Tell us a little bit about yourself, describe your hobbies and interests outside of science. I like to hike with friends, mountain bike, climb, football, basically all kind of sports that imply being outdoor in the mountains. In Germany, I trained a football team of international students and we played a European tournament in Athens (Greece).
What kind of scientist are you and what do you do? I am a PostDoc researcher in Marine Geology, especially focusing on i) mud volcanoes, gas- and mud-spewing structures similar to magmatic volcanoes; and ii) paleoseismology, studying the effect of extreme events related to earthquakes on the sedimentary archive of the ocean seafloor. In a sense, I am using i) mud volcanoes as deep boreholes to explore the interior of subduction zones (unreachable through scientific drilling), by analyzing their sediments’ / fluids’ geochemical and mineralogical composition; and ii) event deposits to reconstruct the paleoseismic history of a certain region.
Do you conduct outreach, and if so, who do you communicate science to? I am trying to convey my science to the general public through diverse media (radio podcasts, news magazines, conferences/talks), in order to explain the societal application (and relevance) of what can be seen as quite abstract such as scientific research.
What is your favorite part about being a scientist, and how did you get interested in science? I started as and onland geologist as a university student due to my love for the outdoors and evolved into a marine geologist. I did not know anything related to marine geology until my PhD. I like basically everything that has to do with scientific innovation and green-energy, plus I am fascinated by biology.
How did you learn about scientific ocean drilling? If you are a marine geologist you should know the history of DSDP-ODP-IODP by heart 😉 I also participated in a previous IODP expedition.
How does your work contribute to the betterment of society in general? Subduction zones are where all the most destructive earthquakes (Mw>8) happen on earth. Nonetheless, several aspects of these complex geotectonic settings still remain obscure. Through the study of mud volcanism and paleoseismology I am trying to understand fluid and solid cycles in subduction zones, which play a role in their evolution and record past earthquakes. Understanding the seismic hazard coming from subduction zones and informing the population and the stakeholders on the risk implicated is key for an effective risk management.
Are you training the next generation of scientists? I am advising several PhD/MSc/BSc students, and I taught university courses/gave seminars to future scientists in the past.
Do you engage in community science? Whenever I discover something new on the seafloor I try to involve the local population in taking part with the naming process of the features.
What advice do you have for prospective scientists? It is above all a vocational path, in particular marine geoscience. I was born in the Italian Alps and could never have imagined that I would love being on a research vessel so much. Nothing will forge you better as a scientist then your motivation and drive for knowledge.