EDUCATION

Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Chester, UK. 2017

Ph.D. in Biology, Université de Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada)
Thesis title: Senescence, Sexual Selection and Population Dynamics of Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) 2005

Laurea Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
Thesis title: Territorial behaviour of male alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) 1998

EMPLOYMENT

Lecturer in Conservation Biology
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, UK 2015 - current

Research Biologist, Responsible for wildlife research and conservation projects
Alpine Wildlife Research Centre, Scientific Research Service
Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy 2005-2015

Post-doc Visiting Research Fellow
National Centre for Statistical Ecology
School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science
University of Kent, Canterbury, UK 2009-2010

Wildlife research and conservation consultant
Wildlife Science Srl
Private wildlife management consultancy Company (Founder and CEO) 2003-2005

Postgraduate Research fellow Université de Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada)
with a University of Pavia post-graduate fellowship 1999

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Lecturer in Conservation Biology
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, UK
Module leader for the level 4 “Ecology” and “Data Handling and Project Design” modules. I also co-teach in the level 5 “Population Biology and Conservation” module as well as in the level 6 “Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology” module. I also organised and lead a very successful one week field trip to Coto Donana National Park in Spain with level 5 “Field Ecology” students. I also lead the residential 1-week long fieldtrip to the Lake District for the “Ecology” module and a two weeks “Experiential learning” expedition with undergraduate students to Madagascar (May 2017). For the MSc in Wildlife Conservation I teach in the following modules: “Field Ecology”, “Managing Populations and Landscapes”, “Biodiversity Informatics”. 2015-current

Contracted Lecturer in Ecological Data Management and Analysis
Module open to level6 BSc students in Natural Sciences and MSc students in “Evolution of Animal and Human Behaviour”“,vFaculty of Science, University of Turin, Italy 2014-2015

Contracted Lecturer in Animal Behaviour
BSc in Animal Productions, Wildlife Management and Conservation,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Turin, Italy 2007-2009

Short courses and workshops

December 2017 - Species distribution and occupancy models in R, 4 days short course for staff of Chester Zoo, Chester, UK. July 2017 - A primer of causal inference for conservation biologists, pre-conference 1 day short course at the International Conference for Conservation Biology 2017, Cartagena, Colombia.

April 2017 - Advanced applied Statistical Methods for Researchers (26 hours), Istitut Agricole Regional de la Valle d’Aoste, Italy

April 2016 - Bayesian methods for Ecologists, 4 days PhD level course, Univeristy of Pavia, Italy.

April 2015 - Causal Inference for Ecologists, 4 days PhD level course, Univeristy of Pavia, Italy.

January 2015 - Bayesian methods for Biologists and Veterinarians and Disentangling Evolutionary Relationships with Phylogenetic Comparative Methods (Together with Dr. A. Gonzalez-Voyer). Visiting Professor, 2 weeks Postgraduate summer school, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.

December-February 2014-15 - Applied Statistical Methods for Researchers (32 hours), Istitut Agricole Regional de la Valle d’Aoste, Italy

October 2013 - Disentangling Evolutionary Relationships with Phylogenetic Comparative Methods (Together with Dr. A. Gonzalez-Voyer). 5 days course at Transmitting Science, Els Hostalets de Pierola, Barcelona, Spain

I also regularly teach short courses and workshops on the use of the statistical language R. I am currently in the process of becoming a Software Carpentry and Data Carpentry Instructor.

People who have earned a PhD degree or completed a post-doc stay under my supervision

Postdoc: Alice Brambilla (2014-2015); Rocco Tiberti (2013-2017); Cristian Pasquaretta (2009-2011). PhD: Caterina Ferrari (2015-current); Luigi Ranghetti (2011-2014); Alice Brambilla (2010-2013); Rocco Tiberti (2008-2011).

HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale, Settore concorsuale BIO/05 Zoologia e Antropologia -National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in Zoology obtained by the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research (Valid until 13 January 2020).

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, recognition reference number: PR131728, obtained in August 2017.

ACADEMIC ROLES

Postgraduate Director of Studies, University of Chester May 2016-current

External Examiner, PhD of Mr. Niu Kefeng, University of Turin, Italy, March 2018

External Examiner, PhD of Mr. Rocco Iacobuzio, University of Milano, Italy January 2018

External Examiner, MRes Viva of Mr. Owain Barton, University of Bangor January 2018

External Examiner, PhD Viva of Ms. E. Iranzo, Universidad de Madrid March 2017

Member of the Athena Swan Committee, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, 2015-current

ONGOING RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS

Dr. Bruno Bassano Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy - Alpine ibex population ecology

Prof. Denis Réale Université du Quebec a Montreal, Canada - Behavioural ecology of Alpine marmots

Prof. Giuseppe Bogliani University of Pavia, Italy - Impact of brook trout on the ecology of Alpine lakes, Behavioural ecology of alpine marmots and ibex

Prof. Lukas Keller University of Zurich, Switzerland - Molecular ecology of Alpine ibex

Dr. Paulo Corti Universitad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile - Species distribution models for the Andean Huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisusculus); Bayesian mapping of the incidence of predation on domestic animals; Ecological interactions between domestic sheep livestock and wild guanaco in Chile

Dr. Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer UNAM, Mexico and Department of Zoology, Stockholm University - Development of methods for Phylogenetic Path Analysis and Bayesian Phylogenetic Structural Equation Modeling

Dr. Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez University of Reading, UK - Modeling direct and indirect causal relationships betweeen life history, ecological and behavioural traits and demographic vital rates and extinction risk

Dr. Samantha Patrick University of Liverpool, UK - Does environmental or phylogenetic differences in foraging behavior drive life history differences in seabirds? (NERC DTP PhD project, co-supervision team)

Dr. Rachel McCrea and Prof. Byron Morgan National Centre for Statistical Ecology, University of Kent, UK - Integrated population models applied to Alpine ibex population dynamics

PEER-REVIEW ACTIVITY

Review Editor for Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Associate Editor for Journal of Mountain Ecology

Has served as reviewer for the following journals: Animal Behaviour, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Conservation Biology, Biology letters, Behavioural Ecology, Journal of Animal Ecology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Wildlife Research, Journal of Mountain Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Journal of Arid Environments, Journal of Zoology, Mammal Biology, Mammalia, Wildlife Society Bulletin, International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, Italian Journal of Zoology, European Journal of Wildlife Research, Folia Zoologica, Hystrix - Italian Journal of Mammalogy, PLOS-ONE, American Naturalist, European Journal of Zoology

OTHER RECENT SCHOLARITY ACTIVITY

Member of the Organising Committee of the “Think-tank on Conservation technologies” at the International Conference for Conservation Biology 2017, Cartagena, Colombia, 22-26 July 2017.

Member of the Scientific Committee of the “International Meeting on the Conservation of High Altitude Lakes”, to be held in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy from 6-8 July 2017.

RESEARCH FUNDS

External expert in FONDECYT Chile Research Grant - Ecological interactions between domestic sheep livestock and wild Guanaco (Dr. Paulo Corti PI) 355,500 US$ (10,000 US$ for research expeditions to Chile by the external expert) 2017-2021

Knowledge Transfer Fund University of Chester, 3,500 GBP 2017

International Research Excellence Grant
University of Chester (Funded by Santander) 1,000 GBP 2016

Project coordinator
LIFE+ BIOAQUAE (Biodiversity Improvement of Aquatic Alpine Ecosystems).
EU LIFE Funding 1,353,540 € www.bioaquae.eu 2012-2015

Project coordinator
Updating the European distribution map of Alpine ibex.
BAFU, Swiss Ministry of Environment 14,000 € 2014

Scientist in charge for GPNP
ACQWA Assessing Climate impacts on the Quantity and quality of WAter.
7th Research Framework Programme (EU - FP7) 80,000 € 2007-2012

AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS

European Social Fund, Research Travel Grant - Universitad Austral de Chile 2010

Postdoc fellowship of the European Social Fund - University of Kent, UK 2009-2010

European Social Fund Research Travel Grant for participating to the Distance Sampling Workshops, St. Andrews, Scotland, August 2007 2007

Excellence studentship of the University of Sherbrooke 2000-2001

DAAD fellowship (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, Program HSP III) for pursuing a Ph.D. At the University of Sherbrooke, Canada 2000-2001

“Marco Marchesini” Prize of the “Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti” for the best diploma thesis in Ethology defended in Italy in 1997-98 1999

Abroad specialisation research studentship of the University of Pavia; held at the University of Sherbrooke, Canada 1999

MEMBERSHIPS

Member of the Society for Conservation Biology and of the British Ecological Society

LANGUAGES

I speak and write fluently in English, German,Italian and Spanish. My level of spoken and written French is intermediate.