
The project team is composed of members at different stages of their career: one full professor, an associate professor, two researchers and a post-doctoral research associate (PDRA) to be hired specifically for this project. This is an important factor playing in favor of a successful project, since different levels of experience and expertise result in different perspectives and experienced members are a guarantee for an efficient management of the project. The PDRA will be hired to work on the planned large-scale experiments, which require fully committed personnel.
The team is multidisciplinary, with three geologists, one engineer and the PDRA to be hired from the engineering area, which matches the needs of this multidisciplinary research project. Whilst 25% of the current team is made by women, there is a gender equality in the leadership of the two research units and of the project itself.

Dr Fabio Dioguardi (PI, RU1 leader) is a researcher and has been a senior researcher of the British Geological Survey (BGS) from 2015 to 2022. There he led research and operational activities (modeling and expert independent advice to UK and European Union stakeholders) on volcanic hazards. He co-led a successful Natural Environment Research Council proposal on experimental and numerical modeling of granular flows, during which he designed and contributed to the construction of a laboratory-scale flume now available at University of Edinburgh. He also won a Newton Advanced Fellowship Fund of the Royal Society (RS-NSAF) on debris flows in collaboration with Prof Damiano Sarocchi (University of San Luis Potosì, Mexico) (UASLP), in which he acted as UK Supervisor of Prof Sarocchi (the fellow). This project was aimed at establishing a new international partnership and improving the research capabilities of UASLP, which now hosts a state-of-the-art large-scale flume that can be used for both granular and debris flows. The development of the facility was supervised by Dr Dioguardi, who is still involved in the project as an external partner. Before these experiences, Dr Dioguardi had extensive experience as an experimental volcanologist since his master’s degree and PhD project, together with field work and modeling on pyroclastic density currents. He was also co-supervisor of a PhD student working on implementation of numerical code on the MFIX platform for simulating granular flow experiments. During his career at BGS, Dr Dioguardi developed experience in managing both research projects (e.g., the RS-NAF), internal projects and commercial projects. In fact, he led the BGS volcanology team in the ARISTOTLE-EHNSP project on natural hazards delivered 24/7 to the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Dr Dioguardi will be the project manager, will contribute to WP1 in the design, execution and data analysis of the experiments in collaboration with RU2 and the PDRA, lead WP2, in which he will also conduct actual work and contribute to WP3.
Prof. Roberto Sulpizio is full professor of Geochemistry and Volcanology at Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali (University of Bari). He is research fellow of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche of Italy and Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. He has a broad experience in physical volcanology, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. He obtained a PhD in Material Sciences at UASLP, discussing a thesis on volcanic granular flow experiments. He is and was leader and participant of many competitive projects funded by both national and international bodies. He contributed with many highly cited and recognized papers to the research on transport and deposition of pyroclastic density currents and volcaniclastic flows. Both categories include concentrated end members classified as granular flows. He produced hazard maps for invasion of PDCs and volcaniclastic flows, along with calculation of physical parameters like dynamic pressure, hydrostatic pressure and impact pressure, which are fundamental for hazard mitigation purposes. He was one of the first researchers applying High Performance Computing resources to ash dispersal from volcanic eruptions and produced hazard maps for volcanic granular flows using numerical simulations. He was also supervisor of a PhD student working on implementation of numerical code on the MFIX platform for simulating granular flow experiments. Prof. R. Sulpizio will participate in WP1 in the design of the experiments, to the interpretation of the data and to the transfer of experimental data into numerical simulations in WP2. He will also contribute to WP3.
Prof. Giovanna Capparelli is RU2 Leader and Associate PI, and Associate Professor at University of Calabria. Her research involves two main fields: the study of subsoil water circulation and the analysis of the relationship between rainfall and triggering of the landslide. During the years the research has been supported by the activity in situ and in the laboratory. Other activities have been developed concerning early warning systems and mathematical modeling for landslide risk mitigation. As part of these activities, a mathematical model, named SUSHI (Saturated Unsaturated Simulation for Hillslope Instability) was realized which is able to process, ex post and in real time independently, the stress-strain behavior based on rainfall infiltration and water content in the subsoil. The model, subsequently upgraded, is a patent for “Hydrogeological Risk Assessment” priority number 102016000073319 (https://wwwknowledge-shareeu/en/). In 2008, Prof. Capparelli was winner of an award funded by Calabria Region for setting up a high-level training program for university researchers that has enabled her to carry out a stage in “Early warning and mathematical modeling for landslide risk mitigation” at the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department, in Hong Kong. Since 2012 Prof Capparelli has been an active member of the International Consortium on Landslides (http://icliplhqorg/category/home- icl/). The consortium is supported by UNESCO, WMO, FAO, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, International Union of Geological Sciences; Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the Government of Japan, US Geological Survey. On this, she is involved in the research activity of the following International Programme on Landslides. As part of the action "ISDR-ICL Sendai Partnerships 2015-2025 for global promotion of understanding and reducing landslide disaster risk" (action 4) (program within the 2030 Agenda strategies) has produced three Landslide Interactive Teaching Tools for the dissemination and application of mitigation strategies with reference to developing countries. In accordance with the objectives and actions of the Sendai Landslide Partnerships 2015-2025, she has participated in the drafting of the "Kyoto 2020 Commitment for Global Promotion of Understanding and Reducing Landside Disaster Risk" Giovanna attended many conferences both national and international as keynote or invited speaker. Prof. Capparelli is the director of Camilab, (Environmental mapping and hydrogeological modeling) laboratory of the University of Calabria which is a center of competence of the National Civil Protection Department. She is member of the European Geophysical Union, “Gruppo Italiano di Idraulica” (Italian Group of Hydraulic Research), “Società Idrologica Italiana” (Italian Hydrological Society). She had an active role in several research projects funded by the European Community, the Italian University Ministry, and the National Civil Protection Department. Prof Capparelli will lead WP1 activities, co-lead the project with the PI and contribute to WP3 activities.
Dr Eugenio Nicotra is a researcher at the Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences of the University of Calabria. His research lines are mainly focused on pre- to syn-eruptive processes at several volcanic systems over the world (Ethiopia, Iceland, China, Kamchatka) and of Italy (Aeolian Islands, Etna, Pantelleria, Ustica). After the achievement of his PhD, he won two prizes from the Italian Society of Mineralogy and Petrology for his PhD Thesis (2010) and for his research scientific activity during years 2012-13. He is an active member of the Italian Association of Volcanology and the leader of the Communication Team of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI), having purposes regarding dissemination of a volcanological culture and knowledge. His volcanological skills will mainly contribute to the definition of volcanic materials to be used for experiments (WP1), the validation and comparison of modeled cases with natural systems, and the volcano-hazard implications of the project. He will be also decisive for the purposes of WP3, regarding dissemination and communication of the achieved results to the scientific community and the society.
Dr. Alexis Bougouin has been specifically hired to work on WP1, due to his experience on laboratory experiments, fluid mechanics (also on multiphase flows), sensors installation and data acquisition and elaboration. He will also constantly engage with RU1 on WP2.
The project will also benefit from the expertise of Prof. Damiano Sarocchi (see attached letter of intent in Figure 4), who works on granular flows and debris flows experimental modeling with a similar approach and using a large-scale flume. This has been recently refurbished and improved in the framework of the aforementioned RS-NSAF project and, although similar (the main difference being the smaller channel width), it is equipped with different sensors. The two facilities therefore will complement each other. Dr Dioguardi and Prof Sulpizio have collaborated with prof Sarocchi since many years and therefore this project represents an opportunity to keep this international collaboration ongoing and expand it to the University of Calabria and potentially to BGS thanks to the RS-NAF project.