Daniela Vanella
Keywords
Crop water requirements, Geographycal Information System, Near surface geophysics, Precision irrigation, Remote sensing, Soil hydrology
Daniela Vanella has been an Associate Professor in Agricultural Hydraulics and Soil and Water Conservation Engineering at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania (UniCT), since 1 October 2026.
In July 2026, she successfully completed the evaluation procedure for appointment as Associate Professor. Previously, she was a fixed-term researcher at UniCT from October 2023 to September 2026 and from August 2019 to December 2022. In 2018, she obtained the Italian National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professor and, in June 2023, for Full Professor in Agricultural, Forestry and Biosystems Engineering.
She graduated in Geological Sciences from UniCT in 2011, obtained a second-level Master's degree in Environmental and Territorial Data Monitoring, Analysis and Management from the University of Palermo in 2013, and earned an International PhD in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science from UniCT in 2017. Her doctoral research focused on monitoring and modelling processes within the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum.
Her research experience includes collaborations with several Italian and international universities and research institutions, including the University of Palermo, the University of Padua, the University of California, Davis (USA), Lancaster University (UK), and research centres affiliated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). She has also worked on international research projects focused on agricultural water management and irrigation.
Since 2017, she has taught undergraduate and master's degree courses at UniCT. She has also delivered specialised training courses and seminars and supervised undergraduate, master's and PhD students. She has participated in more than 20 international, national and regional research projects since 2013, contributing to project development and research activities. In several projects, she has served as Principal Investigator for the UniCT research unit.
Her research findings have been published in 59 scientific articles in indexed journals (2014–2026), more than 55 conference papers and abstracts, and eight books or book chapters. In 2022, she received the Best Paper Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She serves as a reviewer for international scientific journals, Associate Editor of Irrigation Science, and Topical Advisory Panel Member for Remote Sensing. She has also served as Guest Editor of a special issue of Atmosphere on agricultural microclimate and irrigation water management.
She has participated in national and international scientific conferences, including as an invited speaker, and has served on scientific committees and as a session convener at international events. She is a member of the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering (AIIA) and the European Geosciences Union (EGU). Since January 2026, she has been National Co-Coordinator of the Irrigation Studies Group (GruSI).
Current position
- Associate Professor (Sector 07/C1 - AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND BIOSYSYSTEM ENGINEERING) at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment Science (Di3A), University of Catania, Italy (since October 2026).
Previous positions:
- Researcher (RTD-B) (Sector 07/C1 - AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND BIOSYSYSTEM ENGINEERING) at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment Science (Di3A), University of Catania, Italy (October 2023 – September 2026).
- Researcher (RTD-A) (Sector 07/C1 - AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND BIOSYSYSTEM ENGINEERING) at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment Science (Di3A), University of Catania, Italy (January 2023 – September 2023).
- Researcher (RTD-A) (Sector 07/C1 - AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND BIOSYSYSTEM ENGINEERING) at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment Science (Di3A), University of Catania, Italy, within the programme Attraction and International Mobility (AIM) (August 2019 – December 2023).
Academic background
- Visiting Scholar, at the Department of Environmental Quality and Soils of Desertification Research Center (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GVA) (Valencia, Spain) collaborating with the research group of Dr. Eugenia Gimeno-García (November 2025);
- Italian Scientific Qualification as Full Professor for the Sector 07/C1 - AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND BIOSYSYSTEM ENGINEERING (2023);
- Visiting Scholar, at the Department of Ecology and Global Change of Desertification Research Center (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GVA) (Valencia, Spain) collaborating with the research group of Dr. Diego S. Intrigliolo (January – March and December, 2022)
- Visiting Scholar, at the Department Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis (USA) collaborating with the research group of prof. Isaya Kisekka (June – October 2021)
- Italian Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor for the Sector 07/C1 - AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY AND BIOSYSYSTEM ENGINEERING (2018);
- Visiting Ph.D., at the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) della Università di Lancaster (UK), under the supervision of prof. A. Binley (May-July 2014 and October-December 2015);
- Ph.D. in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment Science (Di3A), University of Catania, Italy (12 April 2017). Research topic: “Monitoring and modelling transfer processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere system by minimally invasive techniques”. During the Ph.D course, I performed two research stays at the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC), Lancaster University (UK) under the supervision of prof. Andrew Binley (May – July 2014 and October – December 2015)
- Master in Monitoring, Analysis and Environmental Data Management (MAGDA), at the Department of Civil, Environmental, Aerospace, Engineering and Materials (DICAM), University of Palermo, Italy. Thesis: “Application of remote sensing techniques for study the eco-hydrological processes in orange orchards”. Final graduation mark: 100/100 cum laude (September 2013)
- Master degree in Earth Sciences and Technologies at the Department of the Earth Science, University of Catania, Italy (18 November 2011)
- Bachelor degree in Earth Sciences at the Department of the Earth Science, University of Catania, Italy (23 October 2009). During this period, I received a grant for studying at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Greece within the Erasmus program (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) (October 2007 - February 2008)
Last edit: 10/20/2026
RESEARCH TOPICS
- Advanced and minimally invasive methodologies (electrical resistivity tomography - ERT) for supporting irrigation and monitoring the soil-plant interactions in agricultural contexts;
- Crop water requirements estimates through micro meteorological methods (eddy covariance) and multiscale approaches based on remote sensing data;
- Water saving techniques in agriculture using deficit irrigation strategies and the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture.