On February 11th we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a great opportunity to showcase some of the (many) incredible women behind the ReLEAF project.
Let us introduce you to some of the women that are part of this project and contribute to make sure we make it a successful one.
Xialei You
Xialei is the technical coordinator in the ReLEAF project. She has a PhD in chemical engineering processes with research focusing on resources recovery (nutrients, metals, energy, etc.) from wastewater streams. Currently, she is the Principal Researcher of the Separation and Purification Unit in Leitat Research Centre.
Raquel Montes
Raquel is a chemical engineer and holds a PhD in chemistry. She partakes in WP1 and WP2 for the production of selected biostimulants together with biopesticides from food waste through solid state fermentation (SSF). She has over twelve years of experience in the development of automated analytical systems for real-time environmental and industry monitoring. She has a wider experience in management and development of both national and European projects. She is Associate Professor at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Gabriella Santagata
Gabriella is part of ReLEAF partner CNR’s scientific team. She is a full-time permanent researcher of the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB) of the National Research Council (CNR). Her research activities are mainly focused on the study and chemical-physical characterization of biodegradable polymers obtained from renewable sources to be used in the packaging and agricultural sectors as flexible and rigid biodegradable materials.
Monica Carvalheira
Monica is part of ReLEAF partner NOVA.ID, and within ReLEAF she is developing and upscaling bioprocesses using nutrient-exhausted sewage sludge and seasonal agri-food residues as feedstock for the production of biodegradable polymers to be used in bio-based fertilisers (BBF). She has a PhD in Sustainable Chemistry with research focus on Biological Phosphorus Removal. Currently, she is Assistant Researcher at Biochemical Engineering Group at UCIBIO-i4HB (NOVA University Lisbon) in resource recovery through biofuels and biomaterials production
Lorena Affatato
Lorena is a technologist at the Institute of Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials of the Italian National Research Council. She has a Master for Experts in the Development of Innovation and Technology Transfer (M.E.D.I.T.T.) from APSTI (Association of Italian Scientific and Technological Parks). Since 2005 she has been focusing on innovative processes, technology transfer methodologies, territorial systems for innovation, territorial marketing, innovation support tools, intellectual property, project management, the quality of the research and economic evaluation system.
Tiziana Marino
Tiziana is a researcher at the Institute of Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials of the Italian National Research Council. Her research activity is focused on green chemistry and sustainability, with particular emphasis on the recovery and valorization of biomass for applications in the food and environmental sectors.
Laura Villacián
Laura is the coordinator of ReLEAF WP2 actions for the fertilizer formulation and production technologies demonstration. She has Master in Chemical and Process Engineering with five years of experience in EU-funded projects (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe) in the field of sustainable solutions and bio-based materials for the circular economy. Currently working as European Project Manager at Tecnopackaging, a technology-based SME focused on R&D for advanced biopolymer materials and their transformation processes.
Remedios Albiach
Remedios participates in all ReLEAF Workpackages, but mainly in WP2 (pilot plant, ecotoxicity, phytotoxicity tests), WP3 (soil respiration tests), and WP4 (feedstock mapping). Her career has been dedicated to agricultural research, especially in topics related to the effect of the organic wastes’ application on soil biological activity. She has worked in the R&D&i department of ReLEAF’s partner Global Omnium for more than ten years, developing projects on sewage sludge composting and its agronomic valorization.
Stefania Moretti
Stefania has a Bachelor’s degree and Phd in biotechnology. She is part of ReLEAF’s partner TIMAC AGRO in charge of the use of bio waste in fertilizers.
Chiara Braglia
Chiara is part of the Department of Agricultural and Food Science at Università di Bologna. Within ReLEAF, she participates in the selection and characterization of microbial strains capable of stimulating plant growth; testing of their safety and their potential use as biostimulants in greenhouse pot trials. Chiara is a PostDoc researcher in Agricultural Microbiology ant University of Bologna, specialized in microorganism-soil-plant interactions, their impact on plant nutrition and in the modulation of the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) active in the attraction of pollinators. Her main research interests concern the study of beneficial and functional microorganisms and their application in plants and soil, and the use of probiotics and prebiotics in insects. She participated in various European and national research projects, with specific focuses on bees, circular economy, and plant nutrition.
Cristina De Aguiar
Crisitna is part of the UNIBO team and, within ReLEAF she works on the optimization of biopolymers extraction/production (chitosan and collagen) from fish waste using traditional and innovative nonthermal technologies. She is a research fellow at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna. She has a Ph.D. in Veterinary Science and Ph.D. in Food Science and Biotechnology from the University of Bologna. Currently, her research is mainly focused on innovative non-thermal technologies to extend the shelf life of seafood products and on the valorization of food and seafood processing by-products.
Diana Di Gioia
Diana is also one of the women behind the UNIBO team, she is working on the election and characterization of microbial strains capable of stimulating plant growth; testing of their safety and their potential use as biostimulants in greenhouse pot trials. She is full professor in Agricultural Microbiology, her main research interests concern the study of beneficial and functional microorganisms and their application in plants, rhizosphere and soil to improve the quality of agricultural production and soil fertility, the application of probiotics and prebiotics to man and animals, including insects, to improve their health status and study its correlation with the composition of the intestinal microbiota. She also deals with the study of the antimicrobial activity of natural molecules and agro-industrial by-products.
Francesca Patrignani
Francesca is the Leader of UNIBO Team for the activities related to the production of microbial biostimulants/biocontrol agents and biopolymers from fish wastewaters and fish wastes. She is Associate Professor in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Microbiology, PhD in Food Biotechnology. Participation to European projects (INGREEN, ONE-EARTH, NEW TECHAQUA, MILSDUSFRUIT) focused on the biotechnological valorization of agro-industrial waste and by-products into valuable ingredients for Food, feed, agricultural and cosmetic sector.
Lucia Vannini
Also part of the UNIBO team, Lucia is working in the ReLEAF project in process optimisation for the production of microbial biomasses as biostimulant /biocontrol agents from fish processing wastewater. She is Associate Professor in Industrial Microbiology, PhD in Food Science and Biotechnology. Her research interests are mainly focused on the selection and use of microbial cultures for the production of metabolites relevant for the food industry, biotechnological exploitation of food residues and by‐products, and innovative non-thermal technologies to inactivate pathogens and spoilage microbiota and improve food quality and shelf-life.
Rosalba Laniotti
Rosalba is involved in the activities related to the production of microbial biostimulants/biocontrol agents and biopolymers from fish wastewaters and fish wastes. She is member of the exploitation Boarding for UNIBO. She is full professor of Food Microbiology at Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL); she has a PhD in Food Biotechnology and is the President of the Italian Society of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Microbiology (SIMTREA).
Ángela Baeza
Ángela is part of ReLEAF partner Global Omnium and participates in all ReLEAF Workpackages, mainly in WP2 monitoring the pilot plant demonstration of ammonium salts, struvite and humic & fulvic acids extraction from sewage sludge. She holds a degree in marine sciences and master’s degree in environmental engineering. Ángela has fifteen years of experience as Technician in the R&D&I Group, participating in the drafting, management and direction of national and international projects. Experienced in standardization of molecular analysis methodologies in activated sludge and wastewater.
Gender equality is an important aspect of the ReLEAF project, and we are proud to counts with such strong women scientists that contribute to the success of the project with their valuable experience and expertise.