Fabrizio Cavani received his Ph.D. Diploma in Industrial Chemistry in 1987. He was then hired by EniChem Sintesi, and took up employment at the Centro Catalizzatori in Sesto S. Giovanni (MI). During the period of service at EniChem he carried out research activities aimed at developing new catalysts for alkylation of aromatics with mixed liquid / gas phase processes, and for oxychlorination of ethylene with processes in the gas phase. In addition, he carried out technical assistance for the marketing of catalysts, and start-up of industrial reactors. The work carried out led to the development of a new alkylation process of benzene with propylene and ethylene, marketed by Polimeri Europa, then Versalis.
He was the winner of the position of university researcher at the Faculty of Industrial Chemistry of Bologna University, and he took up his duties in 1990. He was appointed Associate Professor for the disciplinary scientific sector CHIM04 (Industrial Chemistry), at the Faculty of Industrial Chemistry of Bologna University in 2000, and Full Professor at the Department of Industrial Chemistry "Toso Montanari" in 2014. Since 2018 he is Director of the Department of Industrial Chemistry.
He is the author of over 300 scientific publications in the field of catalysis for industrial chemistry, of over 30 patents, 6 of which have reached the industrial application phase, some books in the field of oxidation catalysis and sustainable industrial chemistry. His scientific works have received over 10,000 citations.
He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the journal Green Chemistry of the RSC, and of the Editorial Board of the journal ChemSusChem, of Wiley VCH. He is president of the Interdivisional Group of Catalysis of the SCI, a member of the Board of the Division of Industrial Chemistry of the SCI, a member of the Board of EFCATS, the European Federation of Catalysis Societies.
