KeAi Talk: ISWCR Series IV—— Nature-based Solutions and Modelling Innovations for Sustainable Soil and Water Management under Climate Extremes.

Wendi Wang

Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Italy

Wendi Wang is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Padova, Italy, specializing in water resource management and soil conservation in steep-slope agricultural systems. Her work combines remote sensing, hydrological modelling, and GIS-based analysis to address key challenges related to climate change adaptation and sustainable water management in agriculture. She is co-author of the 2022 Nature Food paper Future climate-zone shifts are threatening steep-slope agriculture, a notable contribution to the assessment of global vulnerabilities in steep-slope farming. She is the author of 13 scientific publications, has presented her research in 12 international conferences and invited seminars, and has served as co-convener of a session at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026.

Michael Maerker

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Germany; University of Pavia, Italy

Professor Michael Maerker has been appointed as co-Editor-in-Chief of International Soil and Water Conservation Research (ISWCR) since 2023.

Professor Michael Maerker is a senior scientist and research group leader at Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany and a Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Pavia, Italy. He is a geomorphologist and soil scientist by training. His current research team focuses on methodologies such as environmental modeling, geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing, geostatistics and data mining. These methods are applied in the spatio-temporal assessment of soils and soil properties, as well as surface-forming processes such as soil erosion and mass movements. Professor Maerker's recent research has been linked to the integration of different soil erosion processes and the assessment of soil surface characteristics. Moreover, he studies how climate change impacts sediment dynamics. He has authored and co-authored more than 200 publications, including 129 refereed journal articles and 13 book chapters. His studies have been cited more than 6,000 times according to Google Scholar.

Eugenio Straffelini

Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Italy

Eugenio Straffelini is Assistant Professor at the University of Padua, Italy. His research addresses the impacts of climate change on hydro-erosive processes and agricultural water availability, with a particular focus on viticulture. By integrating remote sensing, hydrological and geomorphological analysis, field investigations, and modelling approaches, his work supports the development of innovative strategies for soil and water conservation. He is the author of 29 scientific publications and has received three international awards. His academic activity includes participation in EU Horizon, ERC, and World Bank projects, as well as regional projects developed in collaboration with stakeholders, alongside training activities for public institutions and a strong commitment to science communication and public engagement.

Manuel La Licata

Department of Sciences, University of Rome Tre, Italy

Manuel has a PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences, with a background in Geomorphology and Soil Science. He is a postdoctoral researcher working on soil erosion by water, sediment dynamics, and geomorphological hazards across Mediterranean and Alpine environments. His work integrates digital geomorphological mapping, GIS-based modelling, sediment connectivity assessment, scenario analysis, and soil characterization, with applications of geostatistical and machine learning approaches to erosion susceptibility and environmental modelling. He is also a member of the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWAC).

Video: https://cassyni.com/events/6Ne56ZbHcqZUhaKQLEuq57

Paolo Tarolli

Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Italy

Paolo Tarolli is Full Professor in Agricultural Water Management at the Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry of the University of Padua. His research focuses on land and water systems, soil processes, landscape dynamics, and the environmental challenges associated with climate change in agriculture. He is President of the Soil and Water Conservation Division of the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering (AIIA). He is the author of more than 200 Scopus-indexed publications in international peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Nature Food, Review of Geophysics, and Science Bulletin, with over 14,000 citations and an h-index of 67 on Google Scholar. Since 2020, he has been ranked for five consecutive years among the world's top 2% most cited scientists by Scopus/Elsevier and Stanford University. He has also contributed to more than 10 national and international research projects, including Horizon Europe, ERC, and major regional and national initiatives.

Video: https://cassyni.com/events/T7u59uHDTRkNduXV2ZbVFs

Giulio Castelli

University of Florence, Italy

Giulio Castelli is an environmental engineer with extensive experience in research projects across the Mediterranean region, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and South America.

He holds a PhD in Sustainable Management of Agricultural, Forestry, and Food Resources from the University of Florence, completed in 2018, with a research focus on water harvesting, water resources management, and participatory approaches in international development. Alongside his doctoral work, he collaborated with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Sudan and worked with the World Bank.

He is currently an Assistant Professor in Agricultural Hydraulics and Watershed Protection at the University of Florence and is affiliated with the Water Harvesting Lab.

Video: https://cassyni.com/events/SzjftjNLM4cMDfChuBJMcy