Coordinator: Prof. Marco Pistolesi
e-mail: marco.pistolesi@unipi.it
Administrative seat: Department of Earth Sciences
Project description
The Department of Earth Sciences (DST) at the University of Pisa has a long-standing tradition in both basic and applied research across numerous topics related to the Earth system. It also has decades of experience in training highly qualified professionals prepared to work in research and industry, thanks to their deep understanding of natural processes, their potential impacts across different temporal and spatial scales, and how these processes can be harnessed for the identification, management and preservation of natural resources. This forms the foundation of the programme’s educational approach, which aims to provide in-depth and multidisciplinary knowledge for understanding the complexity of natural systems, with a particular focus on: i) global geodynamic processes; ii) the evolution of palaeoenvironments and ecosystems (also in relation to past and ongoing climate change and its environmental impact); iii) the identification, sustainable management and protection of natural resources from a circular economy perspective; iv) the exploration of both conventional and renewable energy resources (in particular, geothermal energy) through the development of new geological, geophysical and geochemical exploration and monitoring methods; v) the characterisation, protection and sustainable use of water resources; vi) the management and safeguarding of cultural and geological heritage; vii) contributions to the exploration of the solar system through the study of extraterrestrial materials; viii) the prevention, assessment and mitigation of risks arising from natural events and human impact on the environment (geo-hazards, including geomorphological, hydrogeological, mineralogical, geochemical, seismic and volcanic risks). The programme revolves around a doctoral school that provides students with a strong foundation in analytical, statistical, IT and methodological skills, within the context of a rich international network that fosters the exchange of ideas and knowledge and provides access to state-of-the-art laboratories at the national and international level. This is supported by the advanced analytical capabilities of the DST’s own laboratories, which have been progressively enhanced and modernised in recent years. The DST’s numerous national and international collaborations have a positive impact on the doctoral training programme, promoting both student mobility and the interdisciplinarity required for a cutting-edge, modern project. Close collaboration with local authorities, companies and research institutions also ensures a valuable integration between high-level research and external partnerships, enabling students to apply their training not only in research but also within local government, professional practice, public services and industry.
Course objectives
The PhD programme in Geosciences and Environment is designed to offer young graduates the opportunity to pursue third-level academic training of the highest scientific standard and with an international outlook. Research is a key component of this programme, which aims to prepare young researchers for careers in universities and research institutions, as well as professional technologists capable of responding to the needs of society and industry, including the challenges of sustainable development and the green economy.
The DST’s distinctive strength lies in its broad coverage of the GEO disciplines, combined with an openness to interdisciplinarity with physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, archaeology, cultural heritage and public health. This ensures a third-level educational experience that enables early-career researchers to engage critically and holistically with the complex issues at the interface between science and society. Accurate knowledge of geological processes and the natural environment, the development of “Digital Geosciences” methodologies, and the ability to integrate diverse analytical techniques, including advanced and frontier methods, with a quantitative and innovative approach (e.g. artificial intelligence) to data analysis and process modelling, all enhance graduates’ prospects in research and professional settings.
The programme’s educational offering is organised into six thematic areas (as detailed in the notes under point 4), each developed through a series of courses of varying duration, including lectures, laboratory work and field activities. The PhD programme also benefits from the infrastructure of the department and university, such as the DST’s analytical and IT laboratories, the CISUP and CIRSEC laboratories, the computing resources of the university’s Green Data Centre, the university library system and the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa.
The programme is further strengthened by the numerous collaborations established by the DST and its degree programmes with other European and non-European universities and research institutions. These include, in particular, the two universities with which DST shares second-level double degrees, Montan University in Leoben (Austria) and the University of Lille (France), as well as the University of Geological Sciences in Uzbekistan, which hosts a Geology degree programme awarded by the University of Pisa. The involvement of these and other foreign universities contributes to the development of internationally oriented research and supports valuable experiences abroad for PhD candidates, facilitating their employment prospects in academic research both in Italy and internationally.
Among the distinguished Italian partners supporting the PhD programme are INGV, CNR, ISPRA and the National Department of Civil Protection, with which formal agreements are in place, as well as INFN, IIT, ARPAT Toscana, the River Basin Authority of the Northern Apennines and the Geologists’ Foundation of Tuscany. Major companies with strong collaborative ties to the DST that support the PhD programme in exploration and research include ENI and ENEL GreenPower. The participation of senior managers from ENEL GreenPower and ARPAT Toscana in the academic board brings further expertise to the programme in both environmental and industrial-professional fields.
Academic areas
Geosciences
Website
https://www.dst.unipi.it/geoscienze-e-ambiente.html
