Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Leonardo Macelloni
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Associate Research Professor Hydrographic Science Research Center
Please describe the type of research that you do and background as far as degree path.
I am a marine geophysicist with over 15 years of experience in seafloor mapping, oil
and gas exploration marine mineral resource evaluation and assessment. I received
my MSc in Geology in 2001 and PhD in Applied Geophysics in 2005 both from La Sapienza
University of Rome (Italy). I have worked both in Academia and Industry worldwide.
List the most recent (past, present or near future) projects that you are engaging in and provide info about that project’s funding.
My research deals with all the aspects of deep ocean exploration and imaging of the
seabed and the sub-seabed. Projects span from the search of the first WWII in the
Gulf of Mexico the freighter Norlindo (funded by NOAA OE), to deploy seabed landers
to assess the damage of the oil spill in fragile deep sea benthic communities (funded
by NRDA), to develop new sensors to investigate the presence of seabed critical mineral
(supported by NOAA OECI and BOEM). Because I work mostly in very deep sea (>500m)
my research is often carried out using sophisticated Autonomous Underwater Vehicles,
hence in the recent years I have been interacting a lot with robotic and ocean engineers.
List the students that you are currently working with as well as their projects they are involved in.
In my lab, I have both graduated and undergraduate students carry their research or
practical experience. Agno Rubim de Assis, my PhD student in Hydrography from Brazil
is conducting his research on the use of multiple autonomous vehicles from the same
supporting vessel. Bethany Pertain a master’s degree student in Marine Science has
just finished her dissertation in benthic habitat mapping, she studied a new mesophotic
coral reef recently found in 150 miles offshore Gulfport. Bethany will soon join the
NOAA NCCOS Marine Spatial Ecology Division, Biogeography Branch. Ema Parker and Shawn
Passeri are master of science in hydrography students and help me in multibeam data
processing.
Any other information that you would like to share which may be of interest to other potential faculty, students, or funding entities.
I enjoy to cook, especially Italian food, but being in Mississippi for over 17 years, smoking BBQ is becoming my specialty.
