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Rocco Pace

PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) - - Senior Researcher - @EURAC, Italy

Research Interests

My research interests are in urban forestry and ecological modeling. I study the ecosystem services provided by green infrastructure to promote sustainable urban and regional development. The vision is to design low-carbon, energy-efficient and livable cities by integrating nature-based solutions.

1
Urban Forestry - Modeling - Tree Ecophysiology - Ecosystem Services - PhytoTechnologies - Green Cities

Research Experience

  • since September 2023
    Senior researcher
    EURAC Research, Institute for Renewable Energy, Urban and regional energy systems, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy

    https://www.eurac.edu/en
    EURAC Profile: https://www.eurac.edu/en/people/rocco-pace
    URS group: https://www.eurac.edu/en/institutes-centers/institute-for-renewable-energy/research-group/urban-and-regional-energy-systems

  • May 2022 - August 2023
    Postdoctoral researcher
    Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    GrüneLunge project 2.0 - Transformation towards resilient urban forests
    https://www.projekt-gruenelunge.de/
    KIT Profile: https://www.imk-ifu.kit.edu/english/staff_Rocco.Pace.php
    Plant Ecophysiology Lab: https://ecophys.imk-ifu.kit.edu/

  • May 2020 - May 2022
    Research Fellow
    National Research Council (CNR), Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), Porano, TR, Italy

    Project EUFORICC − Establishing Urban Forest based solutions In Changing Cities
    (PRIN 20173RRN2S) https://www.euforicc.it/
    Implementation and validation of a model to estimate the deposition of air pollutants based on the morphological and physiological characteristics of trees as well as on microclimatic conditions considering also extreme climatic events.
    Supervisor: Dr. Carlo Calfapietra
    https://publications.cnr.it/authors/roccopace

  • May - Jun 2019
    Research visit
    National Research Council (CNR), Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), Porano, TR, Italy

    Comparing modeled PM2.5 flux deposition with eddy covariance technique and SEM analysis.
    Supervisor: Dr. Carlo Calfapietra

  • Sep - Nov 2018
    Research visit
    United States Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Syracuse, NY, USA

    Modeling tree transpiration to evaluate the cooling effect on air temperature.
    Supervisor: Dr. David Nowak

  • Nov 2016 - Feb 2020
    PhD Student
    Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    Completion of the Helmholtz Graduate School KIT-GRACE (Graduate School for Climate and Environment) qualification program
    Green2clean project aimed to determine the impact of urban trees on temperature and air quality in three European cities: Munich, Berlin, and Rome. The model-based investigation includes scenario analyses regarding plant species selection and green space distribution to optimize climate and air quality under current and future conditions.
    Supervisor: Dr. Rüdiger Grote

  • Apr - Aug 2016
    Erasmus traineeship / Research Fellow
    IASS Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

    “Green City” concept and indicators for evaluating environmental sustainability
    Supervisor: Dr. Galina Churkina

  • Nov 2014 - Mar 2015
    Internship
    ARPA Umbria, Regional Environmental Protection Agency, Terni, Italy

    Development of a database on phytoremediation applications to hydrocarbon contaminated soils
    Supervisors: Prof. Paolo De Angelis, Ing. Andrea Sconocchia

  • June 2012 - Mar 2013
    Internship
    Università degli Studi della Basilicata, School of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy

    Monitoring forest soil quality
    Supervisor: Prof. Antonio Scopa