User:Mconvertino

My research is about the study of patterns and processes in biological, social and artificial system. Emphasis is on biodiversity at the macroscale level, and on conservation biology modeling of threatened and endangered species. My background is in Civil and Environmental Engineering (fluid mechanics and hydrology), however starting from that I took big steps into the field of Biocomplexity, both on the theoretical and modeling viewpoints. How do patterns turn into life? Actually it is the LIFE itself, meaning with LIFE the amount of biotic and abiotic factors that shape a pattern. In nature many ecosystems are observed and all of them host many species which are both spectators and actors in shaping the ecosystem. Species like fishes, trees, birds, mammals, and bacteria are currently the subjects of my studies. The research group, Hydrology and Water Quality, to which I belong is lead by Rafael Munoz-Carpena, Associate Professor at UF, ABE Department. I have strong collaboration in the department with other faculty members and in particular with Greg Kiker. In August 2009 I joined the ``Risk Modeling and Decision Science Group’’ of Igor Linkov at USACE ERDC in Concord (Boston, MA). That was a great step that allows me to start working in modeling social system, political-economical system, as well as other eco-biological system. I cannot express the devotion I have to be in this group of people that is making me growing everyday, scientifically and personally. Scales and uncertainty are peculiar topics in my work. I find extremely challenging (indeeed mandatory) to approach every problem in a multidisciplinarly way enhancing interactions among scientists for detecting the beauty of life and at the same time for deriving concrete applications to help solving the world issues. Please browse my website and do not hesitate to contact me for information!

Professional Experience

- Adjunct Research Scientist, (December 2010 - …), USACE ERDC Risk Modeling and Decision Science Group (Linkov Group), Boston, MA.

- Research Associate, Faculty, (December 2009 - …) Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department – IFAS, Florida Climate Institute (UFL-FSU), and Water Institute Affiliated Faculty, University of Florida, Gainesville, Prof. Rafael Munoz-Carpena and Greg Kiker Research Groups – Ecological Modeling, Hydrology, Geomorphology.

- 01-12/2008, & 05-09/2009, Research Assistant ``Ing. Aldo Gini’’ Fellow for International Research, Ecohydrology Group of I. Rodriguez-Iturbe, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, NJ.

- 09/06/2006-11/29/2009, Graduate Research Assistant at the ``Dino Tonini’’ International Center for Hydrology, Hydraulic, Environmental, Geotechnical, and Coastal Engineering Department (IMAGE), University of Padova – Director: Prof. A. Rinaldo and M. Marani.

- 03-07/2004, Undergraduate Research Assistant, Finite Element Modeling Lab for Structural and Environmental Engineering Research, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

Education

- PhD Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Padova (UniPd), November 2009 (thesis title: ``Patterns in Ecology and Geomorphology of River Basin Ecosystems’’), Graduate School in Civil and Environmental Engineering Sciences, co. Hydraulic, Environmental, Geotechnical, Coastal Engineering Department (IMAGE) and International Center for Hydrology ``Dino Tonini’’, ``Gini’’ and NSF fellow at Princeton University (Jan.-Dec. 2008 and May-Sept. 2009), advisor: Prof. Andrea Rinaldo (UniPd and EPFL), coadvisor: Prof. Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe (Princeton University). Assessment of the thesis by Prof. Luca Ridolfi (Torino Polytechnic University, Italy).

- M.Sc. in Civil and Environmental Engineering – Fluid Mechanics & Hydrology (Laurea Magistralis) University of Padova, 10/25/2006, (thesis: ``On the Characterization and Ontogeny of Optimal Channel Networks with Heterogeneous Rainfall’’), honor, referenced letter (assessment letter by Prof. Riccardo Rigon), equivalent GPA 3.6, M.Sc. thesis advisors Prof. Andrea Rinaldo (UniPd), Prof. Amos Maritan (UniPd), Prof. Riccardo Rigon (University of Trento).

- B.Sc. in Civil and Environmentyal Engineering (Laurea) University of Padova, 07/22/2004, (thesis: ``FEM Modeling and Experimental Characterization of Innovative Materials for Pavement Infrastructures’’), honor, equivalent GPA 3.5, B.Sc. thesis advisor Prof. Marco Pasetto.

-High School Diploma (scientific major – structural engineering, surveying and geodesy) (Diploma), July 2001, (main thesis: ``Planimetric and Structural Road project in a mountain are in Northern Italy’’ and ``Water quality, management, and hydrology in Italy’’) comprehensive mark 100/100 with honor, Secondary Technical School “G.B. Belzoni”, Padova, Italy.

http://plaza.ufl.edu/mconvertino/index.html/Home_Page.html