Meet the young researchers behind MYRIAD-EU: Davide Ferrario
MYRIAD-EU thrives on the dedicated and curious people behind the project. This month we introduce you to PhD candidate Davide Ferrario, focusing on Machine Learning for advancing climate risk modelling.
The floor is yours, Davide.
I am Davide, my background is in Mathematics and I have earned both my bachelor and master degree at the University of Bologna. I am in the first year of my PhD on “Climate Change and Sustainable Development”, a national PhD, coordinated by IUSS Pavia. My work is focused on Machine Learning for advancing climate risk modelling and I’m based for my research at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, where I also collaborate with the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC).
What do you do on MYRIAD-EU? Is it the first project you’ve worked on?
My activities in MYRIAD-EU will be dealing with the development and adaptation of Machine Learning tools for multi-risk assessment, especially in Work Package 4, on “Dynamic feedbacks between risk drivers” and Work Package 5, “Multi-Risk scenarios”.
Before my PhD I have been working in an Italian SME, where I had the opportunity to participate in some H2020 projects on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection.
What are you looking forward to the most?
Coming from a different background, it was really interesting for me to learn more about multi-risks scenarios and the complex interactions between risk drivers. I am looking forward to applying Deep Learning algorithms to disentangle and better quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics in multi-risk assessment, and to work on real-case scenarios in the pilots.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I should have successfully completed my PhD: I hope that I’ll still be a researcher, applying the skills and expertise I gained from PhD and MYRIAD-EU experiences. Artificial Intelligence is now on the forefront of research in many sectors, and I hope that I’ll be able to keep working on how Machine Learning and data science can help to better understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Were you always interested in mathematics?
I didn’t have a very clear idea when I was young, but I have always been interested in science and nature. While growing up and studying mathematics I was keen on finding applications of mathematical models to biological problems and natural sciences.
Who is your science idol?
If I could have a conversation with a scientist, it would be Paul Dirac, known for his contributions to quantum mechanics.
If MYRIAD-EU held a party, which song would you request from the DJ?
If MYRIAD-EU held a party, I would request “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight”, by Genesis!
Got interested in the people behind MYRIAD-EU? Then find out more about Adrian Champion with insights in the financial sector, or climate scientist Remi Harris.