6 PhD Programmes in Environmental Studies in Italy for 2024

The International PhD Program in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) combines expertise from many disciplines in the agro-environmental field aimed at training researchers, enabling them to carry out qualified scientific activities in the field of plant and animal production, considering also aspects of eco-sustainability, climate change and recovery of polluted and degraded areas in order to restore their agricultural cultivation capabilities.

This environmental science program studies the physical, chemical, and biological processes that take place on Earth, as well as the social, political, and cultural processes that impact the planet.

Academic research for this program must provide a comprehensive study of ecology and environmental science.

Nowadays, human impact is one of the main variables of environmental change both locally and globally. Managing this impact is critically important to human, social and economic well-being now and in the future.

EEH is a PhD course study activated since 2017 at G. d’Annunzio School of Advanced Studies, in the Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences (DiSPuTer) (Campus Universitario, Via dei Vestini, 31 - 66100 Chieti Scalo, Italy). EEH coordinator is Giusy Lavecchia, full professor of Structural Geology. EEH is dedicated to high-quality studies and original research on natural and anthropogenic hazards and their consequences. It is aimed to build a multi-task research community concerned, on one side, with monitoring, modelling and assessment of hazards and, on the other, with the investigation of the impact on individuals and society, finalized to the design and implementation of risk mitigation and adaptation strategies. The skills of the EEH teaching board, which span from Earth Sciences and Physics (ERC PE10) to Archaeology (ERC SH6) and Psychology (ERC SH4), make possible a multi-task approach to two high-impact categories of hazard, that concern earthquakes and environmental pollution. Characterizing EEH research and teaching topics are: 1. Seismotectonics and seismogenesis for seismic hazard assessment (responsible: prof. Giusy Lavecchia) 2. Geoarchaeology and archaeoseismology for cultural heritage risk and for seismic hazard (responsible: prof. Oliva Menozzi) 3. Endogenous and anthropogenic hazards for risk mitigation (responsible: prof. Francesco Stoppa) 4. Psycho-sociological analysis of hazard perception and risk communication (responsible: prof. Nicola Mammarella). EHH students will develop and implement their scientific background, but, at the same time, they will acquire basic tools and knowledge on hazard problems approached from different point of views. This strategy is crucial to educate and train a new generation of researchers and technicians able to combine their specific expertise into a common procedure for successful risk management. Such a framing process is urgent in order to increase resilience to earthquakes and environmental hazards and to reduce the impact from natural disasters. The course is open to candidates with a master degree in structural geology, geophysics, geomorphology, seismology, archaeology, geochemistry, petrography, physics, environmental science, psychology and sociology. Accordingly, candidates will widen their specific competence by working in a team of experts from many different fields.

The Ph.D. Course aims to prepare well-qualified scientists able to critically manage the implementation of EU and national regulations concerning with environmental analysis and to autonomously develop research activities in the field of environment.