Alessandro D'Emilio

Updated to 10.01.2026

Professor Alessandro D'Emilio graduated in Civil Engineering, Transportation section, from the University of Catania on October 28, 1993, with top honors (110/110 cum laude).

In November 1994, he began collaborating with the professors of the Institute of Topography and Rural Constructions of the University of Catania. Since then, he has continuously contributed to the Institute’s main research activities (today the Construction and Territory Section of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment), participating both in theoretical studies and in the planning and implementation of experimental activities.

Within the framework of the 12th cycle of PhD programs established under Presidential Decree 382/80, he was declared winner of the admission competition for the PhD in “Agricultural Buildings and Land Planning,” held on March 7, 1997. On March 27, 2001, he obtained the title of PhD in “Agricultural Buildings and Land Planning,” defending before the national committee a dissertation entitled “Predictive model of soil temperature and humidity under greenhouse solarization.”

In 1999, he won a research fellowship competition for the scientific-disciplinary sector G05C “Agricultural Buildings and Technical Facilities for Agriculture” (now AGR/10), with the research program “Analysis of constructional, functional and energy-related issues of buildings for agricultural product processing.” The fellowship, initially lasting four years, was renewed for an additional two years and ended in December 2005.

At the meeting of February 25, 2003, of the Faculty Council of Agriculture of the University of Catania, he was recognized as expert lecturer (“cultore della materia”) in the scientific-disciplinary sector “AGR/10 – Rural Buildings and Agroforestry Territory.”

From 2003 onward, he began collaborating with the ITAF Department of the Faculty of Agriculture of Palermo, carrying out teaching activities in the Degree Course in Agroengineering as adjunct professor for the course “Rural Buildings and Agroforestry Territory” during the Academic Years 2003–2004, 2004–2005, and 2005–2006.

Since Academic Year 2003–2004, as adjunct professor, he has also taught Computer Science in the Degree Course in Tropical and Subtropical Agricultural Sciences and Technologies at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Catania, based at the Ragusa branch campus.

On December 18, 2006, he won the public competition for one position as Associate Professor in the scientific-disciplinary sector AGR/10 Rural Buildings and Agroforestry Territory.

On December 27, 2006, he was appointed Associate Professor in the scientific-disciplinary sector AGR/10 Rural Buildings and Agroforestry Territory at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Catania (Rector’s Decree no. 393 of 27/12/2006).

As Associate Professor, he taught the following courses:

Surveying and Territorial Representation (30 hours – 3 CFU/ECTS credits) in the Degree Course in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies;
Building Design and Construction Management (52 hours – 5 CFU/ECTS credits) in the Degree Course in Technology and Planning for the Land and Environment;
Agro-industrial Buildings (28 hours – 3 CFU/ECTS credits, co-teaching) in the Degree Course in Food Science and Technology.

He currently teaches the following courses:

Infrastructure for the Territory (6 CFU/ECTS credits) in the Degree Course in Land and Landscape Management and Protection;
Sustainable Building Design (6 CFU/ECTS credits) in the Degree Course in Land and Landscape Management and Protection

He was a member of the Board of Lecturers of the PhD Program in Agricultural Engineering from 2007 to 2013.

Since 2013, he has been a member of the Board of Lecturers of the International PhD Program in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science.

From 2014 to 2018, he was a member of the Scientific Committee of the Dairy Supply Chain Research Consortium (CORFILAC).

From 2016 to 2020, he served as a member of the Departmental Joint Committee.

Since November 2022, he has been President of the Degree Course Council in “Planning and Environmental Sustainability of Territory and Landscape.”

He was also a member of the Technical-Scientific Committee for the establishment of the “Riviera dei Ciclopi” Ecomuseum proposed by the Municipality of Aci Castello (Catania).

His research activities concern environmental sustainability and the structural and functional optimization of livestock buildings, protected cultivation structures, and agricultural product processing facilities, as well as studies on the enhancement of traditional rural heritage and the protection of natural habitats and landscapes.

In particular, he participated in the following research projects:

“Analysis of thermal flows in soil subjected to solarization,” part of the project “Alternative techniques to methyl bromide fumigation,” funded under the P.O.M. 1994–99 Program – Measure 2;
“New technologies for vineyard mechanization and structuring and for wine grape processing – technical and agronomic aspects,” within the PRIN 1996 project;
“Thermophysical characterization of materials used in greenhouse cultivation on inert substrates,” within the two-year research project “Soilless cultivation systems for innovation in Sicilian greenhouse production,” activated under the P.O.P. Sicily 1994–1999 Program;
“Study of greenhouse characteristics for nursery production,” within the two-year research project “Enhancement of Sicilian horticultural and floricultural germplasm and qualification of propagation material,” activated under the P.O.P. Sicily 1994–1999 Program;
“Effectiveness of innovative plastic films for greenhouse soil solarization,” within the PRIN 2002 project “Innovative plastic materials for crop protection and soil solarization”;
“Buildings for dairy cattle breeding and sheep shelters: suitable construction solutions for animal welfare,” within the PRIN 2003 project “Construction solutions, systems and equipment for improving animal welfare in intensive farming”;
“Innovative techniques for soil disinfestation,” within the PON Agroindustry project;
“Verification of the descriptive model for mulching films through experimental fields,” within the PON Environment project;
“Tourism uses of the historic environment know-how transfer and quality management practices at community level,” within the Herodot Project – Interreg IIIB Archimed 2000–06 Program;
“Innovative methodologies for combating citrus tristeza virus,” funded by the Department of Agricultural and Food Resources of the Sicilian Region;
“Innovative Solutions for Food Safety in Cereal Farming (SISACER),” within Measure 4.1.1.1 of the POR FESR 2007–2013 Program;
“Environmental sensors for improving the quality of citrus production (S.A.M.AGRUMI),” within Measure 4.1.1.2 of the POR FESR Sicily 2007–2013 Program;
PRIN 2017 “Integrated Computer Modeling and Monitoring for Irrigation Planning in Italy – INCIPIT”;
PRIN 2022 “Predictive Dynamics of Microbiological Contamination of Groundwater in the Earth Critical Zone and Impact on Human Health (DY.MI.CR.ON Project)”;
“Sustainable greenhouse tomato production through innovative soil disinfection systems with basal soil heating – BHEST,” within the Sicily Rural Development Program 2014–2022, Sub-measure 16.1 “Support for the establishment and management of EIP operational groups on agricultural productivity and sustainability,” starting from 2024;
“Sicilian MicronanoTech Research and Innovation Center – SAMOTHRACE,” within the NextGenerationEU Program, from 2023 to the present.

He has also held the following research project coordination responsibilities:

Scientific Coordinator of the memorandum of understanding signed on September 30, 2021, between GreenGo s.r.l. Catania and the University of Catania, through the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, concerning the study of microclimatic conditions in an agrivoltaic system;
Scientific Coordinator of the Research Unit for the project “Dairy cattle barns: construction and plant engineering solutions for improving animal welfare and productivity under hot climate conditions,” within the PRIN 2007 project “Innovative technical solutions to improve production efficiency and animal welfare in dairy cattle housing”;
Coordinator of the 2007 University Research Program “Renewable energy sources for improving the environmental sustainability of protected cultivation structures”;
Member of the coordination structure of the LIFE11 NAT/IT/000232 project “Restoration of dune habitats in the greenhouse landscape of the Gulf of Gela for the protection of Leopoldia gussonei.”

Since 1997, he has been a member of the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering (AIIA). He is also a member of the European Society of Agricultural Engineering (EurAgEng).

He has a good knowledge of the English language.

He has extensive experience in the use of the most widespread graphics and data management software, programming languages, software for statistical analysis and the solution of complex mathematical problems, thermofluid-dynamic analysis software, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

His scientific activity to date is documented by more than 70 publications in national and international journals and conference proceedings.

He obtained the Italian National Scientific Qualification (ASN) as Full Professor for Scientific Area 07/C1 on April 3, 2018.

Last edit: 05/16/2026