Associate Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA), University of Bologna, since November 2024.
Research Areas: Geophysical flow dynamics and atmospheric physics, with a particular focus on theoretical and experimental studies of turbulent transport and dispersion processes over complex terrain (urban, coastal, and mountainous areas). Measurement systems and observation techniques of the planetary boundary layer. Nature-based solutions for hydro-meteorological risk mitigation and climate adaptation.
Academic Career
2024–present: Associate Professor, University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy.
2021–2024: Tenure-track Researcher (RTD-B), University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy.
2014–2018: Research Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
Education
2018–2021: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astronomy.
2011–2013: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Notre Dame, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
2011: PhD in Geophysics for the Environment and Territory, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
2006: MSc (Laurea, pre-reform) in Physics, University of Salento, Department of Physics, Lecce, Italy.
Teaching Activities
2024–present: "Complex Terrain Meteorology", MSc in Physics of the Earth System, University of Bologna (course instructor).
2022–present: "Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics", Module 1, MSc in Physics of the Earth System, University of Bologna (course instructor).
2021–present: "Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics and Meteorology", Module 2, BSc in Physics, University of Bologna.
2021–present: "Planetary Atmospheres", BSc in Astronomy, University of Bologna.
2016–2018: Instructor of "Environmental Fluid Dynamics Practicum" (CE 62400), Graduate School, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
Research Activities
Coordinator of the ALBATROSS project (Horizon Europe, 2024–2027). Previously, Co-Principal Investigator of Perdigão (U.S. National Science Foundation, 2016–2019), and Principal Investigator of Microscale Modeling of Complex Terrain Flows (U.S. Department of Army, 2014–2015) and Climate Impacts on Environmental Quality in Urban Santiago (University of Notre Dame, 2014–2015). Since 2022, Work Package and Activity Leader for the National Biodiversity Future Center (PNRR – NextGenerationEU, Activity 4.5.1) and, since 2023, member of the coordination team of the Cluster of Excellence for Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, promoted by ARUA and The Guild. Formerly Work Package Co-Leader in the OPERANDUM project (H2020, 2018–2022).
She has gained extensive experience in the coordination of major international field campaigns, serving as Field Deployment Manager and Team Leader for the University of Notre Dame (USA) in projects such as WFIP2 (U.S. Department of Energy), CASPER and ASIRI: RAWI (Office of Naval Research, U.S. DoD), and MATERHORN (U.S. Department of Defense), with responsibilities for planning, management, and analysis of complex atmospheric observations in mountainous and marine environments.
She has also served as Expert Monitor and Advisory Board Member in EU-funded projects, as well as proposal evaluator for NSF, NASA, and the Italian Rita Levi Montalcini Program, and reviewer for leading international scientific journals.
Editorial Boards
2023–present: Editorial Board Member of Boundary Layer Meteorology (Springer).
2016–2020: Guest Editor for the Special Issue "MATERHORN Program and Complex Terrain Flows", Environmental Fluid Mechanics.
