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Actual position:
PhD Student in Architecture at Federico II University of Naples, Italy, since January 2023
Project:
"Urban Biodiversity" - PNRR CN5 - NBFC
Short Bio:
Ph.D. student in Architecture at the Federico II University of Naples, since January 2023 on the "Urban Biodiversity" project. This research is funded by the CN5 - NBFC National Biodiversity Future Center (https://www.nbfc.it/), as part of Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
The project I am involved in is part of research unit WP 5.1 "Plant Reproduction in the Urban Environment" coordinated by Prof. Salvatore Cozzolino from the Department of Biology at the University of Naples Federico II, and Prof. Massimo Labra from the Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences at the University of Milan-Bicocca.
The main goal of this research is to analyze the dynamics and factors influencing biodiversity in urban areas in order to support targeted forest planning and the development of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) suitable for various urban contexts.
The project specifically studies urban vegetation, including tree and shrub species, to identify those most suited for afforestation efforts. Additionally, we monitor the behavior of both native and introduced plant species, assessing their reproductive success based on interactions with various environmental, biotic, and abiotic factors.
Together with my advisor, Prof. Lorenzo Boccia, we are working on implementing a management system that combines proximal and remote sensing. This integration will help us differentiate the phenological stages of urban species, providing a valuable tool for a range of monitoring applications and detailed land-use analyses.
In particular, our aim is to apply a methodological approach that helps preserve biodiversity and counter fragmentation through a connectivity study, supported by a detailed land analysis. This will be achieved through advanced remote and proximal sensing techniques, using very high-resolution (VHR) imagery combined with object-based image analysis (OBIA). Additionally, interpretation procedures and AI applications will allow us to gather data to identify various landscape components.
In 2019, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in "Urban Planning, Landscape, Territory, and Environment" from Federico II University of Naples with a thesis on "Environmental Planning" titled “Infrastrutture blu e verdi per il recupero dell’area periurbana di Napoli” ("Blue and Green Infrastructure for the Redevelopment of the Periurban Area of Naples") supervised by Prof. Marina Rigillo.
I later enhanced my expertise in GIS software by completing an advanced course in “Information Systems for the Management of Urban and Complex Systems”.
During my master's studies, I attended a semester at the University of Alicante in Spain and graduated with honors in 2022 with a degree in "Territorial and Landscape Planning". My thesis, “Water Walk. Dalla vasca S.Sossio al parco lineare lungo i Regi Lagni” ("Water Walk: From the S. Sossio Basin to the Linear Park along the Regi Lagni") under the supervision of Prof. Anna Terracciano, allowed me to explore issues in urban and territorial contexts, examining ecological-spatial challenges alongside social and economic conflicts.
I continued to develop this expertise through independent research that includes not only a critical review of current urban planning tools but also on-the-ground investigations. I gained firsthand experience in remote sensing and territorial analysis through fieldwork with the Development Agency of the Nolana Area, where I studied the conditions of areas covered in my thesis.
Research: