2004 PhD in Physics
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Thesis: “First-principles Study on SiC Homoepitaxy”
1998 Laurea Degree in Physics Cum Laude
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Thesis: “Density Functional Theory in the Hubbard Model”
POSITIONS
- Full Professor at Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna (since August 2020)
- Associate Professor (Mar 2019 – June 2020 at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, June 2020 - August 2020 at University of Bologna)
- Assistant Professor at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Mar 2016 - Apr 2019)
- Senior Researcher (Dec 2014- Feb 2016) and Researcher (Sept 2012 - Nov 2014) at CNR Institute of Nanoscience
Career Breaks
- Maternity Leave. Date of birth of the first daughter 26/11/08
- Maternity Leave. Date of birth of the second daughter 18/04/2011
COORDINATION OF EUROPEAN and NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
- ERC Proof of Concept grant 2025 “Tribosynthesis of carbon coatings for wear and friction reduction” (TRIBOSYNC), starting date Nov 2026, 18-month duration.
- HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES “Decarbonized lime production through enhanced joint dielectric heating and waste carbonaceous material” (MOJITO), starting date Oct 2025, 36-month duration, coordinator of the WP on Modeling.
- HORIZON-RIA "Structured unconventional reactors for CO2-free methane catalytic cracking" (STORMING) starting date Sept 2022, 36-month duration, coordinator of the WP on Modeling.
- ERC Consolidator grant “Advancing solid interfaces and lubricants by first principles materials design” (SLIDE), starting date Nov 2020, 60-month duration.
- CECAM grant for the organization of the workshop “Molecular Mechanisms of Tribochemistry and Lubrication” 27-29 Jan 2020.
- Emilia Romagna Region grant “Education to research” for a PhD scholarship , (2018 – 2020).
- Marie Curie Individual Fellowship “Protein adsorption on charged surfaces” PATCHES (Call H2020-MSCA-IF-2017), role of supervisor.
COORDINATION OF COMPUTATIONAL PROJECTS
- EuroHPC AI Factory for Science and Collaborative EU Projects “Unveiling the atomistic mechanisms behind the friction-reducing properties of MXenes through machine-learning-informed molecular dynamics”, starting date Oct. 2026, 6-month duration.
- EuroHPC AI Factory for Science and Collaborative EU Projects “Generative Discovery for Low-Surface Energy Material”, starting date Oct. 2025, 6-month duration.
- EuroHPC Extreme Scale Access Call " From methane and iron nanoparticles to “Turquoise" H2 and carbon nanotubes: simulating the whole catalytic process inside a reactor”, starting date Oct. 2023, 12-month duration.
- PRACE (Partnership for advanced computing in Europe) project TRIB-CARB starting date Oct. 2021, 12-month duration.
- EU DEISA Extreme Computing Initiative (DECI Call5 2009) “Ab initio investigation of tribochemical reactions”, starting date August 2010, 12-month duration.
- Coordinator of several HPC-ISCRA projects granted by CINECA, Bologna Italy
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
- Coordinator of research contracts with multinational companies operating in the automotive, lubricants, semiconductor and energy sectors, since 2009 - ongoing.
- Scientific Advisor for the industry Total Sa since 2016.
- Training of industrial researchers seconded to my group: Seiji Kajita,Toyota Central R&D Labs (April 2014 – April 2016). Sophie Loehle, Total Marketing Services (Sept. 2014 – Sept. 2016).
OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
Member of Editorial Boards
- Scientific Reports, Springer Nature publishing Group
- Lubrication Science, Wiley
- Coatings and Lubricants MDPI
Invited Presentations
- Invited to present at more than 40 international conferences, including Gordon Conference, MRS Spring Meeting, ACS National Meeting & Exibition, AVS International Symposium etc.
ISTITUTIONAL ROLES
- Visiting Professor at Imperial College since September 2019 (Accademic Visitor since June 2017)
- Member of the "Presidio della Qualità di Ateneo – Terza Missione" of the University of Bologna
- Member of the the University Working Group on CoARA "Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment"
- Member of the PhD Board "Collegio di dottorato" in Physics
- Member of the Department board "Giunta"
- Member of the department commission for "Terza Missione"
TEACHING
The focus of my teaching activity is in Computational Material Science, Physics and Surface-Interfaces at all levels of studies (Bachelor, Master and PhD). Specifically:
- Materials Modeling and Design, Master in Physics, 2021/22 - present
- Modellizzazione dei Materiali, Bachelor in Materials Science, since 2023/24 - present
- Interactions and Correlations in Condensed Matter, Master in Physics, 2020/21
- NanoMechanics, Master in Physics, 2019/20
- Physics, Electronic Engineering, 2016/17-2019/20
- (Nano)Tribology and materials to reduce friction, PhD school in “Physics and Nanoscience”
- Laboratory of computational Physics, Exercises, Master in Physics, 2006/07-2007/08
- Solid state physics, Exercises, Master in Physics, 2005/06
- Mechanics, Exercises, Bachelor in Physics 2001/02 and 2002/03
SUPERVISION
- 2 Researchers seconded from the industry, 11 PostDocs, 14 PhD and 17 MSc Degree Students supervised
