Mario Ciotti

Mario Ciotti

Mario Ciotti graduated with a Master’s degree in “Coastal and Marine Biology and Ecology” and obtained a PhD in “Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies” at the University of Salento. He has dedicated a significant portion of his research activity to studying the metabolic and ecological models of benthic macroinvertebrates in transitional aquatic ecosystems, collaborating with multidisciplinary working groups. He possesses extensive experience in coastal ecology, biodiversity, and environmental data management, contributing to several scientific publications.
He specialised in the development of digital educational materials and gamification to raise stakeholder awareness on biodiversity-related issues. He also served as a Technologist at the CNR – Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET) within the ITINERIS project, where he coordinated the “Training Centre” team, supervising the design and delivery of advanced in-person and online courses aimed at strengthening the capacity of personnel within national research infrastructures. As an expert in capacity building, he manages online training platforms and supervises the production of multimedia educational resources compliant with FAIR principles.
At LifeWatch ERIC, he is involved in European projects related to biodiversity research, as well as the development and implementation of training strategies and activities.

Main Publications

  • Shokri, M., Lezzi, L., Ciotti, M., Vignes, F., Taban, P., Marrocco, V., Alabi, V., Olatoye, D., Muresan, A. N., Forni, P., Semeraro, T., Fano, E. A., & Basset, A. (2026). Invertebrates’ metabolic responses to climate warming scenarios in the Adriatic Sea. Ecological Indicators, 183, 114622
  • Shokri, M., Cozzoli, F., Ciotti, M., Gjoni, V., Marrocco, V., Vignes, F., & Basset, A. (2021). A new approach to assessing the space use behavior of macroinvertebrates by automated video tracking. Ecology and evolution, 11(7), 3004-3014
  • Cozzoli, F., Shokri, M., Ligetta, G., Ciotti, M., Gjoni, V., Marrocco, V., Vignes, F., & Basset, A. (2020). Relationship between individual metabolic rate and patch departure behaviour: evidence from aquatic gastropods. Oikos, 129(11), 1657-1667

Cosimo Vallo

Cosimo Vallo

Training Coordinator, LifeWatch ERIC
Graduated in Political Sciences – International Relations, and holding an M.Phil. in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, Cosimo has over teen years of professional experience in the fields of training, capacity building and mediation, at international level, both in Europe and beyond. Since 2010, Cosimo worked for European NGOs, for universities, such as the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, and for the United Nations, both in headquarters and in the field. Cosimo joined LifeWatch ERIC in 2021, and has been ever since coordinating the LifeWatch ERIC training and capacity building efforts. He has been
involved in a number of European and national projects related to biodiversity and ecosystem research, leading the training tasks concerning the design, development and implementation of training strategies and activities.

Eleonora Parisi

Eleonora Parisi

EU project Training Officer, LifeWatch ERIC

Graduated in Communication and Media Studies in 2017 at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Eleonora has been working as digital project officer in membership-based organisations supporting the professional development of researchers, scholars, and school education staff across Europe. Between 2019 and 2022 at European Schoolnet she coordinated the production of monthly webinar and massive open online course (MOOCs) series, while also acting as product owner for complex learning management systems. Eleonora joined LifeWatch ERIC in 2022, where she puts into practice her expertise in continuous and digital learning by designing training strategies in Horizon Europe projects, strengthening capacities in ecosystems and biodiversity management, Earth and ocean monitoring, open science, and research software engineering.

Alberto Basset

Alberto Basset

Alberto Basset is Director of LifeWatch ERIC Service Centre, Member of its Executive Board and full professor of ecology at the University of Salento (Italy). His main research interests are on biodiversity organization and maintenance, ecosystem functioning and services and their responses to natural and anthropic pressures, including climate changes. The research activities have produced more than 200 publications on international peer reviewed journals, being quoted in 2014 as one of the 20 top scientists for the scientific production on ecosystem ecology. He has been president of the Italian Ecological Society, of the Ecological European Federation and of LaguNet, being founding member and current president of the Euro-Mediterranean Federation of the Lagoon Research Networks (EUROMEDLAG). Alberto Basset is currently member of both General Assembly and Executive Board of the ‘eScience European Infrastructure on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research (LifeWatch ERIC)’ and of the Advisory Committee of the European Research Infrastructure on ‘Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory (EMSO ERIC)’ and he is the University of Salento responsible in the National Node of the European Research Infrastructure on Long Term Ecological Research (eLTER RI). Alberto Basset is delegate of the Ministry of University and Research in the European Partnership ‘Biodiversa+’ and he has been a member of the Italian delegation to the recent G20 meeting on challenges and opportunities for research and innovation in the Amazon and Tropical Forests.