Biography
Since 2006 - Researcher at the University of Palermo for the Scientific Sector s.s.d. ICAR/04 (Road, railways and Airport).
Appointed as Expert for the s.s.d. ICAR/04 by the Professors; Board in Civil Engineering of the University of Palermo.
2005 - Research Assistant on the topic -Experimental analysis on mechanical performances of non-traditional bituminous mixtures- at the University of Palermo
Ph. D. in "Analisi Congiunturale, territoriale e della Qualità Totale" (Congiuntural, Territorial and Total Quality Analysis) at the University of Palermo
Appointed as Expert in Evaluation for Programs and Investment by the Regional Government of Sicily- Treasury Ministry, Italy - Area of Transport infrastructures
2004 - Graduate Research Assistant presso la University of Minnesota, Department of Civil Engineering, Minneapolis, MN.
Applied tensor Analysis for Constitutive Modeling, Technical University of Delft ,Delft, the Netherlands.
2003- Research Student for a semester at Nottingham University, Nottingham Centre for Pavement Engineering (NCPE), Nottingham (U.K.) working on a joint research with the Technical University of Delft (Nl).
2002 - First in the Ph. D. competition in Road Infrastructure Engineering at D.I.I.V. - Department Of Road Infrastructure Engineering- University of Palermo.
First in the Ph. D. competition in Cyclical, Territorial and Total Quality Analysis at C.I.R.M.E.T- University of Palermo.
1996-2001 Getting a degree (First Class Honours) in Civil Engineering (5 years course) from the University of Palermo, with a worth mentioning Thesis on Analytical design of asphalt pavement.
1991-1996 Getting a Diploma in Classical Studies, with full marks.
CURRENT AND PAST RESEARCH PROJECTS
Performance indicators for road pavement;
Constitutive modelling for asphalt mixtures;
Analytical design of asphalt pavement using incremental models;
Characterisation of Dry and Wet Processes for Crumb Rubber Modified asphalt mixtures;
Use of waste glass in asphalt mixtures in substitution of mineral aggregates.
Susceptibility of rational design of asphalt pavement to temperature variation.
Use of refused plastic for improving mechanical properties of asphalt mixtures.
Comparison of in situ compaction of asphalt mixtures with laboratory compaction.
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Since 2006, "Experimental Laboratory Testing for Road Materials course" for Bachelor Students in Civil Engineering - University of Palermo
Since 2001, cooperation for the educational activities for the Road, railway and airport design course, at the University of Palermo.
In 2003, cooperation for the educational activities for the Master Course in Road Safety Engineering at Ce.Ri.S.Di -Research and Executive Studies Centre,Palermo.
Since 2004, cooperation for the educational activities for the Experimental Laboratory Testing for Road Materials course, at the University of Palermo.
Co-supervisor of several final year students for their Final Thesis.
RESEARCH COOPERATION
Member of the Technical Committee ATB Advanced testing and characterization of bituminous materials del RILEM (Réunion Internationale des Laboratoires d'Essais et de recherche sur les Matériaux et les Constructions)
Member of the III WG of COST Action 354 Performance Indicators for Road Pavements (European Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research).
Cooperation for a semester of research at the Nottingham Centre for Pavement engineering (NCPE), Nottingham University, for Constitutive modelling of asphalt mixtures, joint research with the Technical University of Delft
Appointed as member by the Italian Ministry for Infrastructures and Transport of the National Technical Committee 4.3 Road Pavement of the PIARC - World Road Association
Invited as Expert member of the National Technical Committee 4.2 Road Vehicle Interaction of the PIARC - World Road Association.
Appointed as member by the Italian Ministry for Infrastructures and Transport of the National Technical Committee D2.b “Flexible and semirigid pavemnts" of the PIARC - World Road Association
Member of the Research Unit of the University of Palermo 2004- ex quota 60%- Performances of asphalt mixtures for road pavements.
Member of the Research Unit of the University of Palermo for the National Relevant Research Program PRIN 2001: Driver-geometry interaction at road intersection.
Member of the Research Unit of the University of Palermo for the National Relevant Research Program PRIN 2001: Innovative techniques for bituminous pavement with crumb rubber modifier from scrap tires.
Member of the Research Unit of the University of Palermo 2001/2002- ex quota 60%- Use of glass from municipal waste in road technique.
EVALUATION ACTIVITIES
Ex Ante Evaluation of the Regional Operation Program of Sicily 2000-2006 - EU Structural Funds
Contribution to the draft of regional development strategy of EU structural funds 2007 - 2013 planning exercise for Sicily to be included in NDP.
Evaluation of feasibility studies for infrastructural projects being implemented in Sicily with EC funds since 2005.
Assisted Sicilian regional and local Administrations on PCM (Project Cycle Management) and Project preparation at strategic, methodology and evaluation stages plus a wide range of issues including: preparation/evaluation of OP, tenders and contracts implementation, negotiation, edition of selection criteria and evaluation guidelines, socio-economic analysis, project cycle for EU funds, evaluation, applications to EFRD (European Fund for Regional Development), Large-project financing issues, local development programs implementation