Biography - Giuliano Vitali was born in the province of Pesaro on 5.25.1962, he obtained a degree in Physics (Applied Physics specialization) from the University of Bologna in 1987 and the title of PhD in Technical Physics (Environmental specialization) at the University of Ancona in 1997.
Giuliano Vitali has held the role of Researcher (RTI) at the University of Bologna, SSD AGR/02 – SC 07/B1 since 2001, where he deals with physics applied to agriculture.
Research - Giuliano Vitali has carried out research in various disciplinary fields.
In mathematical physics, Giuliano Vitali worked on fluid dynamics applied to oceanography (F.Mainardi, P.LeBlond) and atmospheric physics (coll. F.Tampieri), topics which he explored in depth during his PhD (in physics environmental technique, rel.G.Latini) addressing the study of atmospheric dynamics and air pollution produced by anthropic sources with operational models (coll.T.Tirabassi).
In agro-physics his research was aimed at understanding hydrological systems, initially through the study of agricultural land (coll.L.Cavazza), about problems of groundwater contamination from widespread pollution (coll.P.Catizone), therefore addressing the problems related to surface runoff and erosion (coll.F.Ventura).
Giuliano Vitali has also dedicated himself to the study of the soil-plant-atmosphere systems in relation to the practice of irrigation of the sugar beetroot (coll. P.Rossi Pisa), and of the peach tree (coll. L.Testi), to the understanding of the dynamics agricultural production (studies on Long Time Experiments with G.Baldoni) and plant physiology (studies on sugar beet with S.Mambelli, G.Venturi and M.Amaducci), knowledge that led him to become interested in models of Functional-Structural plan (participant in FSPM conferences, coll.E.Magnanini).
The field also brought him into contact with hydrological problems inherent to mycology (coll.A.Zambonelli), population dynamics applied to entomology (coll.G.Burgio), analysis of production systems (coll.M.Canavari), analysis of agro-industrial systems (coll. G.Molari).
For the study of the sustainability of Organic Agriculture, he has dedicated himself to the study of indicators (coll. A.Vicari, M.Canavari) also with MultiObjective and MultiCriteria Mathematical Programming systems (coll. G.Bazzani-CNR, M.Ragona) and BigData analysis (C.Cardillo-CREA coll.).
More recently, he has focused on IoT systems for observing the physical environment through crop monitoring with UAVs aimed at applying variable rate herbicides (coll. C. Fragassa) and proximity through the development of field control units (coll. M.Arru).
Collaborations with Foreign Researchers - Giuliano Vitali invited researchers and professors from Italian and foreign universities to hold seminars.
He also organised conferences and workshops on several topics. In July 2023 he organised the 24th European Congress of Precision Agriculture (with M.Canavari and M.Mattetti).
In 2004 Giuliano Vitali was hosted by Marco Polo on mobility at the University of Wageningen (Prof.E.Heuvelink) for a collaboration on the Simulation of Cultivated Vegetable Plants.
He has active collaborations with established researchers on basin modelling for understanding runoff and erosion (A.Duarte-PT, R.Bingner-USDA) and on time series analysis for studying the relationship between climatology and agricultural production (S. Rogosin-BR, R.Huffaker-USA), analysis of agronomic systems about robotic applications (R.Fernandez-ES).
Collaborations with young researchers on the analysis of production systems (Z.Mustafa-PK), ontological representation of supply chains (J.Ailoo-IR) and precision irrigation (M.S.Chandramohan-IN) are also active.
In December 2023 he was officially invited as an expert in Stockholm to the Workshop on the risks and benefits of AI in agriculture (org.C.S.Ferreira-PT).
Skills - Giuliano Vitali has always tried to enrich himself with new tools for understanding natural (environmental, ecological) and anthropic (supply chain, market) systems, from formal (logical-mathematical) and computational modelling (he knows over 20 programming languages and respective dialects) for the representation and simulation of systems, and the interpretation of data (time series). Recently he has also been dedicating himself to AI methods, including Neural Networks and LLM. He supervised field tests (agronomic and hydrological tests) at different scales (LTAE, Ozzano exp. station), in the laboratory (column leaching tests) and developed measurement systems (infiltrometry, TDR, tensiometry, georesistivimetry, respiration, ET and weather observation in LPIoT technology) - has been following the meteorological network of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Bologna for years. He has consolidated experience in data connectivity and server/service management.
Known languages - Giuliano Vitali has an excellent knowledge of both spoken and written English, basic French and Spanish.
Projects - Giuliano Vitali has taken part since the first collaborations with the Faculty of Agriculture in Ministerial and Regional research projects (ref.L.Cavazza, P.Catizone, P.PRossi Pisa. In 2003 he was responsible for the research project U.O. ministerial (Prin 2003) on irrigation policies. In 2007 it was integrated into the MiPAAF SABIO project on the identification of indicators for organic agriculture (Ref.A.Vicari) and in 2012 to the BIOSUS project (ref.M.Canavari Nel 2020 he is responsible for the OU of the H2020 WeLASER project on precision weeding where he worked on the development of IoT technology for devices and field robotics. Since 1 January 2024 he has been responsible for the OU of the EIT-FOOD WAIST project (2024-2025) on weeding. Precision Irrigation of Sugar Beet and participates in the POR-FESR SPRINT project (2024-2026) on precision viticulture.
Communication -
Giuliano Vitali has dedicated himself in all his activities to communication aspects, starting from the development of his experimental website (greenlab.unibo.it) and personally taking care of all the publications, communications and posters presented at the conferences (see Publications).
As part of the H2020-WeLASER project, he oversaw the Document Management Plan.
He participated in the DiSTAL communication group which deals with the Department bulletin.
It also participated in trade fairs in exhibition stands for the promotion of teaching and research activities (third mission). Recently, on the occasion of the R2B fair held in Bologna on 26-27 June 2024, he took care of the CIRI Agroalimentare stand and organised the Workshop "Sustainability and Precision from the Field to the Table:
skills and activities of CIRI Agroalimentare".
Awards - The quality of the posters and presentations was rewarded twice for the best poster (RIRAB, ESA), and twice for the best communication (SIF'21, SIF'22).
Associations - He is a member of the Italian Society of Physics (SIF), of the Italian Society of Agronomy (SIA) and of the International Society for Precision Agriculture (ISPA). Finally, he is a member of CIRI Agroalimentare.
Service - Giuliano Vitali has participated in numerous exam commissions, regularly attends Department Councils, has attended safety courses and remains updated on all the university and CIRI Agroalimentare initiatives to which he belongs.
Internationalization - In the years 2006-2008 he maintained contacts through the Socrates channel with the University of Dronten (NL) and to date he is responsible for Erasmus exchange for the universities of Barcelona (ES), Castelo Branco (PT) and Gaziantep (TK).
Students - Giuliano Vitali carried out exercises in the field, in the laboratory and on the computer, directed a degree thesis and followed a doctoral thesis. It also hosted students from other faculties as part of part-time work activities (150-hours).
Teaching - Since the beginning of his career, Giuliano Vitali has contributed to teaching exercises including laboratory and field activities, and has held courses for farmers' associations and Department and Faculty seminars.
In the academic year 2004-2005 he was responsible for the Statistics module of the Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science course.
From 2003 to 2009 he was responsible for the Soil Physics module of the courses in Territorial Agronomy, Soil Physics and Management of Spontaneous Flora and Malerbology and Agricultural Soil Physics.
In 2002 he carried out exercises in the Territorial Agronomy course.
From 2003 to 2008 he held the Territorial Agronomy II course for the Specialist Degree in Territorial Sciences and Agroforestry Environment.
Since 2002 he has held a series of lessons in the course of Applied Methods for Ecology as part of the Master in Eco-Sustainable Architecture organized by the Engineering Faculty of the University of Bologna, in the context of which course (holder Prof. Paola Rossi) holds a series of seminars and takes care of FAD (Distance Learning).
In 2005 he held seminars in the Master in Sustainable Development and Management of Agro-environmental Systems organized by the Agriculture Faculty of the University of Bologna, at the Reggio Emilia headquarters.
In 2007 he held seminars as part of the International Master in 'Land and Water Conservation' organized by the Agriculture Faculty of the University of Bologna.
From 2012 to 2019 he held the course on "Agrometeorology, Soil Physics and Agricultural Ecology" at the Degree Course in "Ornamental Greenery and Landscape".
From 2007 to 2019 he taught the course "Application of mathematical models in agronomic and environmental sciences" within the Doctoral Research School of this faculty.
Since 2020 (the advent of COVID) he has suspended his teaching activity to dedicate himself to research commitments (H2020-WeLASER) while continuing to follow theses and doctorates.
Third Mission - Giuliano Vitali dedicated himself to business creation activities, in 2000 through a university Spin-Off of the University of Bologna and in 2016 through participation in the creation of a StartUp (FAMOSA) for IoT applications in fruit growing . As part of the WeLASER project (completed in 2023) he developed a patent for the use of robotics in agriculture (e-fence) now in the hands of the University of Bologna.
