Full Professor in Materials Science and Technology at the School of Engineering and Architecture, University of Bologna.
Director of Centro Ceramico, a research center based on a University Consortium, addressed to applied research and technology transfer for traditional and advanced ceramic materials (www.centroceramico.it) from 2015 to 2024.
Scientific Director of the inter universities (Unibo/Unimore) professional master program (level II) in Business and Ceramic Technology in the academic years 2019/20, 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
Convener of Working Group 1 "Test methods" - ISO Technical Committee 189 "Ceramic tiles".
Convener of Working Group 1 "Test methods" - CEN Technical Committee 67 "Ceramic tiles".
Convener of UNI/CT 033/GL 19 “Ceramic Pavements and adhesives for wall ceramic tiles”.
Member since 29/01/2024 of "Commissione relatrice permanente per l’esame e la predisposizione di proposte di parere finalizzati al rilascio dei Certificati di Valutazione Tecnica (CVT) (Sub - Commisione 4)" of Consiglio Superiore dei Lavori Pubblici (Italy).
Member of ERC Peer Review Panels for starting grant 2023 for Materials Engineering (PE11).
Member of FWO fellowship panel postdoc call 2024 per W&T6 Chemical and Materials Engineering.
Projects Coordination
- Scientific Coordinator in 2024 of the regional project CCS4CER (Carbon Capture Storage and CO2 mineralization for Ceramic Industry), call PR FESR 2021-2027 (DGR 2097/2022 E SS.MM.) From February 2024, for 30 months.
- Scientific Coordinator in 2024 of the regional project BLOCH4MAT (Block Chain Technology for Ceramic and Construction Materials Supply Chain), call PR FESR 2021-2027 (DGR 2097/2022 E SS.MM.). From February 2024, for 24 months.
- Principal investigator in 2024 of Centro Ceramico partner in the regional project AIM-eBIM (Adapted Information Management for existing Buildings Information Modeling), call PR FESR 2021-2027 (DGR 2097/2022 E SS.MM.) From February 2024, for 30 months.
- Principal investigator in 2024 of Centro Ceramico partner in the regional project REWINDS (Recycling of Waste Into New Demonstrated Sustainable Solutions), call PR FESR 2021-2027 (DGR 2097/2022 E SS.MM.) From February 2024, for 30 months.
- Principal investigator of Unibo Unit in the project “Sustainable concrete made with recycled asphalt pavement (RAP-CON)” funded by Cariplo Foundation (from 01/05/2020 to 31/10/2023).
- Principal investigator of Unibo Unit in the project “Efficiency in products and industrial productions” funded by “Piano Triennale della Ricerca del Sistema Elettrico Nazionale”, Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico (from 01/01/2019 to 31/12/2021).
- Principal investigator of Centro Ceramico unit in the project TIMESAFE, POR-FESR 2014-2020, Emilia Romagna Call (DGR n. 968/2018).
- Principal investigator of Centro Ceramico unit in the project MIMESIS - Emilia Romagna Call (DGR n. 968/2018).
- Principal investigator of Centro Ceramico unit in the project eBIM, POR-FESR 2014-2020, Emilia Romagna Call (DGR n. 968/2018).
- Coordinator of the regional project IPERCER (Process innovation for sustainable tile production), POR-FESR 2014-2020 – Emilia Romagna Call (DGR n. 774/2015)
- Coordinator of the regional project MATER_SOS (Sustainable materials for retrofitting and designing new buildings), POR-FESR 2014-2020 – Emilia Romagna Call (DGR n. 774/2015).
- Principal investigator of UNIBO unit in the European project M-ERA.net [http://m-era.net/] 2013: Bronze-IMproved non-hazardous PAtina CoaTings (B-IMPACT) - 1 marzo 2015 – 28 Febbraio 2017.
Academic activity
Courses: “Technology of Materials and Applied Chemistry”, "Materials Durability".
Advisor of more than 100 thesis in the field of civil, chemical or mechanical engineering and 10 PhD theses.
Member of the PhD Board in Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna.
Member of the Teaching Board in Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna.
Scientific referent since 2010 for exchange ERASMUS program between Unibo and Université Montpellier II in the field of Materials Science.
Research activity
- member of the Technical Committee del Congresso Internazionale QUALICER 2024 (5-6 March 2024);
- co-organizers of the symposium dedicated to "Ceramics and Inorganic materials for building applications" at ECERS 2023 (Conference of the European Ceramic Society, Lyon, France, 2-6 July, 2023;
- member of the Technical Committee of the International Conference QUALICER 2022 (20-21 June 2022)
- member of the Technical Committee of the International Conference QUALICER 2020 (10-11 Febraury 2020);
- local chair of Topic “Silicate Ceramics” at ECERS 2019 (Conference of the European Ceramic Society, Torino 16-20 June, 2019;
- member of the International Scientific Committee for thr International Conference on Alkali Activated Materials and Geopolymers: Versatile Materials Offering High Performance and Low Emissions, An ECI Continuing Series, May 27-June 1, 2018, Tomar, Portugal;
- member of the Technical Committee of the International Conference QUALICER 2018 (12-13 Febraury 2018);
- co-chair of Topic “Challenges and Opportunities in Industrial Ceramics” with Prof. Alpagut Kara for the Conference of the European Ceramic Society (ECERS 2017), Budapest, 9-13 July, 2017;
- member of the Executive Board of Material & Sustainability Committee, ECTP (European Construction Technology Platform) from 2016 to 2019;
- member of Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research on “Building and Constructions”, collaborating with the unit “Production and management of buildings: sustainability, safety and energy efficiency”;
- member of the Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research on “Advanced Mechanics and Materials;
- scientific reference for the research topics “Sustainable concrete, recycling and environment”, Alkali activated materials (geopolymers) for civil and industrial applications”, “Corrosion and protection of metals” at DICAM department (Unibo).
- reference person for the Italian Geopolymer group for the research activity on geopolymers developped at University of Bologna;
- member of two RILEM Technical Committees: “Mechanical properties of alkali-activated concrete” (MPA) and “Chloride transport in alkali-activated materials” (283-CAM);
- member of Working Party: Corrosion of Steel in Concrete, European Federation of Corrosion (EFC);
- reviewer for the following International Journals: Construction and Building materials; Resources, Conservation & Recycling; Cement and Concrete Research; Fuel; Cement and Concrete Composites; Journal of Environmental Management; Materials and Structures; Journal of Hazardous Material, Nature Communications.
The research activity is addressed on building and industrial materials (traditional and innovative ceramics, cements and concrete, coatings, etc.), their physical/mechanical performances, their durability in service life and interactions with the environment. She is author of more than 170 publications in international journals and proceedings and 1 patent.
Research activity, supported by collaborations with companies and universities, is mainly addressed as follows:innovative building materials based on industrial waste for a sustainable development of the building sector;
- sustainable building materials and innovative cements with low CO2 emissions;
- alkali activated materials/geopolymers: a new class of inorganic materials for building and industrial sectors;
- corrosion and materials protection for industry, buildings and cultural heritage.
Bibliometric data based on Scopus database (January 12th, 2025): 164 indexed papers, 4778 citations, 35 h-index
Research experiences abroad
July 1999 – September 1999: visiting scientist at the Building Research Institute (BRI) in Tsukuba (Ibaraki, Japan).
July 1995 - September 1996: visiting scientist at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Faculty of Cornell University (Ithaca, NY (USA).
