Degree in hydraulic engineering at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 1986; PhD in Sanitary Engineering at Politecnico of Milan in 1990; Researcher in Sanitary-Environmental Engineering at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Dept. of Hydraulics, in the period 1991-1998; since November 1998 she is Associate Professor in Sanitary-Environmental Engineering at the University of Cagliari, Dept. of Geoengineering and Environmental Technologies. From 1991 to 1998 she was Italian delegate within the Management Committee of the European programme COST 682 on “Optimizing the design and operation of biological wastewater treatment plants through the use of computer programs based on a dynamic modelling of the process”, which since 1995 changed its name in “Integrated Wastewater Management”. Since 1st January 2005 she is full professor at the University of Cagliari and from October 2005 to September 2008 she is Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. From the Academic year 2006-2007 to 2012 she is Director of the Doctoral School in Environmental Engineering and Science.
From October 2008 to June 2012 she is Chairman of the board of the Degree Programme in Environmental and Land Engineering.
From June 2012 to October 2015 she is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture.

Since April 2015 she is vice-Rector for international affairs of the University of Cagliari.

From 2012 to 2014 she was member of the Group of Experts for the Evaluation of the Research Quality (GEV) of the National Agency for the Evaluation of University and Research (ANVUR), for the scientific area of Civil Engineering and Architecture (VQR 2004-2010).
Since April 2020 she is member of the Committee of experts of the Italian Ministry of University and Research for the update of the National Research Programme 2021-2027, theme “Sustainable Technologies, Agrifood, Natural and Environmental Resources: Green Technologies”.
She is member of the Italian Association of Sanitary-Environmental Engineering and of IWA (International Water Association).
She is reviewer for the main international journals of her scientific area.
She is expert evaluator for the European Commission for the Framework Programmes (FP6, FP7 e Horizon 2020).

SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY

Her research program is mainly in the areas of industrial and municipal wastewater treatment with particular attention to nutrient removal processes, kinetic studies and process modelling and control; and in that one of municipal solid waste treatment and soil remediation. At present her research activity is mainly aimed at the biological removal of chlorinated organic compounds and phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated sites. Her scientific activity is widely proved by a number of papers, mostly derived from experimental works, on the most important national and international journals of the area, and by numerous contributions presented at congresses.

She has been scientific coordinator of the University of Cagliari unit for some National research projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Research:
“Novel processes for sustainable remediation of groundwater contaminated by chlorinated compounds” (2010-2012);
“Use of membrane bioreactors for the on-site treatment of contaminated groundwaters” (2005-2006)
“Study on the fate of drugs in sewage treatment plants (STP) and fulfilments to improve removal efficiencies” (2003-2004);
“Application of natural zeolites for the development of innovative agronomic techniques and the improvement of environmental compatibility” (2003-2006);
“Development of biosensors for the control of wastewater treatment processes” (2001-2002);
she has co-ordinated the research unit on heavy metal Phytoremediation of the project: “New technologies for the environmental reclamation of contaminated sites” (2003-2006).

She has been Coordinator of the Regional Research Projects:

- “Integration and optimization of phytoremediation and bioremediation processes of abandoned mining areas” funded by the Autonomous Sardinian Region regional law 7 August 2007, n. 7 “Promozione della ricerca scientifica e dell’innovazione tecnologica in Sardegna” (2010-2012);
- “Advanced Systems for the Removal of Nitrates from Groundwater (SARdNAF)”, funded within the Sardinian Regional Law 7/2007 (2019-2021).

She has been Coordinator of the following European Research Projects:

- “Management of port areas in the Mediterranean sea basin - MAPMED” (2011-2015), under the Programme ENPI CBCMED (Cross-Border Cooperation in the Mediterranean).
- "GRRinPORT-Sustainable management of waste and wastewater within ports", under the EU Cooperation Programme Italy-France Maritime 2014-2020.

She is scientific coordinator for the University of Cagliari of the project “European Digital UniverCity (EDUC)”, funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ initiative “European Universities” (2019-2022).
She is scientific coordinator for the University of Cagliari of the project Horizon2020 (Programme Science with and for Society) “EUROPEAN DIGITAL UNIVERCITY - RESEARCH AND INNOVATION WITH AND FOR SOCIETY (EDUC-SHARE)” (2021-2023).

For the publications see section Research.

h-index: 21 (Scopus).

THIRD MISSION ACTIVITIES

She has been involved as scientific responsible in a number of third party works and cooperation agreements subscribed by her Department with private and public organisms.
• 2001-02, with Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Environmental Division: Consulting and scientific support in the area of water protection from pollution;
• 2002 with Cagliari Municipality: Study on the more suitable desalination technology and analysis of brine disposal alternatives;
• 2004-2008, with Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Environmental Division: support to the activities for the drafting of the Regional Water Protection Plan and the start-up of the relevant office;
• 2008-2009, with the Sardinia Regional Environmental Protection Agency for the implementation of the Pilot project for the fight against desertification in the five Regions at higher risk – Sardinia Project;
• 2010-2011, with the company SARAS SpA: consulting contract to realize a study on “Nitrogen removal from high loaded refinery wastewater with advanced biological treatments”;
• 2016-2017, with the Programming, Financial and Spatial Planning Division for the drafting of the Study for the valorization of Sardinia wetlands e the improvement of their productive capacity;
• from December 2016 with the Sardinia Regional Agency of the River Basin District: Pressure and impacts analysis as well as analysis of the gap from the expected objective, for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the updating of the Sardinia River Basin District Management Plan;
- from December 2020 with Autonomous Region of Sardinia, Environmental Division, Technical-scientific collaboration
for the Implementation and revision of the "Regional strategy of adaptation to climate change (SRACC)".

Cagliari, 2nd April 2022