Maria Pregnolato – Causal mapping

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Assoc Prof Dr. Maria Pregnolato – Leading Researcher in Causal mapping

Dr Maria Pregnolato is a Civil Engineer and holds a MSc in Building Engineering and Architecture from the University of Pavia (Italy) and the Tongji University of Shanghai (China), a PhD in Civil Engineering from Newcastle University (UK) and MSc in Strategy, Leadership and Change from the University of Bristol (UK). Her work focuses on infrastructure resilience and risk management from natural hazards, in particular the impact of flooding to road networks, bridges and buildings. She held an EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK) Fellowship to investigate the impact of extreme flooding to bridges, including hydrodynamic modelling and scour risk management. In recent years, she has been

Education📚

🎓 Maria Pregnolato’s educational and professional journey is a testament to her dedication and expertise. From November 2020 to November 2022, she pursued her Master of Science in Strategy, Change, and Leadership at the School of Management, University of Bristol, UK, laying the groundwork for her proficiency in strategic management and leadership.

🏗️ Building on this, from January 2014 to November 2017, Maria embarked on a transformative research venture, earning her Doctorate in Urban Infrastructure Resilience at the School of Engineering, Newcastle University, UK. This impactful journey was funded by EPSRC, with contributions from ESRC, iBUILD EP/K012398/1, and EU H2020 RAMSES no. 308497. Her thesis, “Risk analysis of the disruption to urban transport networks from pluvial flooding,” showcased her commitment to understanding and mitigating risks in urban environments.

Rewinding to her earlier years, from October 2007 to December 2012, Maria pursued a Master of Science in Building Engineering-Architecture, earning the distinction of magna cum laude. This joint degree, funded by MIUR and a collaboration between the Università degli Studi di Pavia (Italy) and Tongji University of Shanghai (China), was a platform for her thesis, “Architecture and Structure: a new relation with Landscape,” where she explored innovative connections between architecture and the environment.

Professional Profiles:
ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

🌐 Since March 2023, she has been serving as an Associate Professor in Flood Risk Management and Resilient Infrastructure at TU Delft in the Netherlands. This role, based in Delft, involves contributing to the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences within the Department of Hydraulic Engineering. Additionally, she holds an Honorary Associate Professor position in Infrastructure Resilience at the University of Bristol in the UK, fostering collaborative ties between these two esteemed institutions.

🏛️ Before her current position, from August 2022 to March 2023, she served as a Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol, contributing to the Department of Civil Engineering within the School of Civil, Aerospace, and Mechanical Engineering (CAME). This role followed her tenure as a Lecturer in Civil Engineering from November 2018 to August 2022, where she actively engaged in shaping the academic landscape.

👩‍🏫 Her academic journey includes a significant role as an EPSRC Fellow from March 2018 to May 2022, supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. During this time, she conducted personal research and contributed to advancements in the field.

✈️ The global scope of her academic endeavors includes visiting assistant professorships in various locations. In June 2022, she contributed to TU Delft in the Netherlands, followed by a stint in Milan, Italy, from February to May 2022, at the Polytechnic of Milan’s Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering. Her international experiences also extend to a visiting assistant professor role at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, from May to September 2019.

🔬 Earlier in her career, from March 2017 to March 2018, she served as a Research Associate at Newcastle University in the UK, contributing to the EPSRC ITRC-MISTRAL project (EP/N017064/1) within the School of Engineering.

🌟 Maria Pregnolato’s academic and research journey reflects a commitment to excellence, collaboration, and contributing to the fields of flood risk management, resilient infrastructure, and civil engineering on both national and international stages.

 

SPECIAL AWARDS, HONOURS

In 2023, she received the IABSE (International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering) Outstanding Paper Award in the Scientific Paper category for the work by Orcesi et al. in 2022. This recognition highlights the excellence and impact of her research in the field.

In 2021, she was honored with the European Geoscience Union (EGU) Outstanding Early Career Award, acknowledging her contributions to the geoscience community.

Since 2019, she has held the prestigious position of an EPSRC Fellow of the Women in Engineering Society (WES), reflecting her commitment to advancing women’s participation and recognition in the engineering field.

In 2019, she achieved 1st place at the “Italy Made Me” UK Early-career Awards, underlining the recognition of her early-career achievements.

The year 2018 brought further accolades, including the EPSRC RISE (Recognizing Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) Award, acknowledging her inspirational contributions to the field. Additionally, she secured 2nd place at the ABTA UK Doctoral Researcher Awards, further highlighting the quality and impact of her doctoral research.

In 2016, she was honored with the Young Author Award for the best oral presentation at FLOODrisk 2016 in Lyon, recognizing the excellence of her work in the field of flood risk management.

Her contributions were further acknowledged in 2017 when she became a shortlisted finalist at STEM for Britain, an event hosted at the House of Commons in London, demonstrating the recognition of her work at a national level. These awards collectively reflect her dedication to advancing knowledge and making significant contributions to the scientific community.

COMMITTEE and MEMBERSHIPS

2023-now –   Board Member of 4TU Resilience Engineering Centre (4TU.RE)
2022-now  – Board Member of NERC Digital Research and Infrastructure Group (DRIG)
2016-now –  Member of the European Geoscience Union
2022-23  –  UKCRIC Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction (SoFSI) Executive Board member
2021-23 –  Co-leader for the Met Office Academic Partnership (MOAP)
2021-23  – Board member of the Brunel Institute
2021-22  – Digital Environment Fellow ofthe NERC UKRI ‘Constructing a Digital Environment’ Programme
2020-21 –  Board member of the GW4 Water Security Alliance

Publications:

  • Kumar, V., Gunner, S., Pregnolato, M., Tully, P., Georgalas, N., Oikonomou, G., Karatzas, S. and Tryfonas, T. (accepted October 2023). From IoT sensors and Open Data Platforms to Urban Observatories. IET Smart Cities, in press.
  • Evans, B., Lam, A., West, C., Ahmadian, R., Djordjevic, S., Chen, A.S. and Pregnolato, M. (2023). A combined stability function to quantify flood risks to pedestrians and vehicle occupants. Science of the Total Environment, 168237. Link
  • Beevers, L., Popescu, I., Pregnolato, M., Liu, Y. and Wright, N. (2022). Identifying hotspots of hydro-hazards under global change: a worldwide review. Frontiers in Water, 4: 1-14. Link
  • Pregnolato, M., Gunner, S. D., Voyagaki, E., De Risi, R., Gavriel, G., Carhart, N.J., Macdonald, J.H.G., Tryfonas, T. and Taylor, C. A. (2022). Towards Civil Engineering 4.0: concept, workflow and application of Digital Twins for existing infrastructure. Automation in Construction, 141: 104421. Link
  • Pregnolato, M., Winter, A.O., Mascarenas, D., Sen, A.D., Bates, P. and Motley, M.R. (2022). Assessing flooding impact to riverine bridges: an integrated analysis. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci, 22: 1559–1576. Link
  • Jaroszweski, D., Wood, R., Chapman, L., …, Pregnolato, M., … et al. (2021). Infrastructure. In: The Third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment Technical Report. [Betts, R.A., Haward, A.B., Pearson, K.V. (eds)] Prepared for the Climate Change Committee, London. Link
  • **Arrighi, C., Pregnolato, M. and Castelli, F. (2021). Indirect flood impacts and cascade risk across interdependent linear infrastructures. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 21: 1955–1969. [Link](https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-1955-202