PhD in pedology and climatology, full professor of pedology, he has taught at the University of Florence and at the Polytechnic University of the Marches. In 30 years of activity he has taught soil-related subjects such as Agricultural pedology, Forest pedology, Soil management and conservation, Soil evaluation and maintenance. Research interests ranged from temperate, polar, desert and tropical zones, following research topics such as harmonization between soil and crops/forests, soil fertility, soil genesis, climate influence on soil and plants, cycle of carbon and other elements, rhizosphere and soil microbiome, and others (permafrost, volcanic environments, paleo-environmental reconstructions). He has participated and coordinated projects funded by the European Union, National Science Foundation (USA), Italian ministries, Italian local administrations (Regions, Provinces, Municipalities, National Parks, Marine Areas) and private companies. He has coordinated scientific expeditions and excavation campaigns in Italy, Canadian High Arctic, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, China, Greece, Romania, Tunisia, Alaska, Mozambique. He was President of the Italian Society of Pedology (SIPe) and is currently President of the Italian Society of Soil Science (SISS) and Chair of Division 2 of the International Union of Soil Sciences, for which he also holds the position of General Secretary. Author of 105 papers in impacted journals. Since January 1, 2022 he has been Director of the Agriculture and Environment Center of CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics), managing five branches and seven farms.