Claudio Ciavatta, born in Rimini (IT) February 13th, 1958, married with Marina, has two daughters, Sara and Giulia. A Magna cum laude in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Bologna in 1982, He is Full Professor of Agricultural Chemistry at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna;
Academic career
1990, January 3rd - 1998, October 31th: Assistant professor, Institute of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna;
1998, November 1st - 2005, January 19th: Associate professor, Department of Agro-Environmental Science and Technologies, University of Bologna;
2005, January 20- to date: Full professor, Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna.
Teaching activities
- lecturer of "Agricultural biochemistry and soil fertility", "Management of soil fertility". In the past: "Soil fertility"; "Soil fertility and Plant nutrition"; "Agricultural biochemistry"; "Use and recycling of biomasses of Agro-industrial origin";
Academic positions
2015, November 1st - 2018, October 31th: Dean, School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
2015, November 1st - 2018, October 31th:: Vice Dean, Vice School of Agriculture - CAAB
2012, May 3rd-2015, May 2nd: Elected Senator in Academic Senate of the University of Bologna for a 3-years period
2009-2012, Chairman of the Degree Course in "Agricultural Technology"
2010-2012, May 15th: Coord. of the PhD Programme in "Agricultural, Environmental, Food Science and Technology"
2007-2012, May 15th: Head of the Ph.D. School in "Agricultural Science" of the University of Bologna;
2003-2007, Responsible of the Leonardo Program (UE-Erasmus) of the Agricultural Science Faculty, Univ. Bologna.
Scientific activity
His scientific activity is focused on soil chemistry and biochemistry and mainly includes research on the aspects of the characterization of the soil's humic and humic-like substances, of organic fertilizers, compost and of the waste biomasses with both agronomical and environmental implications. The main objective is to increase structural and functional knowledge on the organic matter because it plays a key role in supplying plant nutrition, on adsorption of heavy metals and xenobiotics. Researches are carried out using chromatographic (IEF, SEC-Page), potentiometric, thermogravimetric (TG), differential thermal analysis DTA), spectroscopic techniques DRIFT, 1H-, 13C-NMR, and elemental analyzer (CHN) equipped with isotopic 15N and 13C. Particular attention is also devoted to the nitrogen (N) cycle with research aimed at to determine the mineralization of organic N (i.e., OxiTop® method is applied) such as of phosphorus to increase the nutrient use efficiency in biosolids (compost and sludge) and in soil.
Pubblications
Prof. Ciavatta is author of more than 300 publications most of which published in international and peer-reviewed journals.
Scopus H-Index 39, Citations 4416 on 139 articles (http://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.url?authorId=7003277305); updated September 1st, 2024
Google Scholar H-Index 48, Citations 6988, i-H10-index 118 - since 2019 H-Index 25, Citations 2510, http://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=PBfpH7MAAAAJ): updated September 1st, 2024.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7914-4394
Scientific Societies, Academies, Scientific Foundations
2024, July ---- (3 years), Board of Directors of Re Soil Foundation.
2020, April ---- (6 years), Board of Directors of the National Academy of Agriculture.
2016-2017 Past President, Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry (SICA);
2014-2015 President, Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry (SICA);
2012-2013 President elect, Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry (SICA);
2016, November----Academic of the Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna - Section III, Biological, Animal and Plant Sciences
2015, December--- Full Academic of the Accademia Nazionale di Agricoltura (National Academy of Agriculture).
2010-2015 Academic of the Accademia Nazionale di Agricoltura (National Academy of Agriculture).
2004-2012 Member of the Board of Directories of the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS); 1999- Member of the IHSS; International Union of Soil Science (IUSS); Italian Chapter of the IHSS; International Society of Horticultural Science (ISHS); Italian Society of Soil Science (SISS): 2006-2007 Member of the Commission II "Soil chemistry" Italian Society of Agricultural Chemistry (SICA): He has covered the assignment of Secretary and Treasurer of the Society from 1993 to 1997.
He is member of the Editorial Board of Archives Agronomy & Soil Science (2003-). Since 2004, he is member of Committee B. "Soil organic matter and organo-mineral interaction" of Soil System Science (SSS) of the European Geosciences Union (EGU).
Refereeing
He is referee of scientific international Journals: Agrochimica, Agronomie, Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, European J. of Agronomy, European J of Soil Science, Geoderma, J. of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, J. of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, J. of Arid Environments, J. of Chromatography A, J. of Environmental Quality, J. of Environment Science and Technology, J. of Hazardous Materials, J. of Management Waste Resources, J. of Soil and Sediment Contamination, Waste Management, Soil Science Society of American J.
Scientific responsabilities
He is local responsible within national research programs with the National Research Council (CNR), Ministry of Scientific and Technological Research (MURST) and Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (Mipaaf), European Union, INTAS and NATO.
Contract EIT-FOOD 21173 (2021-2022). “Sustainable fertilizer from beef slaughtering biogas digested sludge. Digested sludge upgrading and converting into a recognized fertilizer’’. Task leader of the Research Unit of UniBO.
Contract EIT-FOOD 21073 (2021-2022). “Mapping Of Soil Organic Matter, Assessing and tracking changes in soil quality remotely. Acronym: MOSOM. Task leader of the Research Unit of UniBO.
Contract No. QLK5-CT-2002-02344 "Integrated Biological Treatment and Agricultural Reuse of Olive Mill Effluents with the Concurrent Recovery of Energy Sources" Acronym: BIOTROLL. Task of the Research Unit in Bologna: Agricultural reuse of the remaining sludge after biogas production.
INTAS Ref. No. 186/01 – POLL “Humic substances from soils and waste-composts as natural photosensitizers to promote the degradation of pollutants in the environment. CR1 University of Bologna, DiSTA-Department of Agro-environmental Sciences and Technologies.
INTAS Ref. No.: 05-1000008-8055 - “Soil and compost organic matter structural compounds to promote the photodegradation of pesticides in the environment: for a better knowledge of photoactive components”. CR1 University of Bologna, DiSTA-Department of Agro-environmental Sciences and Technologies.
Member of the Unit PATAFEST (01/06/23 - 31/05/27), Cultivating Resilience Driving Sustainable Potato Protection and Postharvest Excellence Tipo progetto: UE - HE - Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness - Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment ECHO (01/06/23 - 31/05/27);
Project type: UE - INTERREG - ERDF Carbon Farming CE (01/04/23 - 31/03/26), Project type: UE - INTERREG - ERDF Project type: PNRR - M4C2 - Investment 1.4 CN - CN - Agritech - CUP: J33C22001150008 (01/09/22 - 31/08/25)
Project type: UE - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - H2020 - Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and WATERAGRI (01/05/20 - 30/04/24) ONE EARTH CE (2024-2028) Earth-To-Marine-To-Earth Virtuous Cycle: Harnessing Residual Biomass of Animal Origin for Terrestrial-Marine Integrated Circular Economy
Contract No. QLK5-CT-2002-02344 "Integrated Biological Treatment and Agricultural Reuse of Olive Mill Effluents with the Concurrent Recovery of Energy Sources" Acronym: BIOTROLL. Task of the Research Unit in Bologna: Agricultural reuse of the remaining sludge after biogas production.
INTAS Ref. No. 186/01 – POLL “Humic substances from soils and waste-composts as natural photosensitizers to promote the degradation of pollutants in the environment. CR1 University of Bologna, DiSTA-Department of Agro-environmental Sciences and Technologies.
INTAS Ref. No.: 05-1000008-8055 - “Soil and compost organic matter structural compounds to promote the photodegradation of pesticides in the environment: for a better knowledge of photoactive components”. CR1 University of Bologna, DiSTA-Department of Agro-environmental Sciences and Technologies.
NATO grant EST.CLG 975752 (1999) “Evaluation of waste-compost humic substances for photodegradation of pesticides” in collaboration with Dr. Trubetskoj (Institute of Basic Biological Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow region, Russia).
PRIN (Responsible Research Unit): 1995 (9507028949_002), 1996 (9607022605_020), 1997 (9707026707_006), 1998 (9807024220_002), 2000 (MM07344754_0029), 2001 (2001075842_003), 2002 (2001075842_003), 2004 (2004079201), 2005 (2005078931_002) and (participant of RU) 2007 (2007J5Z9LK_004) and 2012 (2012E3F3LK_001).
Advisor of Mipaaf (Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestries Policies)
1994-to date Member of the Italian Fertilizer Commission
2000-to date Member of the Subcommission for Official analytical methods of fertilizers (MiPAF).
2011, November – 2017: Advisor in Brussels (European Commission - DG Grow - Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs): "Fertilizer Working Group" and "Regulatory Committee on Fertilizers”.
2016---. Expert CEN/TC 260-WG 8, Organic and organo-mineral fertilizers.
