Degree in Physics in 1977 at the University of Trieste. Research Director at the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS) – Trieste. From 1994 to 2004: director of the Department of Oceanography (OGS); from 2005 to 2012 Director of the Department of Biological Oceanography (OGS). Expertise in the field of hydrodynamic modelling applied to the tides and storm surge forecasting in the Adriatic Sea and geophysical fluid dynamics. Research activity in the field of ecosystem modelling and environmental-economic problems. Expertise in physical oceanography, ocean-climate interactions, marine coastal modelling, socio-economic analysis and modelling, data management and observational network in coastal areas. Co-ordination of many EU research project since the third Framework Programme. Director of courses in oceanography held at ICTP (International Centre for Theoretical Physics) in Trieste from 1996 to 1998. From 2000 member of  the Italian delegation to the IOC. Chair of the National Oceanographic Data Centre (IOC/IODE) for Italy. National representative of IODE/IOC. Organiser of the XIX IODE Committee meeting in Trieste, March 2007. Past National  IPCC expert. In early 2013, appointed as a member of the Pool of Expert for the Regular process for the Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment by the United Nations.