I am Professor Chair in Ecology at the University of Padova (since 2020) and Scientific Director of the Chioggia Marine Centre of the University of Padova. I received a Degree in Biology cum laude from the University of Milano (1990) and a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences (Marine Science) from Genova University. I carried out research at several institutions in Italy, Australia, USA and UK, and served as Researcher (2005-2011) and Associate Professor (2011-2020) at the University of Bologna. I am listed among the Top Italian Scientists, and in 2024 I was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. In 2019 and 2021 I was also awarded as Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher (category cross-field), and in 2013 I was awarder a Fulbright Fellowship, which I spent at Stanford University. I am invited member of the European Academy of Sciences, of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg (Sweden), and of the Academy of Sciences of Bologna Institute. I serve as National Delegate for the HE partnerships “Biodiversa”, and in 2020-2021 I served as national delegate in the "shadow" Thematic Horizon Europe Programme Committee for Cluster 6-Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment. I serve (have served) several scientific boards abroad, including the Advisory Board of IH Cantabria (Spain), the ad-hoc Evaluation Committee of LifeWatch ERIC (the e-Science European infrastructure for biodiversity and ecosystem research), and the Steering Boards of the projects MARBEFES and Floating Future. I am Associate Editor of Science Advances, Specialty Chief Editor for Frontiers in Marine Science and editorial board member of Marine Ecology Progress Series and Sustainability. I am coordinator/participant in several (inter)national projects on marine biodiversity conservation and restoration, and I co-lead the eco-engineering workgroup of the global network World Harbour Project (2015-2020). I am recognized as one of the forerunners of the new field of marine urban ecology and coastal 'eco-engineering' and I have dedicated my career to make a positive impact in the conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems threatened by escalating marine urbanization and climate related threats. My current research focuses on designing conservation and restoration strategies in increasingly urbanized marine coastal systems, including nature-inclusive solutions for the protection of the coasts, for the regeneration of urban waterfronts, and for a 'blue' design of marine infrastructure. These approaches can support active restoration close to where people live and where the damage to marine ecosystems has been the most severe. My research has been published in > 170 peer reviewed papers including top ranked journals (Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Sustainability, Nature Water, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, Global Change Biology, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Plos Biology, Bioscience). My personal Research IDs and profiles are: ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5046-0871 Scopus ID: 7005912553 https://publons.com/researcher/1295563/laura-airoldi/ https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=5E3uXgYAAAAJ&hl=en https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laura_Airoldi

Curriculum in PDF: English CV

My research focuses on coastal and marine ecology, with an emphasis on field experimentation and coupled human-natural systems. I work in a highly multidisciplinary context, addressing the consequences of multiple anthropogenic impacts - emphasizing coastal urbanization, habitat loss, enhanced loads of sediments and nutrients, microplastics and climate change - finalized to the sustainable management, conservation and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems. I am particularly interested in human-induced seascape use and cover change, due to the recognition that the transformation of seascapes is the greatest driver of biodiversity loss. In this context, I apply ecological knowledge to design conservation and restoration strategies in increasingly urbanized marine systems. I work in a variety of marine coastal environments, including rocky shores, submarine caves, marine urban habitats, artificial coastal and offshore structures, shallow sedimentary environments and salt marshes. I also have a strong background in the design and analysis of ecological experiments and monitoring programs. My current research interests are very cross-disciplinary and focus on: • Marine urban ecology, emphasis on tools, strategies and guidelines to mitigate the environmental effects of coastal urbanization - including biodiversity loss, the spread of alien species and the growing impacts of microplastics • Ecosystem based design of sustainable shoreline protection strategies, ports and waterfronts, and offshore platforms, and applications for nature-based solutions • Conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems - focus on predicting changes in biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services as a consequence of multiple stressors, and on developing knowledge and guidelines for their continuation and/or rehabilitation

The theses are written in English, working in an international context. Some of the topics proposed are: Analysis of the structure and functioning of restored saltmarshes and other vegetated habitats Experimental tests of restoration techniques in coastal lagoons Development of bioinspired and biomimetic materials, surfaces and approaches for marine restoration Monitoring of marine ecosystem services in coastal lagoons Distribution of native and invasive species of Spartina in North Adriatic lagoons