About me

Education

  • 2020 Italian Habilitation as full professor in Experimental Physics of Matter (FIS 02/B1)

  • 2017 Habilitation in Applied Physics from TU Graz

  • 2010 PhD in Chemical Science, University of Bari, Italy

  • 2006 Master in Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Bari, Italy

Academic Experience

  • 2024 Full Professor at the Department of Physics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy

  • 2018 Associate Professor, Graz University of Technology, Institute of Solid State Physics

  • 2013 Assistant Professor, Graz University of Technology, Institute of Solid State Physics

  • 2010 Postdoctoral Associate, Massachusetts Institute of technology (M.I.T.), Department of Chemical Engineering

  • 2010 Postdoctoral Associate Italian National Research Council (CNR) Section Inorganic Methodologies and Plasmas (IMIP)

Visiting studies experiences

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) September 2008- March 2009 Visiting Student in Prof. Karen K. Gleason’s research group, Chemical Engineering department.

  • Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (ENSPC - France) February -June 2006 Visiting Student in Dr. Willy Morscheidt and Prof. Farzaneh Arefi-Khonsari’s research group. 

Teaching

Teaching Certificate Program from MIT

For Bachelor Physics Curriculum

  • Molecular and Solid State Physics Exercises

  • X-ray diffraction Laboratory

  • Elements of Semiconductors

  • Structure of Matter

For Master Physics Curriculum

  • Surface Polymerization Laboratory

  • Surface and Thin Films Physics

  • Thin Film Science and Technology

  • Condensed Matter Physics

  • Solid State Physics

 For Master Curriculum in Material Science

  • Optoelectronics and Nanotechnologies

Awards & Honors

  • ERC Proof of Concept Grant 2023

  • AVS Shop Note Price 2019

  • Startup Idea award - 2018

  • ERC Starting Grant - 2016

  • IAAM Scientist Medal - 2016

  • Scholarship for the Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting 2015

  • Scholarship to Annual PhD seminar, Procter & Gamble, R&D section 2011

  • Excellence PhD award from Puglia region 2008

  • European Scholarship for Exchange Students 2006

Extra Activities

  • 2x Speaker at TEDx events (TEDxGraz in 2016 and TEDxVienna in 2022)

  • Leader of the Field of Expertise Advanced Material Science

  • Guest editor for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters and Thin Solid Films, Frontiers in Biotechnologies

  • International Advisory Board for the Journal of Applied Biomaterials and Functional Materials

  • Austrian representative of the THIN FILM Division in the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications (IUVSTA) from 2016

  • Reviewer for several journals and funding agencies

  • Invited and contributed speaker for several international conferences

  • (Co)-organizer of several symposia in international conferences