Martina STAGNITTI

Martina Stagnitti is a Fixed-term Assistant Professor (RTDa) in Hydraulic Engineering (CEAR-01/A) at the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania. She received her Bachelor's degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Catania in October 2016 and, in October 2018, graduated with highest honors with a Master's degree in Civil Engineering for Water Resources and Transport.

In December 2021, she obtained her Ph.D. in Urban and Territorial Risk Evaluation and Mitigation (34th cycle) at the University of Catania, defending the dissertation entitled "Upgrade of Harbor Rubble Mound Breakwaters in the Context of Climate Change." The research developed a probabilistic methodology for the design of upgrading interventions for rubble-mound harbor breakwaters, accounting for the uncertainties associated with met-ocean forcing and the characteristics of existing structures. The work included climate data analysis, laboratory experiments, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The CFD analyses, together with the development of the probabilistic methodology, were carried out in collaboration with IH Cantabria (University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain) under the supervision of Prof. Javier López Lara.

Following the completion of her Ph.D., her research activity has been carried out within the framework of national and international research projects and scientific collaborations. Her main research interests include: (i) physical and numerical modelling of wave-structure interaction in coastal environments; (ii) assessment of climate change impacts on coastal systems; (iii) experimental and numerical investigation of plastic transport in coastal environments; and (iv) numerical modelling of flood wave propagation for the identification of flood risk mitigation measures.

She is the author and co-author of several papers published in international peer-reviewed journals in the field of hydraulic engineering. She has also presented her research findings at numerous national and international scientific conferences.