I am Professor Chair in Ecology, and deputy director for the Hydrobiological Station Umberto D’Ancona at Chioggia, on the Southern side of Venice lagoon, and I have a shared position (30% of my time) at the University of Bologna, where I was previously Associate Professor (2011-2020). I received a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of Genova (1994), and carried out research at several institutions in Italy, Australia, USA and UK. I am listed among the Top Italian Scientists, and in 2019 and 2021 I was recognized as a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher (category cross-field), Clarivate Analytics, due to the publication of multiple highly-cited papers in different research fields. I am a Member of the Academy of Sciences of Bologna Institute, and in 2013 I was a Fulbright Research Fellow at Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station. I am national delegate for the HE partnerships “Biodiversa” and “Blue Economy”, 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 am Specialty Chief Editor in Marine Conservation and Sustainability for Frontiers in Marine Science and serve the editorial Board of Marine Ecology Progress Series and Sustainability. I co-lead the eco-engineering workgroup within the World Harbour Project, and I am involved in European/global projects on biodiversity conservation and restoration in increasingly urbanized marine environments. I am recognized as one of the forerunners of the new field of marine urban ecology. I have published > 150 peer reviewed papers including top ranked journals (Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Sustainability, 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