Stefano Materia

Senior climate scientist bringing 15 years of experience working on climate modelling, artificial intelligence applied to climate science and climate predictions, variability and change.

Skilled in experimental design and data interpretation, with proven track record in conducting innovative research and contributing to scientific advancements, collaborating with the international scientific community and managing scientific research.

• Title: Senior Climate Scientist
• Gender: Male
• Nationality: Italian

Grants:

2010 ISSNAF fellowship (60000 US$) sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Environment

2021 MSCA Individual Fellowship (173000 Eur) for the project ARTIST 

Invited speaker: Panel on machine learning for climate predictions at the ECMWF Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Machine Learning for Weather and Climate (Jan 2023)

Invited speaker: Elements for the production of Objective Seasonal Forecasts: MedCOFsub-region (Nov 2022)

Invited Visiting Scientist: Université of Québéc á Montreal (talk and research work, Jul 2019)

Invited Visiting Scientist at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (talk and research work, Feb-May 2019)

Invited Visiting Scientist: International Research Institute for Climate and Society – Columbia University (talk, Jan 2018), Invited speaker: HyMeX Drought and Water Resources Workshop (Apr 2016)

Author of 41 peer reviewed articles published in international journals. Selected publications:

- Materia, S., García, L. P., van Straaten, C., Mamalakis, A., Cavicchia, L., Coumou, D., ... & Donat, M. G. (2024). Artificial Intelligence for Climate Prediction of Extremes: State of the art, challenges and future perspectives. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, e914..

- Torralba, V., Hénin, R., Cantelli, A., Scoccimarro, E., Materia, S., Manzato, A., & Gualdi, S. (2023). Modelling hail hazard over Italy with ERA5 large-scale variables. Weather and Climate Extremes, 39, 100535.

- Domeisen, D.I.V., and Coauthors, 2022: Advances in the Subseasonal Prediction of Extreme Events: Relevant Case Studies across the Globe. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 103, E1473–E1501, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0221.1.

- Prodhomme, C., Materia, S., Ardilouze, C. et al. (2022) Seasonal prediction of European summer heatwaves. Clim. Dyn. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-021-05828-3., Materia, S., Ardilouze, C., Prodhomme, C. et al. (2022) Summer temperature response to extreme soil water conditions in the Mediterranean transitional climate regime. Clim. Dyn. 58(7-8), 1943-1963.

- Ardilouze, C., Materia, S., Batté, L. et al. (2021). Precipitation response to extreme soil moisture conditions over the Mediterranean. Clim Dyn (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-020-05519-5

- Materia S., Munoz A.G., Alvarez-Castro M.C., Mason S.J., Vitart F., Gualdi, S. (2020). Multi-model subseasonal forecasts of spring cold spells: potential value for the hazelnut agribusiness. Wea. Forecasting, 35(1), 237-254.

- Peano D., Materia S., Collalti A., Anav A., Alessandri A., Bombelli A., Gualdi S. (2019). Global variability of simulated and observed vegetation growing season. J. Gephys. Res. – Biogeosciences, 124(11), 3569-3587.

- Athanasiadis, P. J., Bellucci, A., Scaife, A. A., Hermanson, L., Materia, S., Sanna, A., Borrelli, A., MacLachlan, C., & Gualdi, S. (2017). A Multisystem View of Wintertime NAO Seasonal Predictions, J. Climate, 30(4), 1461-1475.

- Van den Hurk B., Kim H., … Materia S., et al. (2016). LS3MIP (v1.0) contribution to CMIP6: the Land Surface, Snow and Soil moisture Model Intercomparison Project – aims, setup and expected outcome. Geoscientific Model Development, 9, 2809-2832, DOI: 10.5194/gmd-9-2809-2016.

- Bellucci A., Haarsma R., Bellouin N., Booth B., Cagnazzo C., van den Hurk B., Keenlyside N., Koenigk T., Massonnet F., Materia S. and Weiss M., (2015). Advancements in decadal climate predictability: the role of non-oceanic drivers. Reviews of Geophysics, 53(2), 165-202.

- Materia S., Borrelli A., Bellucci A., et al. (2014). Impact of Atmosphere and Land Surface Initial Conditions on Seasonal Forecasts of Global Surface Temperature. J. Climate, 27, 9253–9271., Materia S., Gualdi S., Terray L., Navarra A., (2012).

- The effect of Congo River freshwater discharge on Eastern Equatorial Atlantic climate variability. Clim. Dyn. 39, 9-10, 2109-2125, Materia S., Dirmeyer P.A., Guo Z., Alessandri A., Navarra A., (2010).

- The sensitivity of simulated river discharge to land surface representation and meteorological forcings. J. Hydrometeor, 11, 334-35.

Excellent communication skills:

- Participation in more than 50 international conferences and workshops

- Media interviews: Rai1, Bologna Today, TeleNorba

Communication activities:

- Un pozzo di scienza (https://ragazzi.gruppohera.it/pozzo_scienza/) 2012, 2019, 2020. Dissemination of scientific culture in schools, with seminars (secondary schools) and labs (primary schools)

- Il giardino delle imprese (https://fondazionegolinelli.it/it/area-impresa/giardino-imprese) 2017-2021. School of entrepreneurial culture for students of secondary schools.

- Seminars on climate change, climate modelling, mitigation and adaptation strategies, held in symposia and events organized by private foundations and public entities

- The European night of researchers 2009, 2011, 2018