Mauro Francesco La Russa is Full professor at the Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science.
Actually, he is the president of the Italian Archaeometric Society,the main Italian association of scholars and researchers working in the field of scientific applications to Cultural Heritage Assets. From 2020 he is in charge such as rector delegate for the high formation and from 2022 he is coordinator of the national PHD School TEACH ( Technology applied to Cultural Hetitage)
His research interests include different aspects related to cultural Heritage and environment. Regard the first one, the research is focused on the:
Study of different degradation and alteration phenomena in subaerial and underwater environment;
• Development of new consolidant and protective products (nanoproducts) for the conservation and restoration of stone materials used in subaerial and underwater environment;
• Development of new mortars for the consolidation in subaerial and underwater environment;
• Archaeometric study of natural stone materials, mortars, pottery and metals;
• Diagnostic study of painting trough destructive and non - destructive approach;
• Development of new strategies and protocol to achieve some 2030 Agenda goals regarding cultural heritage and environment;
• Forensic analysis carried out to determine the legal status and authenticity of artifact or work of art.
Regard the environmental research the study is focused on the:
• Interaction of stone materials and environmental pollution, with particular regard to heavy metals and identification of the main pollution sources;
• Identification and characterization of microplastics in subaerial and underwater environment by spectroscopic approach.
He is currently coordinator of:
• RISE European Project entitled : TECTONIC, TEchnological Consortium To develop sustaiNAbility of underwater Cultural heritage call H2020-MSCA-RISE (1/02/2020-30/1/2024);
• Bilateral project Italy-Azerbaijan : Development of new products and protocols for the consolidation of earthen build materials.( 2021-2023)
Five National projects :
• CRATI (Knowledge and Restoration through Advanced Integrated Technologies (512.000 euro)
• MaTACoS- Advanced Materials and Techniques for Underwater Conservation. (1.160.000 euro)
• Ecocalmix- Ecofriendly Mix based on Calabrian clay for tanning applications (310.000 euro)
• REDiRECT, REDuce, Reuse Ceramic Tiles, 9.000.000 euro(Coordinator of University unit, budget UNICAL 1.100.000)
• UNALTARABLE , UNderwAter cuLTural hERitage conservation by means Anti-BiofouLing Econfriendly products (225.000 Euro)
He was coordinator of a Bilateral project Italy-Egypt entitled: Characterization of black crusts formed on historic buildings under different levels of ambient air pollution in Cairo and Venice, 2016/2018 He has been in charge for the UNICAL in the European project: EASME – “On the route from Greece to Magna Graecia, “ and he was involved on an INTERREG MED – BLUEMED. He has been the principal investigator of the national project "NaNoProTeCH – NANO PROtection Technology for Cultural Heritage. He has been in charge of the DIBEST Research Unit in several national projects like: “ITACA - Innovative Tools for cultural heritage ArChiving and restorAtion” and COMAS "Planned in Situ Preservation of Underwater Archaeological Artifacts". At the moment is member of the editorial board of different international journals.
He is involved in teaching activity on several courses promoted by the University of Calabria in the fields of petrographic and mineralogical disciplines and geo-mineralogical studies applied to the Cultural Heritage and environment. He is also lecturer on advanced national and international courses on the conservation of historic-artistic monuments. He has been tutor and co-tutor of 7 PhD theses, 6 Post-doc fellows and more than 70 theses degree. He is a member of the PhD Committee and of several schools and member and president of a European committee for the dissertation of a PhD thesis. He has participated at numerous national and international congresses and workshops, frequently as a speaker, convener or invited speaker and he has been member of the organizing and scientific committee of five international summer schools. Scientific collaborations include working with different national and international research institutions and universities. He is co-author of 144 articles published in international journals: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=24177792400
Scientific Coordinator of Laboratory of Diagnostic and Conservation of Cultural heritage
The Diagnostic and Conservation of Cultural Heritage laboratory was founded in 2006 at the Department of Earth Sciences. Today it operates within the Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences (DiBEST) of the University of Calabria. The laboratory activities are focused on: a) characterization of the forms of degradation of stone materials, constituting the cultural heritage located in the underwater and subaerial environment;b) formulation and evaluation of nanostructured products with both protective and consolidating characteristics for the conservation of cultural heritage. c) microplastics characterization.
The laboratory equipments allow characterizing the stone materials from a conservation point of view. In particular, it is possible evaluate: salts crystallization resistance, ageing tests through chambers that simulate solar radiation and the variation of T and Ur, porosity analysis, organic component analysis, permeability to water vapour, capillary absorption, colour measurement, identification of binders, in addition, through the thermal imaging camera it is also possible to carry out field tests on architectural surfaces to evaluate the state of conservation of buildings.
