Sara Pini

NH Natural Hazards

The 2024 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Sara Pini for the poster/PICO entitled:

Innovations in Soil Water Bioengineering: A Stakeholder Perception Assessment (Pini, S.; Signorile, A.; Preti, F.)

Click here to download the poster/PICO file.

Sara Pini is a first-year PhD student at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment, and Forestry at the University of Florence, Italy. She is working under the supervision of Prof. Federico Preti.

Her research project focuses on Soil and Water Bioengineering (SWBE), with a broader perspective that includes Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI). SWBE are techniques that involve the use of plants and natural materials found locally to strengthen ecosystems and reduce hydrogeological risks. In the first phase of her research, she will explore innovations in this field by engaging with practitioners and reviewing scientific literature. In the second phase, she plans to delve deeper into aspects such as enhancing specific ecosystem services and modeling interventions, transitioning from a site-specific scale to a watershed scale.

The research presented at the EGU conference involves a questionnaire designed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of Italian practitioners regarding SWBE, NBS, and GBI. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify any existing gaps, align practical applications with theoretical development, and enhance the implementation of sustainable practices.