Personale docente

Associate Professor of Metallurgy (ING-IND/21), Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma (Parma -Italy) with Tenure as a Full Professor (from February 2014).
Formerly (nov. 1998-dic. 2013) at the Dept. of Innovation Engineering, University of Salento (Lecce-ITALY).

Education: Graduation (full course) in Physics, University of Bologna (December 1990).
Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering (October 1995 – Turin Polythecnic): ‘Effect of plastic deformation on dynamic precipitation of stable and metastable phases in Al-4%Cu (supervisors: prof. E. Evangelista – Dept. of Mechanics, University of Ancona and Prof. N. Ryum - NTNU Trondheim (Norway)).
Post-Doc in Metallurgy (Dept. of Mechanics, Ancona University, Industrial Engineering Area).
Abroad research experience (1992-1995): N.T.N.U. (Trondheim) with prof. Nils Ryum, O.S.U. (Oregon) with prof. Mike Kassner.

The research activity is collected in 220 papers published in international journals, conference proceedings and book chapters. The main research topics of the past ten years mainly concern: a) the optimization of microstructure and mechanical properties in light alloy products obtained by DMLS, SLM and EMB additive manufacturing technologies; a) friction stir welding (FSW) of light alloys: study of mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of single or multiple lap joints; b) friction stir processing (FSP) of magnesium alloys: mechanical properties at room and high temperature and microstructure; c) severe plastic deformation processes in light alloys; d) evaluation of new high temperature oxidation resistant coatings. The experimental activity has been performed by using mechanical testing machines for tension and compression, hardness measurements, optical microscopy, SEM-FEG, TEM, EDS analysis, X-Rays diffractometry for phase analysis and texture.

Bybliometric indicators: H-index 25 and 1885 citations (from Scopus 18-01-2021).
Member of GEV09 committee (ANVUR) for VQR 2015-2019.
Member of the Commission for International Mobiliy of the DIA.
President of CPDS (commissione paritetica docenti-student) for the dept. of Engineering and Architecture- UNIPR (2017- ).
Member of GEV09 committee (ANVUR) for Evaluation of Italian Research (VQR 2011-2014).
Expert Evaluators of Horizon2020 calls (2015-2017 and 2020).
Member of GEV09 committee (ANVUR) for Evaluation of Italian Research (VQR 2004-2010).
President of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science Committee of Italian Association of Metallurgy-AIM (from September 2018- ); formerly vice President (2014-2018).
Member of AIM and in the past of TMS (The Minerals and Metals Society).
Referee for international scientific journals (MSEA. J.Mat.Sci., J. Alloys and Compound, CompositeA, Mat.& Design, Materials Letters, J. Mat. Proc. Tech. etc.) and invited at international conferences. Referee of National and International research projects.
Member of the editorial board of ‘La Metallurgia Italiana’.
Member of the committee of Industrial Engineering Ph.D. degree at University of Parma from 2014 and formerly of Mechanical and Industrial Eng. Ph.D. degree at University of Salento. Vice-president of Industrial Engineering graduation course (march 2010-march 2012, University of Salento).
Supervisor of more than 60 undergraduate students and post-graduated and Ph.D..
Member of International Ph.D. committees (NTNU Trondheim-Norway in 2012, 2013, 2017) and Italian Ph.D. committees (Politecnica delle Marche, University of Salento, University of Trento, University of Bologna) for the final discussion and achievement of the PhD title.

Component of commissions for Researcher competition or grants in Italian Universities and NTNU (Norway).
Research grant by European Commission Research Infrastructures Action-ESTEEM2-grant 20150526-Cerri for performing TEM at FELMI-ZFE in Graz (Austria) in October 2015.

Invited speaker, session chair and member of the Scientific Commitee of International Conf. THERMEC 2016 – Graz (Austria) 29 maggio-3 giugno 2016.
President of the 36°Convegno Nazionale AIM – Parma, 21-23 settembre 2016 and member of the Organizing Commitee.

Research projects and main fundings
COFIN 99: ‘aspetti metallurgici e meccanici nella formatura net-shape di compositi a matrice in lega di alluminio’ – (responsible of research unit).
COFIN 2000: ‘comportamento meccanico ed aspetti metallurgici nei componenti in lega di Magnesio per mezzi di trasporto’ – (responsible of research unit).
Research Contract ‘Caratterizzazione microstrutturale di ghise ADI e messa a punto del trattamento di austempering’ with Fonderie DeRiccardis - Galatina (Le) october 1999 - june 2001.
Research Contract per ‘Analisi e studio dei materiali metallici’, progetto Applicazioni Tecnologie Flessibili’ Consorzio CETMA (2001).
PRIN 2002: ‘Influenza di una severa deformazione plastica sull’invecchiamento di leghe di alluminio innovative’– (responsible of research unit).
Research Contract with Ground Support Equipment (G.S.E. – Brindisi) ‘Caratterizzazione meccanica e microstrutturale di lamiere per impiego aeronautico dopo trattamento termico’.
PRIN 2004: ‘microstructural and mechanical characterisation of friction stir welded joints – (responsible of research unit).
Progetto esplorativo PE_132 anno 2006-2008 (accordo di programma quadro in materia di ‘Ricerca Scientifica’ nella Regione Puglia) ‘Ottimizzazione della tecnologia fusoria per produzione di getti in acciaio inossidabile e duplex’, scientific coordinator (B.F.M. Bari Fonderie Meridionali s.p.a.).
Research contract with ILVA (Taranto), ‘Introduzione alla tecnica di Hole Expansion per la stampabilità dei prodotti alto resistenziali’ (2010-2011).
PRIN 2008: ‘A comprensive study of the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of joints for aero and naval industry obtained by novel technologies’ – (National Coordinator).
(2010-11) ‘Determination of porosity in composite structure’ contract (GSE Brindisi).
Research project grant ‘Grandi attrezzature d’Ateneo’, December 2009.
(2011-2012) ‘Evaluation of new wear resistant materials and deposition techniques for turbine blades’ , research project (AVIOGROUP – Torino).
(2011-2012) ‘Development of repair techniques for Waspalloy casing’, research project (AVIOGROUP – Torino).
(2011-2014) PON Ricerca e Competitività 2007-2013, PON 01_00895 ‘LABORATORIO SUL REPAIR -LABREP’ AVIO – Torino, scientific responsible of EDS.
(2014) – Scientific grant by Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia -AIM – for young researcher about ‘Materiali Metallici a grano fine/ultrafine ottenuti con tecnologie innovative e/o severa deformazione plastica’.
Project POR-FESR 2014-2020 ‘Nuovi paradigmi per la progettazione, costruzione ed il funzionamento di macchine e impianti per l’industria alimentare’ (2016-2018) resp. OBR.
Research contracts with SME in the Parma area.

International collaborations
Hans J. Roven, Professor Dep. Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU (Trondheim, Norway);
David E. Embury, Professor Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario – Canada);
Mike Kassner, University of Southern California, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Los Angeles, California;

Conference presentations, seminars and Course organization
The research activity has been presented and discussed in more than 40 oral presentations; she was envolved or coordinated the following meetings:
- Scuola internazionale di Dottorato in Metallurgia (Fundamentals Issues on Plastic Deformation of Metals and Alloys), Lecce 15-19 Settembre 2003
- ‘Gli acciai a grano ultrafine’, Centro di studio Metallurgia Fisica e Scienza dei Materiali, Milano 7 febbraio 2008.
- ‘Materiali metallici a grano ultrafine’, coordinator, Centro di Studio Metallurgia Fisica e Scienza dei Materiali, Parma 3 luglio 2015 c/o Centro S. Elisabetta – Campus delle Scienze.
- ‘Giornata di Studio su ‘ Tecniche sperimentali per la caratterizzazione dei materiali’ Parma 18 settembre 2015 c/o Centro S. Elisabetta – Campus delle Scienze.
- Component of the International Scientific Commitee of THERMEC’2016 – International Conf., Graz (Austria), May 29-June 3, 2016.
- President of 36° AIM Conference, Parma, September 21-23, 2016.

Teaching activity
Last years (2014-):, Metallurgy, Metallic Materials for the food industry, Mechanical Metallurgy, Production Technology.
In the past: Metals Science, Metallurgy; Mechanical Metallurgy, Metals Technology.