of Environmental Sociology, Chieti 22-23 Settembre 2017. Paper title: "Contextualizing urban sustainability policies: the role of territorial social capital".
Two papers accepted at the International workshop Core Concepts in Environmental Sociology (Örebro, Sweden, 23-25 Sept. 2015).
Poster accepted at the 6th International Sustainability Transitions Conference, Brighton (UK), 25-28 Agosto 2015.
Abstract presented with Castrignanò M. e Tavano Blessi G., accepted at the Conference Everyday Life in the 21st Century (Florence 17-19 July 2015. Paper title : “Urban environment and individuals: neighborhoods, social ties and well being. A theoretical perspective”).
Coordination, with Gilda Catalano and Silvia Crivello, of thr workshop “Post-carbon cities towards a new Energy paradigm. Social responses, technological praxis, political solutions”. X Italian Conference of Environmental Sociology (Bologna, 18-19 June 2015).
Presentation, with Francesca Cappellaro and Cristiano Bottone, at the X Italian Conference of Environmental Sociology (Bologna, 18-19 June 2015). Paper title: “Toward a socio-technical transition: cross-fertilization experiences between Transition Towns Initiatives and the School of Engineering and Architecture of Bologna University”.
Discussant at the Conference “Verso una Low Carbon Society: la sfida della transizione e le risposte di Unibo. Unibo meets Rob Hopkins (Bologna, 29 Oct. 2014).
Presentation, with Marco Castrignanò, at the ISA World Conference “Facing an Enequal World: challenges for global Sociology” (Yokohama, 19 July 2014). Contribution title: Transition Town Initiatives. Possible Pathways Towards Urban Sustainability?
Presentation at the Conference La valutazione dei processi e dei risultati delle comunità terapeutiche per persone tossicodipendenti. Ricerche empiriche, criticità e prospettive future (Jesi 20 June 2014). Paper title : “Il progetto Outcome Comunità”.
Poster presentation at the IX Italian Conference of Environmental Sociology (University of Naples Federico II, 4-5 October 2013). Paper title: Transition Towns Initiatives: local practices for a sustainable development.
Paper accepted at the Spaces and Flows Fourth International Conference on Urban and ExtraUrban Studies (University of Amsterdam, 22-23 November 2013).
Predentation, with Marco Castrignanò, at the RC 21 Annual Meeting, (Humboldt University Berlin, 29-31 August 2013). Paper title: “Urban resilience and Neighbourhood Approach: Some Insights from Transition Town Movement”.
Discussant at the Conference “Rinascimento dell'E45”, promoted by the Dept. of Sociology “Achille Ardigò” - Bologna University and Coldiretti Emilia Romagna (Bagno di Romagna (FC), 13/04/2012).
Discussant at the lectio magistralis of Prof. Colin Campbell “From Romance to Romanticism: The Beatles 1962-1970”, (Dept. of Sociology “Achille Ardigò” - Bologna University, 20/03/2012).
Presentation, with Marta Molinari, at the “laboratorio della critica Comunità e sprawl. Quale legame?”. Paper title: Car-oriented lifestyle (“Comunità/Architettura” festival Reggio Emilia , 26/11/2009).
Other scientific activities and membership
Member of the local Committee of the X Italian Conference of Environmental Sociology 2015.
Member of STRN, Sustainability Transition Research Network from 2015.
Member of the Research Committee 24 (RC24) Environment and Society of the International Sociological Association from 2015.
Partecipation, in 2014, at the Pioneers into Practice Programme in the framework of the Climate-Kic (Knowledge and Innovation Communities, promoted and fund by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology).
In the framework of Pioneers into Practice Programme, in 2014, she got a internship (regional placement) at Emilia-Romagna Region, Dept. of Turismo e Commercio.
Member of ISA, International Sociological Association from 2014.
Member of Research Committee 21 (RC21) on Sociology of Urban and Regional Development , International Sociological Association from 2013.
Participation to the First Winter School of Urban Sociology, promoted by AIS Territory Section (Asti, 23 Februrary 2010).
Memeber of the Section “Sociologia dell'Ambiente e del Territorio” AIS Italian Association of Sociology from 2009.
Memeber of Ce.P.Ci.T. - Centre for the Study of City and Community Problems, Bologna University - from 2008.
Member of the Board of Examiners for the course “Methods and Techniques of Social Research”, University of Bologna (since a.a. 2013-2014).
Member of the Board of Examiners for the courses “Sociology” and “Sociology of groups”, University of Bologna (since a.a. 2012-2013).
Member of the Board of Examiners for the course “Theory of Socialization Processes”, University of Bologna (since a.a. 2011-2012).
Member of the Board of Examiners for the courses “Environmental Sociology” and “Urban and Rural Sociology”, University of Bologna (since a.a. 2010-2011).
Teaching and advising
Since 2020 he has been member of the Scientific Committee of the Department of Sociology and Business Law Library, University of Bologna.
Since March 2019 he has been a member of the Academic Board of the Unibo FRONTIERS Ph.D. program (Future Earth, Climate Change and Societal Challenge).
Collaboration, as assistant professor, at the course of Environmental Sociology at Bologna University (a.y. 2014-2015). Classes Topics: Theoretical approach to sustainable transition; transition experiences on the local area; resilience and urban neighbourhhoods.
Collaboration as a Tutor for the course “Methods and Techniques of Social Research” (a.y. 2014-2015).
Lecturer of Environmental Sociology for the First Level Master “Sustainable development and management of environmental systems”, Fondazione Alma Mater (21 Marzo 2014).
Collaboration as a Tutor for the course “Methods and Techniques of Social Research”, Bologna University (a.y. 2013-2014).
Collaboration, as assistant professor, at the course of Methods and Techniques of Social Research, Bologna University (a.y. 2013-2014). Classes Topics: Environmental and Social, which relationship?
Collaboration, as assistant professor, at the course of Environmental Sociology, Bologna University (a.y. 2013-2014). Classes Topics: Sustainalble Practices and local resilience.
Collaboration as a Tutor for the Ist level Degree in Social Services, University of Bologna (a.y. 2011-2012).
Collaboration as a Tutor for the course of Environmental Sociology, Faculty of Political Science University of Bologna (a.y. 2009-2010).
Collaboration as a Tutor for the Ist level Degree in Social Services, University of Bologna (a.y. 2008-2009).
Journal referee and review activity
From 2017: member of the Editorial Team of Sociologia Urbana e Rurale journal (Milano: FrancoAngeli).
2017: Referee for the Journal Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia (Bologna: Il Mulino).
Referee, from 2014, of the journal Sociologia Urbana e Rurale.
Associate Editor of Spaces and Flows: An International Journal of Urban and ExtraUrban Studies, Volume 3, Issue 3, in 2012.
Associate Editor of Spaces and Flows: An International Journal of Urban and ExtraUrban Studies, Volume 3, Issue 1, in 2013.
Referee for Spaces and Flows: An International Journal of Urban and ExtraUrban Studies from 2013.
Member of Sociologia Urbana e rurale journal editorial office (Milano: FrancoAngeli) from 2011.
