Gianluca Castignani - CV

Contact details

Project Scientist Istituto Nazionale di AstrofisicaOsservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio Bolognavia Piero Gobetti 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

Personal data

Born October 15, 1986, Recanati Citizenship Italian

Languages

Italian Native; English Full professional proficiencyFrench Intermediate

Research Interests

Observational cosmology, extra-galactic/high-energy astrophysics• Galaxy Clusters and Large Scale Structures• Active Galactic Nuclei and Super Massive Black Holes

Education

2010-2014 PhD in Astrophysics, cum laude, SISSA, Trieste2008-2010 MSc in Physics, 110/110 cum laude, University of Pisa, Italy2005-2008 BSc in Physics, 110/110 cum laude, University of Pisa, Italy2005-2010 Student in Physics, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy

Work Experience

2024-present Project scientist - INAF Obs. Bologna, Italy International Research Contract (since 29 May, 2025) Fixed-term researcher (till 28 May, 2025)2021-2023 Postdoctoral fellow, University of Bologna, Italy2018-2020 Postdoctoral fellow, Laboratory of astrophysics, EPFL, Switzerland2016-2018 Postdoctoral fellow, Observatory of Paris (LERMA) & Collège de France , Paris2014-2016 CNES postdoctoral fellow, Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur, Nice, France2010-2014 Research scholar, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Baltimore, USA

Publications

2012-present 200+ publications, h-index = 27, NASA ADS link 20 first-author published papers, first author h-index = 12

Fellowships and Grants as PI

2025 INAF grant, 16500 euros, for travels and for organizing an international conference as SOC chair in Camerino (Italy), 2-6 September 20252024 INAF grant, 8000 euros, for organizing an international conference as SOC chair in Sirolo (Italy), 2-6 September 20242021 & 2022 Visiting Astronomer, Observatory of Nice (OCA), FR, 18200 euros2019 SSAA MERAC and travel grants, 3850 CHF2014-2016 CNES postdoctoral fellowship 2010-2014 SISSA PhD fellowship2013 & 2014 Fondazione Angelo Della Riccia Fellowship, STScI, 5300 euros2010 ISSNAF/INAF internship, STScI, ∼7000 $, press release2005-2010 Scuola Normale Superiore scholarship, ∼60000 euros, 23rd classified over ∼500 applicants in all scientific disciplines

Honors and awards

2021 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions 2020, Seal of Excellence (score = 87.60%).2018 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions 2017, Seal of Excellence (score = 87.20%).2005 Italian Olympiads of Physics, contestant at the national final (100 participants).2005 Italian Olympiads of Mathematics, Honorable Mention at the national final.

Technical Expertise

2014-present Main developer of three codes to detect and characterize clusters and distant protoclusters, for the exploitation of Euclid and MOONS (GTO extragalactic survey).

Observing Experience

2016-2020 Millimeter, 327.5 hr of observations (IRAM-30m telescope, EMIR, NIKA2).2019 Infrared, 1.5 nights at Baade (Magellan) telescope (FourStar, imaging).2019 Optical, 0.5 nights at Baade (Magellan) telescope (IMACS, imaging).

Granted time on observational facilities

2012- present 60 accepted observational proposals at mm wavelengths (42), cm (2), NIR and optical (9), X-rays (6) and gamma-rays (1)2016-present PI of 22 accepted proposals to observe galaxies at mm wavelengths with NOEMA (10), IRAM-30m (10), SMA (1), ALMA (1)

Leadership and Responsibilities

2024-present Euclid builder (link)2024-present Euclid DR1 Key Project coordinator, “Discovery of Galaxy Protoclusters”2024-present co-Lead of Work Package Galaxy Protoclusters, SWG “Clusters of Galaxies”2020-present Euclid CAT-CL Processing Function Lead, Euclid consortium. Group responsible to make the Euclid catalog of clusters2021-2025 Euclid Early Career, Committee member and chair (2022-2024)2022-2024 Euclid Early Career, Committee chair2024-2025 Euclid Consortium Builders Selection, Committee member2022-2025 Euclid Science Working Group leads selection committee, Committee member2022-2024 Euclid SWG early career and Euclid College committee, Committee member2019-2021 Euclid STAR Prize, Committee member

Organization of Conferences

2025 New Avenues for Classical and Quantum Cosmology, SOC member and LOC chair, 1-5 Sep, Camerino, Italy2025 Early Career Workshop, held at the Euclid Consortium meeting, 28 March, Leiden2024 Euclid welcome session, Early Career Workshop, SOC member, 22 Nov, virtual2024 Career workshop with ESA-Euclid members, 13 Sep, virtual2024 AGN feedback and star formation across cosmic scales and time, SOC chair, 2-6 Sep 2024, Sirolo, Italy2024 Early Career Workshop & Flash talk sessions, SOC member, Euclid Consortium annual meeting, June, Rome (Italy)2023 Euclid welcome session, Early Career Workshop, SOC member, 6 Dec, virtual2023 Italian Astronomical Society (SAIt) annual conference, SOC member, May 2023, Camerino, Italy2023 Early Career Workshop & Flash talk sessions, SOC member and co-chair , Euclid Consortium annual meeting, June, Copenaghen (Denmark)2022 Euclid Early Career Workshop, SOC chair, 20 Oct, 14 and 21 Nov, virtual2022 Early Career Workshop & Flash talk sessions, SOC member and co-chair , Euclid Consortium annual meeting, Apr, Oslo (Norway)2022 Euclid Consortium annual meeting, SOC member, 25-29 April 2022, Oslo (Norway)2017 Galaxy Evolution Across Time, LOC member, 12-16 June, Paris, France

Memberships

- Missions and Survey: Euclid, MOONS, SKAO, DES, KiDS, CTAO - International Collaborations: Radio Galaxy Zoo project, CHEX-MATE, three ISSI international teams- Astronomical Societies: IAU, EAS, SSAA

Teaching and Qualifications

2025 Chair of a PhD course, on Super Massive Black Holes and Active Galactic Nuclei, University of Camerino2021-2025 Qualification aux fonctions de Maı̂tre de conférences, habilitation to assistant professorship in Astronomy and Astrophysics in France, section CNU 342018-2022 Teaching assistant for MSc and BSc courses at Obs. Paris, EPFL, and Université Côte d’Azur (Nice, France)

Supervision and Mentoring

2016-present Main supervisor of 5 students (4 MSc and 1 BSc); co-supervisor of two students (MSc, PhD)

Press Releases

2010-present 9 international press releases as PI, 3 as top co-author, 4 press release as conference organizer (USA, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain)

Colloquia and Talks

2010-present 51 contributed talks (15 as invited speaker) in conferences and workshops 33 seminars and colloquia (25 as invited speaker) in institutes (Europe, USA, South America, and Asia)

Public Outreach

2012-present Several activities in English, Italian, and French. Audience up to ~100 people including children, young adults, adults, and students

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