Biography

Vision: Camilla’s main research interests concern the application of precision agriculture tools (modeling, GIS and remote sensing) for i) the study of agricultural and pastoral crops responses to different management and climate aiming at identifying strategies for adaptation and mitigation ii) crop and grassland monitoring. Further interests concern: climate monitoring and urban air quality analysis through the use of low-cost meteorological stations placed on mobile vehicles; development and application of participatory processes for the involvement of local actors in research activities (e.g. definition of drivers, barriers, validation of results, etc.); use of participatory approaches to implement planning actions in agriculture and to the management of information and spatial communications by using GIS tools as interactive means for spatial learning, discussion, information exchange, analysis, decision-making and conservation of the landscape.
She applies this vision by: (1) teaching in/to Courses related to precision agriculture, (2) researching on the use of freely available or low cost satellite, aerial images and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for an holistic monitoring of agriculture and crop production, in (3) trying to link up western and developing countries’ academic worlds, through publications and schools, and in (4) engaging stakeholders in research activities, believing that real-world is enhanced when coupled with academic and education.

Experience: From 2008 to today she collaborates on a regular basis with the DAGRI (Department of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences and Technologies) of the University of Florence and with the CNR-IBE (CNR Institute of Bioeconomy) participating in numerous European, national and regional research projects. The research activity concerns the analysis of the effects of climate on agricultural and grazing ecosystems, through the application of GIS tools, remote sensing techniques (from satellite and UAV) and crop simulation models, and/or the most advanced technologies used in this field. Specifically, her research activity focuses on the use of modeling tools to evaluate the response of agricultural crops (especially wheat, other herbaceous crops and forage and pastoral systems) to different types of management and in relation to climate change. In addition, her activity involves aspects related to carbon stocks and gas flows in pastoral, olive and cereal systems.
Previously (from 2006 to 2008) she collaborated with CREA in research activities aimed at implementing geographical databases for the development of decision support systems for forest management plans and territorial forest plans, including pastoral systems. Still in the field of GIS applications, she carried out research activities (from 2001 to 2006) at the Province of Pisa as part of the SITI research project (Development of an Integrated Information System for the Pisan Metropolitan Area) funded by the Research Italian Ministry, mainly dealing with agriculture and forestry issues.
In the field of remote sensing, she carried out research with the University of Camerino at the ENEA in Rome (from 2001 to 2002) providing support to the planning and coordination of ground surveys and satellite data processing , development of classification algorithms for the estimation of the pasture biomass in the Monti Sibillini National Park and also collaborated with FAO (2000) as photo-interpreter for the analysis of the degree of deforestation through diachronic analysis of satellite images (1990 -2000).