Dr. Salvatore G.P. Virdis

1. Ph.D. in Science and Technologies Applied to the Environment, University of Siena, Italy, 2006.
   Thesis: Land subsidence monitoring in relation to industrial exploitation of groundwater in coastal plains, utilizing SAR interferometry, GPS, and high precision leveling measurements.
2. Master DESS in Remote Sensing: Methods, Applications, and Environment, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris VI, France, 2004.
3. M.Sc. in Geological Science (Specialization in Applied Geology), Five-Year Degree, obtained cum laude at the University of Siena, Italy, 2002.

My recent and current research focuses on the application of Geo-Information, Earth Observation Science, GeoAI (Geospatial Artificial Intelligence), and Environmental Modelling to assess and evaluate climate- and human-induced changes, as well as their impacts on natural and built environments across historical, present, and future time scales.

I am also interested in understanding the dynamics of physical landscapes while accounting for the social and human dimensions of geographical and environmental issues.

My research agenda can be summarized through the following research questions:

1. To what extent do the individual and combined effects of land use/land cover change and climate change exacerbate impacts on natural and built environments?
2. How can emerging data-driven approaches, including GeoAI, enhance our understanding and prediction of environmental change, particularly in data-scarce regions such as Southeast Asia?

To address these questions, I integrate field-based observations and Earth Observation data with advanced geospatial analysis, GeoAI, and environmental modelling approaches.

1. AST03.02     Remote Sensing (3 credits)
2. AST03.03     Introduction to Python in Environmental Data Analysis (1 credit)
3. AST03.09     Remote Sensing of Water (1 credit)
4. AST03.10     GeoAI for Earth Observation and Environmental Change (2 credits)
5. AST03.12     Satellite Microwave Remote Sensing (1 credit)
6. AST03.13     Principles and Application of InSAR (1 credit)
7. AST03.14     Land Use Dynamics and Geo-Predictive Modeling (1 credit)

1. Dadhich, G., Babel, M. S., Miyazaki, H., & Virdis, S. G. P. (2026). SAR based approach for rapid flood impact assessment on agriculture and human exposure. Progress in Disaster Science, 100558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2026.100558
2. Chaiyana, A., Khiripet, N., Ninsawat, S., Siriwan, W., Shanmugam, M. S., & Virdis, S. G. P. (2025). Early prediction of cassava mosaic disease onset based on remote sensing and climatic data. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 230, 109836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2024.109836
3. Nguyen, T. P. L., & Virdis, S. G. P. (2025). Climate variability and future responses of agricultural systems in Mediterranean region. Farming System, 3(3), 100153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.farsys.2025.100153
4. Phoesri, T., Shrestha, S., Padedda, B. M., Tripathi, N. K., Das, P. K., Kongwarakom, S., & Virdis, S. G. P. (2025). Long-term spatial and temporal patterns of lake surface water extent in mainland Southeast Asia. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 62, 102913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102913
5. Pal, I., Mukhopadhyay, A., Virdis, S. G. P., & Islam, Sheikh Tawhidul (Eds.). (2025). Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development—Volume 3. Multi-Hazard Approach of GIS and Remote Sensing for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-7488-6
6. Chaiyana, A., Khiripet, N., Ninsawat, S., Siriwan, W., Shanmugam, M. S., & Virdis, S. G. P. (2024). Mapping and predicting cassava mosaic disease outbreaks using earth observation and meteorological data-driven approaches. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 35, 101231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2024.101231
7. Virdis, S. G. P., Kongwarakom, S., Juneng, L., Padedda, B. M., & Shrestha, S. (2024). Historical and projected response of Southeast Asian lakes surface water temperature to warming climate. Environmental Research, 247, 118412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.118412
8. Nguyen, T. P. L., Virdis, S. G. P., & Vu, T. B. (2023). “Matter of climate change” or “Matter of rapid urbanization”? Young people’s concerns for the present and future urban water resources in Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area, Vietnam. Applied Geography, 153, 102906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2023.102906
9. Nguyen, T. P. L., Virdis, S. G. P., & Winjikul, E. (2022). Inequality of Low Air Quality-Related Health Impacts Among Socioeconomic Groups in the World of Work. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12980.
10. Virdis, S. G. P., Xue, W., Winijkul, E., Nitivattananon, V., & Punpukdee, P. (2022). Remote sensing of tropical riverine water quality using Sentinel-2 MSI and field observations. Ecological Indicators, 144, 109472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109472
11. Virdis, S. G. P., Soodcharoen, N., Lugliè, A., & Padedda, B. M. (2020). Estimation of satellite-derived lake water surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean: Integrating multi-source, multi-resolution imagery and a long-term field dataset using a time series approach. Science of the Total Environment, 707, 135567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135567
12. Ferrara, R., Virdis, S. G. P., Ventura, A., Ghisu, T., Duce, P., & Pellizzaro, G. (2018). An automated approach for wood-leaf separation from terrestrial LIDAR point clouds using the density based clustering algorithm DBSCAN. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 262, 434–444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2018.04.008
13. Disperati, L., & Virdis, S. G. P. (2015). Assessment of land-use and land-cover changes from 1965 to 2014 in Tam Giang-Cau Hai Lagoon, central Vietnam. Applied Geography, 58(3), 48–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.12.012
14. Virdis, S. G. P. (2014). An object-based image analysis approach for aquaculture ponds precise mapping and monitoring: a case study of Tam Giang-Cau Hai Lagoon, Vietnam. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 186(1), 117–133. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10661-013-3360-7
15. Virdis, S. G. P., Oggiano, G., & Disperati, L. (2012). A Geomatics Approach to Multitemporal Shoreline Analysis in Western Mediterranean: The Case of Platamona-Maritza Beach (Northwest Sardinia, Italy). Journal of Coastal Research, 28(3), 624–640. http://dx.doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-11-00078.1
16. Disperati, L., Virdis, S., Feigl, K. L., & Rindinella, A. (2006). Land subsidence monitoring in the Lucca Plain (central Italy) with ERS 1/2. European Space Agency, ESA SP-610, Published on CDROM, Frascati, Italy.

Complete list at Scopus https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56370374300

Ongoing

1. “Assessment of Environmental Inequalities of Air Pollution of Vulnerable Socioeconomic Groups in the World of Work in Bangkok City, Thailand” funded by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). Budget: 400,000 SEK. Period: 2021-2022. Role: Co-PI.
2. “Application of Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals in Thailand”, funded by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). Budget 10,758,131 THB, Period: 2021-2023. Role: Co-PI.
3. “Climate Change Risk Assessment for Southeast Asian Lakes (CCRASEAL)” funded by Asia-Pacific Network for Gobal Change research (APN). Budget: 87,000 USD. Period 2020-2022, Role PI.
4. “Assessment of Groundwater Sustainability in the Special Economic Zone of Thailand for Operational Groundwater Management” funded by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). Budget: 52,300 USD. Period 2020-2022. Role Co-Pi.
5. “Integrated Assessment of SDGs Using Big Earth Observation Data for Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR)” funded by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). Budget 2,195,000 THB. Period: 2020-2022. Role: Co-PI.

Completed

1. “Water harvesting and Agricultural techniques in Dry lands: an Integrated and Sustainable model in MAghreb Regions WADIS-MAR” (ENPI/2011/280-008) large scale EU funded project. Budget 3.5 Million Euros. Period: 2012-2014. Role Co-PI.
2. “Integrated Multidisciplinary Approach to flood Risk Analysis IMARA”. EU funded project. Period: 2010. Role: Co-PI.
3. “Multitemporal approach for an integrated study of Sardinia Region coastal zone changes AMSICORA”. Funded by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna. Budget: 75,000 Euro. Period: 2009-2011. Role: PI.
4. “Geomatics for the management of mineral resource” Capacity building project funded by Ithe talian Ministry of Education, University and Research. Budget: 13,800 Euro. Period: 2009-2010. Role: Co-PI
5. L`Aquila town earthquake ground displacements measurements by means of field survey, GPS data collection and post-processing, DInSAR analysis. Post-earthquake disaster and civil protection-oriented project funded with core-funds from the University of Siena. Period: 2009. Role: Co-PI.

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1. Climate change and land use / land cover impact assessment
2. GeoAI, Geospatial data-driven methods and environmental monitoring and assessment
3. Human dimensions of environmental change