Smart Bay S. Teresa – The protagonists

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November 19, 2025

Bruno PISANO

President - Eastern Ligurian Sea Port System Authority
Maritime and customs professional with more than 30 years of experience in international logistics and port services. He is CEO of Customs Support Italy and leads several companies active in Italy in the customs, logistics and transport sectors, as well as chairing Interporto La Spezia and Assocad, the National Association of Customs Assistance Centers. A maritime agent and customs agent, he coordinates operational platforms for the management of goods, customs controls and port services, promoting integrated solutions for international trade. He actively participates in representative bodies and trade associations, including Confetra, Fedespedi and ANASPED, contributing to the development and modernization of Italian ports. Thanks to his experience and the network of companies he coordinates, Pisano represents a point of reference in the logistics and maritime trade sector.

Leonardo PAOLETTI

Mayor - Municipality of Lerici
Born in Lerici, after graduating from high school in science Leonardo Paoletti undertook legal training to graduate in Law in 1990. He has been practicing in the Spezia Bar since 1996, as a civil lawyer specializing in banking and commercial law. He has sat on the City Council in Lerici since 1993, making contributions to the area through political action. In 2015 he was elected mayor and in 2020 confirmed for a second term, counting on a wide preference from citizens. His two terms of office are marked by the reorganization of beach concessions in the head of the municipality, with an important increase in revenue in the municipal budget, investments in public works for more than 33,000.000 euros, the recognition by the UNWTO to the City of Lerici as Best Tourism Village in 2023, the acquisition in the municipal heritage of architectural assets of historical and cultural importance, such as the Castle of Lerici or the Fodo della Rocchetta, the support to environmental policies implemented by ENEA, CNR, Spezzini Mytiliculturists Cooperative and Sea Shepherd, as well as the adhesion to the Pelagos partnership charter.

Giacomo Raul GIAMPEDRONE

Civil Protection Councillor - Liguria Region
Giacomo Raul Giampedrone (Sarzana, 1981) has a degree in law from the University of Parma, with a master's degree in professional conciliation. He entered administrative life at a very young age as town councilor of Ameglia, of which he became mayor in 2014, also serving in the same year as provincial councilor of La Spezia. In 2015 he landed in the Liguria Regional Council and joined the Toti Council as councilor with strategic delegations related to public works, infrastructure, environment, soil defense, water cycle and waste, coastal ecosystem and civil protection. Reelected in 2020, he broadened his scope to include forest firefighting, emergencies, regional subsidiaries, and, from 2022, social and health policies and the third sector. Since 2015, he has been on the board of the CIMA Foundation. Between 2024 and 2025, he assumes commissioner roles dedicated to hydrogeological instability management and civil protection, as a commissioner ad Acta, implementing party, and, from December 2024, delegated commissioner.

Cristina BATTAGLIA

Ecosystem Programme Manager - RAISE Project
A graduate in Physics, she is Programme Manager of the RAISE (Robotics and AI for Socioeconomic Empowerment) Innovation Ecosystem selected and funded by the Ministry of University and Research under Mission 4 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. She was head of the Research Enhancement Office of the National Research Council and coordinator of the scientific-technical secretariat of the President of the NRC. He served as Executive Officer of the START4.0 Competence Center funded by the Ministry of Economic Development (now MIMIT) to support the digital transition of enterprises. From 2011 to 2016 she was Manager of the Research Innovation and Energy Sector of the Liguria Region. Previously she served as President and Sole Director of BIC Liguria. She served on the Board of Directors of RIMED Foundation and Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste and was Vice President of ENEA. She has been a member of the Governing Boards of the Italian Industrial Research Association and the NETVAL Association (Network for the Enhancement of Research). For more than 20 years she has been involved in technology transfer and management of research, development and innovation, an area in which she has managed and coordinated numerous projects at the national and European levels. He has served on numerous project evaluation committees in research and innovation.

Martina GENOVESE

Research Manager - Zoological Station "Anton Dohrn" - EMBRC-UP Project
A graduate in Marine Biology and Ecology, she has gained experience in research, monitoring and conservation of marine ecosystems in Italy and abroad. She has participated in international projects on fishing impacts, population dynamics of commercial fish species, coral bleaching and experiments related to marine aquaculture. Over the years, he has developed technical and scientific expertise in marine environmental matrices sampling and analysis methodologies, MSFD standards, and dissemination of best practices for the protection of biodiversity and endangered species. He has conducted research on marine litter and microplastics through several National Geographic Society Grants, delving in PhD into the effects on organisms of various trophic levels and possible implications for human health. Today it provides expertise in design, planning, and management of research in marine biology, ecology, and conservation, with a focus on EMBRC-ERIC activities.

Gianluca SARA'.

University of Palermo - NBFC Project
Gianluca Sarà (PhD 1994) is Full Professor of Ecology at the University of Palermo and coordinates the Laboratory of Ecology. A Fellow at Ocean University of China and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, he will be President of the Italian Society of Ecology (2027-2028). He coordinates the NBFC's SPOKE 1 - Marine Environment and participates in EU and national committees on biodiversity and blue economy. He leads a research group on anthropogenic and climate impacts in marine systems, using mechanistic models and biodiversity analysis. He has directed more than 25 international projects and published more than 230 scientific papers.

Pietro FORMIS

Director "Marine Animal Forest"
Born in Milan in 1978, he has always been passionate about the sea and photography. His passion for underwater photography has led him to explore tropical paradises, the Mediterranean and Italian rivers, producing images published in national and international magazines such as Ocean Geographic, Unterwasser, Rolling Stone Italia and Photo Professional. With his shots he documents the beauty of underwater nature, but also the fragility and pollution of marine ecosystems. In 2019, he published the book AQUA: mysteries of the underwater world, which was awarded best underwater photography book at the Underwater Photographer of the Year in 2020. He has exhibited in several Italian venues and received international awards, including WPY and GDT. He also shoots video for productions such as Marco Polo Films, Fremantle and Lifegate.
www.pietroformis.com

Flavio BIAGGI

Admiral - Maritime Interregional Command North, Navy North
Rear Admiral Flavio Biaggi (Milan, 1966) entered the Naval Academy in 1985 and began a long career in the Navy's air component. After obtaining pilot's licenses in the United States, he served as a helicopter pilot on the Mistral and Libeccio frigates, and then specialized in the testing and introduction of the Navy's new flight systems, becoming the first Commander of the Experimental Aeromaritime Center in 2006. Over the years he holds positions of increasing responsibility in the Naval Staff, in the areas of operational planning, aeromaritime component and naval forces. He also serves at the US CENTCOM command in Tampa as Italian Senior National Representative, participating in major NATO and European operations in the Mediterranean and Middle East. He commanded naval units and squadrons, eventually assuming apex roles including Command of the 3rd Naval Division, the National Amphibious Task Force and, from 2019 to 2022, the Naval Academy in Livorno. Promoted to Division Admiral in 2021, he served as Interregional Maritime Commander South and since 2024 has led Interregional Maritime Command North based in La Spezia.
An honors graduate in Maritime and Naval Sciences, he has more than 2,300 hours of flight time on numerous aircraft and is the recipient of several Italian and international honors.

Lorenzo VIVIANI

President - Cinque Terre National Park
Lorenzo Viviani (La Spezia, 1982) grew up in a family of fishermen and soon became a professional fisherman, eventually commanding the family fishing boat. He combines this experience with a solid scientific background: he graduated with honors in Biological Sciences from the University of Genoa and participated in several oceanographic campaigns in the Mediterranean, collaborating with university research centers. Between 2012 and 2013 he took part in the XXVIII Italian expedition to Antarctica, contributing to research on climate change. His path then led him to institutional engagement. In 2017 he joined the Spezia city council as group leader, and in 2018 he was elected deputy of the 18th legislature, working in the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee on issues related to fisheries sustainability, aquaculture, and coastal water monitoring. He is a member of the NUUV, the Nucleus for the Evaluation and Verification of Public Investments at the Prime Minister's Office. In 2024 he was appointed president of the Cinque Terre National Park, a position he officially assumed on Oct. 31, dedicating himself to the protection of the territory and the communities that inhabit it.

Francesca PICASSO

Project Leader - La Spezia Hub Faros
Chief Operating Officer of Wylab, a certified startup incubator based in Chiavari, where he coordinates the organizational structure and is responsible for open innovation projects. He is currently Project Leader of Faros, an accelerator dedicated to the Blue Economy promoted by CDP Venture Capital. She has gained solid experience in managing complex programs related to innovation, startups and territorial development, working in different sectors and contexts at the national level. She holds a degree in Business Administration and has completed an Executive Master's degree in Project Management and agile methodologies. She actively participates as a mentor and juror in pathways and awards dedicated to innovation.

David GIGLIO

Spoke 4 Coordinator - University of Genoa - RAISE Project
Davide Giglio is an associate professor of transport at the DIME Department of the University of Genoa where he conducts research in transport and logistics systems engineering. He is coordinator of the master's degree program in Safe Transport and Logistics Engineering and is the Rector's delegate for the RAISE innovation ecosystem. He is the author of more than 100 scientific publications and has been the scientific leader of several research projects at the national level.

Davide CHIARELLA

Researcher - ILC - CNR
Researcher at the National Research Council - Institute of Computational Linguistics "A. Zampolli." His scientific activity focuses on computational linguistics, artificial intelligence, natural language processing (NLP) and the enhancement and fruition of cultural heritage. He is responsible for the Institute's research unit for SPOKE 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the PNRR - RAISE project, as well as the PRIN 2022 CIP project. He also participates in the HORIZON EUROPE PERYCLES and INTERREG CASTOUR projects. The author of more than 50 international publications, he focuses his research on the development of innovative linguistic technologies: from the analysis of soundscape perception, which integrates objective acoustic data with linguistic information, to the study and monitoring of language abilities in school age and clinical settings. He also works on enhancing cultural heritage through mobile applications, the creation of specialized lexicons, and the production of language resources.

Tiziana CIUFFARDI

Researcher - ENEA
Graduated in Environmental Sciences with marine specialization, after her first years of work in industry (Oil&Gas and offshore wind), since 2012 she has been involved as ENEA researcher in experimental physical oceanography, with focus on climate change and Mediterranean circulation. She participates in oceanographic campaigns in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas, along the Genoa-Palermo route. She represents ENEA within the EMSO-IT Joint Research Unit and as head of the Eastern Ligurian Sea LTER site.

Simone MARINI

Researcher - CNR
First Researcher at the Institute of Marine Science of the National Research Council.
Dr. Simone Marini holds a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. in Computer Science, and has obtained a permanent position as a researcher at the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technology (IMATI) of the National Research Council (CNR). He is currently first researcher at the Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), with activities focused on Artificial Intelligence, Pattern Recognition and Science Discovery. His work also involves the design and development of smart marine observing systems, with a focus on smart sensors and observatories based on edge computing and the edge-cloud continuum. He is the principal inventor of European patent EP2863257, which describes a smart imaging device for oceanographic applications. Dr. Marini has led numerous research units and work packages within national and international projects; is co-author of more than 130 scientific publications; has served as guest editor for several special issues; and is currently associate editor for the international journal Frontiers in Marine Sciences. He has also served as a reviewer for various research funding agencies, including the Italian Ministry of Research, the French National Research Agency (ANR), the European Biodiversity Partnership, and the European Research Council (ERC). Dr. Marini has supervised numerous master's theses in Mathematics and Computer Science, and is supervisor and has been external examiner of several international PhDs.

Caterina BERGAMI

Researcher - eLTER
Researcher at the National Research Council - Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR - ISMAR) in Milan, Italy. She has long been involved in paleoclimatic reconstructions based on the study of fossil faunas in the marine environment. She has long been devoted mainly to the management and curation of long-term ecological data and the implementation of marine ecological observatories. She is deputy coordinator of the Joint Research Unit of eLTER Italy. She is also involved in aspects of informal science communication, public engagement and citizen science both within eLTER Italy and the Italian Citizen Science Association (CSI ETS), of which she is a founding member.

Marcello MAGALDI

Researcher - JERICO
Principal investigator and physical oceanographer at the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council, Lerici, La Spezia, Italy. He works mainly on oceanography of coastal areas and subarctic basins, using mainly high-resolution numerical circulation models and observations from gliders and radar. Ph.D. in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography from Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Florida, USA. Postdoctoral fellow from 2009 to 2011 at Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA. Adjunct professor at the University of Genoa, coordinator of the European project IMPACT and responsible for CNR for several other European and national projects. Coordinator of the EuroGOOS Task Team dedicated to fixed platforms and Italian national representative of the JERICO initiative. Member appointed by the Ministry of University and Research of the European Community Expert Group (DG-MARE) on ocean observation.

Ennio OTTAVIANI

Founder and CEO - OnAIR Srl
Graduated in Physics from the University of Genoa. In 1984 he joined Elsag SpA (now Leonardo SpA), Research and Development Department, where he became Project Leader in programs for intelligent automation and automatic pattern recognition. From 1999 to the present, he is scientific manager of On AIR srl, where he has been particularly involved in rail and naval traffic optimization, 2D and 3D video-analytics, and environmental monitoring, developing innovative solutions in all these contexts. He has also been CEO of the company since 2023. During his long professional career he has been involved in numerous European and national research projects. For 20 years he was an adjunct professor at the University of Genoa for courses in Applied Statistics, Computer Vision, Data Mining and Predictive Methods. He is the author of 60 scientific publications on Artificial Intelligence methodologies declined in different application areas.

Giorgio ALLASIA

Director of Engineering & Technology Transfer Business Unit - FOS Group
Chief Operating Officer of the Engineering and Tech Transfer Business Unit of the FOS Group, he holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and has been with the Group since 2005. He leads a unit of 35 professionals engaged in engineering and technology transfer, domestic and international research and development, and high value-added services, coordinating strategic activities and reporting directly to the CEO. He actively contributes to innovation ecosystems: he is a member of the board of directors of the Start4.0 Competence Center, the Technical Scientific Committee of DIH Liguria and the CTS of Polo SOSIA, as well as serving as vice president of the Automation Business Network promoted by SIIT in Genoa.

Rachele BORDONI

Project Manager - ETT S.p.A.
Ph.D. in marine ecology, she holds a PhD in Marine Ecosystem Science from the University of Genoa. Her thesis involved the development of a spatial decision support system (SDSS) to assess the natural capital and ecosystem services of the Ligurian coastal marine environment, the habitat suitability of some key Ligurian Sea ecosystems, and their ecological status. He is currently a project manager at ETT, where he participates in national and international projects focused on the management of oceanographic data and products, as well as the development of infrastructure and digital tools for environmental monitoring and ocean observation. ETT, also as coordinator of EMODnet Physics, plays a central role in ocean data management, integration, and visualization while promoting interoperability, open access, and alignment with FAIR and TRUST principles.

Francesca ACCARDO

Area Manager - Orion S.r.l.
Originally from Naples and always passionate about environmental issues, she joined Orion Srl 10 years ago, bringing with her a strong motivation toward the protection of natural resources. She began her journey as a field technician, dealing with installations, service and customer support for service activities, developing an in-depth knowledge of environmental monitoring solutions. Over the years, he has consolidated his experience by moving into a commercial role, where he now focuses on consulting and proposing customized solutions, with a focus on water control and quality, helping to ensure targeted responses to customer needs.

Chiara LOMBARDI

Researcher - ENEA
In 2004, she received her BS degree in Biological Sciences and her PhD in Experimental Ecology and Geobotany from the University of Pavia in 2008. ENEA researcher since 2010, he studies calcifying marine organisms threatened by climate change in the Mediterranean and Antarctica, evaluating their role in adaptation strategies. Author of more than 80 publications, he coordinates national and international projects. A diving and snorkeling guide, he has participated in Citizen Science initiatives and training internships with Parks, Marine Protected Areas and Universities for over 20 years. Since 2021 he has founded and coordinated Smart Bay Santa Teresa, a cooperation platform for a sustainable human-nature ecosystem together with CNR, INGV, Lerici Municipality and local associations.

Paolo VARRELLA

President - Cooperativa Mitilicoltori Associati
A cooperative entrepreneur and manager in the aquaculture sector, he is president of the Cooperativa Mitilicoltori Associati (Gulf of La Spezia) and a member of the Bureau of Legacoop Agroalimentare. With concrete experience in mussel and oyster production and enhancement, he has led projects oriented toward supply chain innovation, strategic communication and environmental sustainability. He collaborates with research bodies, institutions and trade organizations to integrate technical expertise and strategic vision, with the aim of strengthening the role of Italian aquaculture in national and international markets. As a speaker at the Smart Bay Santa Teresa event - a platform for environmental observation and technological innovation promoted by ENEA in the Bay of Lerici - he will bring his contribution on regenerative aquaculture supply chains, collaborative governance and the enhancement of the sea as a laboratory for the blue economy.

Lajal ANDREOLETTI

Impact Projects Manager - LifeGate
He has worked in sustainability for more than two decades, initially in international development cooperation and later at LifeGate, where he develops and coordinates the company's socio-environmental and sustainability projects. Over the years he has designed numerous initiatives, including the most recent Water Defenders Alliance, LifeGate PlasticLess, Bee My Future and Forests on Foot. His role is to support change by dialoguing with companies, institutions and the world of scientific research to promote an increasingly sustainable development model.

Davide NEGRO

President - SDD Sea School
Davide Negro, a former merchant navy officer and sports enthusiast, promoter of development projects related to sports and the sea. His solid technical background, combined with vision and charismatic organizational talent, have enabled Scuola di Mare Lerici to be born and develop as an idea that continues to take shape, thanks in part to the sincere contribution of many professionals and the scientific institutions with which it collaborates.