Francesca Valenti

 Basic information

• Born in Syracuse 1988
  
• 2012: MS in Architectural and Building Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania
• 2013: Postgraduate master in Sustainable use of the environmental and cultural heritage - Department of Humanities, University of Catania
• 2018: PhD in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science - XXX Ciclo (Department of Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania)
  

Academic experience

• From 01/07/2023 is Associate Professor of AGR/09 Agricultural Machinery and Mechanization at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.
• From 22/04/2020 to 30/06/2023 was Assistant Professor of AGR/10 Rural Buildings and Agro-forest Land Planning at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania.
  
• From 1/02/2019 to 31/01/2020 was Post-doc Fellow Researcher of AGR/10 Rural Buildings and Agro-forest Land Planning at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania.
• From 12/03/2018 to 12/09/2018 collaborated as Researcher by contract with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania.

Institutional activities

• From 01/11/2022 to 30/06/2023 was member of the Department Council for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania.
• From 2021 to 2023 was reference Professor of the Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Science and Technology at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania.
• During the academinc year 2020-2021 was part of the organizing committee of the training activities within the PCTO – Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e l’Orientamento. Professor of the activities entitled: “Tools for data collection and processing in the field of precision animal husbandry. From CAD survey to 3D model”, at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania.
• During the academinc year 2020-2021 was a member of the Orientation Commission of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment - responsible for orientation within the master degree programme on "Territorial, Environmental and Landscape Protection" at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment of University of Catania.

Research expedition

• In 2022 J-1 Short term Scholar – Faculty Staff member at  Michigan State University (U.S.) Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Research activity: Optimizing Food-Energy-Water nexus solutions toward global sustainability and Farm-based renewable fuel electricity generation towards a sustainable, carbon-neutral U.S. dairy industry. 4 months.
• In 2016 Visiting Scholar at Michigan State University, (U.S.) Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Research activity: "Life cycle analysis (LCA) of biogas plant operation". 6 months.

Scientific activity and research projects experience

As part of the scientific activity carried out, he participates and has participated in experimental and research activities relating to several national and international projects:

• From 01/09/2023 to nowadays: Horizon Europe – Climate Adaptation and Resilience Demonstrated In the MEDiterranean region (CARDIMED).
• From 24/06/2022 to 19/10/2022: Assistant Professor - Faculty member of Michigan State University (U.S.) Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Title of the project: Strategies to improve anaerobic digestion for small to medium-sized livestock operations in the U.S. Principal Investigator: Prof. Wei Liao. Founded by USDA. Research activity: Farm-based renewable fuel electricity generation towards a sustainable, carbon-neutral U.S. dairy industry.
• From 01/09/2021 to 30/06/2023: “CIRCLE - Citrus waste recycling for added value products”. Founded by CARIPLO Foundation. WP leader.
  
• From 22/04/2020 to 30/06/2023: “Sostenibilità dell’agricoltura e dell’industria agro-alimentare Mediterranea” - A1M1848200/1 C.U.P. E64I19002440007 - SNSI: AGRIFOOD founded by European Union - FSE (Fondo Sociale Europeo) - Programma Operativo Nazionale FSE- FESR “Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020” PON AIM.
• From 29/08/2019 to 30/06/2023: Smart dairy farming: innovative solutions to improve herd productivity. Founded by MIUR –Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca- PRIN –Progetti di Ricerca di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale- Announcement 2017. Code: 20178AN8NC.
  
• From 06/06/2016 tol 06/12/2016: Biological and mechanical catalysis of lignocellulosic materials for mono-sugar release. Founded by Michigan State University.ha partecipato al progetto di ricerca "Biological and mechanical catalysis of lignocellulosic materials for mono-sugar release". Finanziato: Michigan State University.
• From 19/04/2016 to 07/12/2017: Innovazioni per lo sviluppo del biometano da matrici mediterranee- INNO-BIOMED. Founded by MIPAAF con Decreto Dirigenziale n. 28676, 8/4/2016. Research activity: Territorial analysis to assess the availability and location of agricultural by-products and residues for enhancing bioenergy production.
• From 01/11/2015 to 01/01/2016: Progetto di ricerca industriale sul Pastazzo di Agrumi. Founded by The Coca-Cola Foundation. Research activity: Territorial analysis through GIS application for localising industrial citrus processing companies, which produce citrus pulp that can be used in anaerobic digestion processes for biogas production.
• From 06/03/2015 to 30/10/2017:FIR-2014- Messa a punto di un sistema automatico per lo studio del comportamento individuale di bovine da latte in stabulazione libera. Founded by Public announcement (D.R. n. 2334, 03/06/2014).
  
• From 06/03/2015 to 30/10/2017:FIR-2014- Analisi per lo sviluppo della filiera biometano in ambiente mediterraneo. Founded by Public announcement (D.R. n. 2334, 03/06/2014) - codice 335C3E. Research activity: territorial analysis of the Mediterranean biomasses availability of by using Geographic Information Systems.
• From 01/01/2015 to 30/04/2018:Soluzioni tecnologiche innovative per la valorizzazione degli scarti degli agrumi (SOCRATE). Founded by Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico. Research activity: application of the LCA methodology to evaluate the innovative processes adopted during the project.
• From 15/05/2014 to 15/07/2014: Soluzioni innovative per la sicurezza alimentare nella filiera cerealicola (S.I.S.A.CER.). Founded by Bando POR FESR Sicilia 2007-2013, Sicily region. Research activity: Monitoring and processing of microclimatic data recorded during thermal treatment for insect pests control.

Participation in editorial committees

• Guest Editor Special Issue “Reuse, Recycle and Reduce: Smart Innovative Treatments of Agricultural Waste and By-Products” on Applied System Innovation (MDPI)
• Special Issue “"Water–Food–Energy Nexus for a Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources, Byproducts and Wastes in Agri-Food Systems” on Energies (MDPI)
• Editorial board member Applied System Innovation (MDPI)

Reviewer activity

• March 2022: Grant proposal for the National Science Center, (NCN panel NZ9) Poland. Title: How the chemical composition of the waste biomass from hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) affects its usability in bioproducts? with registration number 2021/43/D/NZ9/01215.
  

• Reviewer for the journals: Journal of Agricultural Engineering (PagePress). Journal of Cleaner Production (Elsevier). Journal of Environmental Management (Elsevier). Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review (Elsevier). Journal of Applied Energy (Elsevier). Bioresource Technology (Elsevier). Sustainability (MDPI). Energies (MDPI). Applied Science (MDPI) – reviewer board member

• September 2021 Expert VQR 2015-2019

• From November 2020 to nowadys REPRISE Expert enrolled in the register of scientific experts established at the MIUR) for the Basic Research section.
  

Awards, certificates, patents and recognitions

• Patent application for thermo-acoustic and self-supporting functional block in raw earth and sheep's wool with hygroregulatory and humidity balance capabilities and optimization of the internal climate as co-inventor and co-author of the invention with Massimo Cuomo ( DICAR), Simona M.C. Porto, Monica C.M. Parlato, Giovanni Cascone, Claudia Arcidiacono, Giusi Midolo and Elisa Lanza of the Di3A of the University of Catania - UNICT and Giuseppe Guglielmino of the Guglielmino Cooperativa (external to UNICT). Invention transferred free of charge to the University of Catania pursuant to art. 6 of the "Patent Regulations" (D.R. 1452 of 9 June 2020) dated 14 March 2022. Request approved by the Board of Directors of the University of Catania in April 2022.
• National Scientific Qualification to function as Full Professor in Italian Universities for the Macro
  sector 07C1 - Agricultural, Forestry and Biosystems Engineering from June 2021 until June 2030.
• National Scientific Qualification to function as Associate Professor in Italian Universities for the Macro sector 07C1 - Agricultural, Forestry and Biosystems Engineering from October 2018 until October 2027.
• Award “Adriano Guarneri" for the best Ph.D. thesis in Agricultural Engineering by the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering, on July 2017.

Scientific publications and conferences

Overall, she is the author of approximately 50 scientific publications in national and international journals, volumes and proceedings of national and international conferences (from 2015, date of first publication to today). The main topics of the research activity are: Valorization of waste and by-products for green building; Waste-to-energy: reuse and valorise agro-industrial waste and by-products for the production of bioenergy; rural landscape analysis and planning (GIS and remote sensing); evaluation of environmental sustainability through the application of the LCA methodology; laboratory chemical analyzes (BMP, anaerobic digestion, DNA extraction, biomass pretreatments); thermal analyzes of buildings and CFD application; food safety in agroindustrial buildings; Water-Energy-Food nexus approach.

She has participated as a speaker in both national and international conferences and seminars.

Teaching experience

Currently teaches the following courses:

• "Agricultural soil mechanics" (module of Agro-Forestry Hydraulic Systems) in second cycle degree programme (LM) in Planning and management of agro-territorial, forest and landscape at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of University of Bologna.
• "Agricultural Mechanics" (module of Botany and Agriculture)in second cycle degree programme (LM) in Health Professions of Prevention Sciences at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of University of Bologna.
• "Sustainable And Safe Use Of Horticultural Equipment" in second cycle degree programme in International Horticultural Science at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of University of Bologna.
  

In previous academic years, starting from the A.Y. 2018/2019, was Professor of the courses: "Buildings and Landscape for Food and Wine itineraries", "Data survey analysis for Precision Agriculture", "CAD and GIS modules of the course CAD, GIS and Participatory Mapping", "Computer lab and computer-aided design ", "Laboratory of Informatics" at various Bachelor's and Master's Degree courses and Doctorate courses of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the University of Catania.