Curriculum vitae

Appointments

1. 2026– Current

   Assistant Professor

   Division of Plant Science & Technology, University of Missouri

   Principal investigator of the EPIC Lab (Species Exploration, Phenomics, Informatics & Conservation)

2. 2026– Current

   Director

   Enns Entomology Museum, University of Missouri

   Direction, curation and digitization of Missouri’s insect collection

3. 2021– Current

   Research Associate

   Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA)

   Identification and curation of Ichneumonidae specimens

4. 2019– Current

   Research Associate

   University of Central Florida Collection (UCFC)

   Identification and curation of Ichneumonidae specimens

5. 2025–2026

   Postdoctoral Scholar

   University of Central Florida

   Research & Teaching

6. 2025–2026

   Collection Assistant & Database Specialist

   University of Central Florida Collection (UCFC)

   • — Specimen databasing and digitization
   • — Website content management and updates
   • — Taxonomic identification of insect specimens
7. 2019–2025

   Graduate Teaching Associate

   University of Central Florida (UCF)

   Entomology, Biology I, Biology II & Invertebrate Biodiversity labs

8. 2018–2019

   Graduate Teaching Assistant

   University of Central Florida (UCF)

   Entomology & Biology II labs

9. 2015–2018

   Assistant Curator

   Natural History Museum Giancarlo Ligabue (Venice) (MSNVE)

   • — Digitized and cataloged entomological specimens for the museum’s digital archive
   • — Reorganized the Soika Collection of Vespidae to improve accessibility and taxonomic accuracy
   • — Conducted taxonomic identification and classification of insect specimens

Education

1. 2025

   Ph.D. in Integrative and Conservation Biology

   University of Central Florida

   “Morphology, Evolution and Host-Driven Convergence in Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea)”

   Advisor: Dr. Barbara Sharanowski

2. 2016

   M.Sc. in Natural Sciences

   University of Padua

   “Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) as Bioindicators: the Case Study of Berici Hills”

   Advisor: Dr. Daniele Sommaggio

3. 2013

   B.Sc. in Science & Technology for Nature

   University of Padua

   “Public Fruition in Zoological Park”

   Advisor: Dr. Riccardo Groppali

1. 2026

   Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation Award

   Department of Biology, University of Central Florida

   Honor
2. 2024

   UCF Biology Excellence in Research Award

   University of Central Florida

   $200
3. 2023

   Best Student Presentation

   Hymathon

   $200
4. 2023

   Best Student Presentation – Morphology 2 Section (SysBE)

   ESA Meeting · 2024 Membership

   $74
5. 2022

   UCF Excellence in Teaching by GTA

   University of Central Florida

   $1,500
6. 2022

   UCF COS Excellence in Teaching by GTA

   University of Central Florida

   $250
7. 2021

   Best Photograph – Animal Section

   University of Central Florida

   Honor (non-monetary)
8. 2016

   Magna Cum Laude – Master's Degree

   University of Padua

   Academic distinction
9. 2013

   Magna Cum Laude – Bachelor's Degree

   University of Pavia

   Academic distinction

1. 2024

   UCF Open Access Publishing Fund

   University of Central Florida

   $1,500
2. 2024

   UCF Graduate Presentation Fellowship

   University of Central Florida

   $500
3. 2023

   UCF Dean’s Doctoral Fellowship

   University of Central Florida

   $5,000
4. 2023

   UCF Graduate Presentation Fellowship

   University of Central Florida

   $500
5. 2023

   UCF Open Access Publishing Fund

   University of Central Florida

   $1,500
6. 2023

   Visiting Taxonomist Grant

   Essig Museum, UC Berkeley

   $1,000
7. 2022

   ECN Workshop Travel Award

   ECN & ESA

   $1,000
8. 2022

   NSF s-STEM Travel Support

   Broward College

   $2,000
9. 2022

   Biology Department Travel Award

   University of Central Florida

   $300
10. 2022

    Graduate Student Travel Funding

    University of Central Florida · ICE (suspended due to COVID)

    $800

Expertise

Systematics

Taxonomy · Systematics and phylogenetics · Ichneumonidae · Species description · Host–parasitoid interactions · Parasitoid ecology

Morphology

Comparative and skeleto-muscular anatomy · Convergent evolution · Anatomy ontologies (HAO) · Micro-CT scanning · Specimen preparation and dissection

Collections

Collection management · Digitization · Biodiversity informatics · TaxonWorks and TaxonPages · Database management

Technical

Data visualization · Web development (Vue.js, Nuxt, Tailwind CSS) · Scientific publishing and editing

Teaching

Entomology · Invertebrate biodiversity · General biology · Mentoring students

Publications