Maria Carmela Grano | Heritage Sciences and Ancient Technologies | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Maria Carmela Grano | Heritage Sciences and Ancient Technologies | Best Researcher Award

CNR - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale | Italy

Dr. Maria Carmela Grano is an accomplished researcher specializing in cultural heritage conservation, preventive conservation, and sustainable landscape management. She has authored 7 scholarly documents with 30 citations across 23 publications and holds an h-index of 3, reflecting her growing impact in the field of heritage science. Currently affiliated with the CNR - Institute of Heritage Science (ISPC), she contributes to European projects such as E-RIHS ERIC and ARCHE, focusing on digitalization, preventive conservation, and co-governance of cultural assets. Her work emphasizes the integration of environmental monitoring, GIS-based heritage mapping, and stakeholder engagement to promote sustainable cultural tourism. Dr. Grano has organized and contributed to numerous international conferences, including the Bilateral Italo-French Heritage Science meetings, and her publications explore topics like historical water mills, fluvial dynamics, and adaptive reuse of cultural landscapes. She has received several research fellowships and collaborated with organizations such as UNESCO Giovani and FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano). Through her interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Grano continues to advance innovative strategies for heritage preservation, combining science, community participation, and policy development to safeguard cultural assets in the context of climate and digital transitions.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publications

Grano, M. C. (2025). Historic water mills as regenerative ecosystems: Integrating technologies, community engagement and sustainable landscape management. Cities, 162(C), 105982. ISSN 0264-2751.

Grano, M. C., Sileo, M., Innella, C., Vitulli, R., & Masini, N. (2024). Conservazione preventiva, programmata e partecipata dei beni culturali in ottica circolare: Casi studio e sfide aperte nel progetto Basilicata Heritage Smart Lab. Il Capitale Culturale, 29, 107–121. ISSN 2039-2362.

Genovese, L., Alberti, L., Colosi, F., Grano, M. C., Greco, S., Sfameni, C., Bellia, A., & Lazzari, M. (2024). Cooperation solutions for the local sustainable development of heritage communities: Role and contributions of the Faro Italia Network. In Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems. Springer.

Grano, M. C., & Scoccimarro, M. (2023). How can preventive conservation be communicated and explained to visitors and users? News in Conservation, 98, 56–61.

Quaranta, E., Pujol, T., & Grano, M. C. (2023). The repowering of vertical axis water mills preserving their cultural heritage: Techno-economic analysis with water wheels and Turgo turbines. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. Emerald Publishing.

Di Stefano, A., Vitulli, R., & Grano, M. C. (2021). Piano di sviluppo regionale sui settori delle industrie culturali e creative e del turismo. Basilicata Creativa.

Grano, M. C. (2021). Le chiese rupestri di Murgia Timone a Matera: Dalla conoscenza alla conservazione programmata: La diagnostica come strumento di prevenzione. In F. Castelfranchi & M. Lazzari (Eds.), Il Parco della storia dell’uomo di Matera. Chiese rupestri e Villaggio neolitico di Murgia Timone (pp. 125–159). Doconline. ISBN 978-88-946344-0-2.

Grano, M. C. (2020b). Gualchiere, mulini idraulici e cisterne: L’uso dell’acqua e le trasformazioni del paesaggio in Basilicata. Agri Centuriati: An International Journal of Landscape Archaeology, 17, 47–57. ISSN 1724-904X.

Grano, M. C. (2020a). Palombari, cisterne e pozzi per l’approvvigionamento idrico nei Sassi di Matera (Basilicata). Il Capitale Culturale, 21, 377–389.

Grano, M. C. (2018). Archive sources and field surveys used to analyse horizontal-wheeled watermills, their position and technology in the Basilicata Region of Southern Italy. International Molinology, 97, 13–19.

Grano, M. C., Lazzari, M., Danese, M., & Verrastro, V. (2018). ASTER BASILICATAE: Atlante cartografico storico-territoriale della Basilicata per la ricostruzione diacronica del paesaggio naturale e storico rurale. In Atti del XXXII Convegno Geografico Italiano (pp. 167–176).

 

Patrick Laviolette | Arts and Humanities | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Patrick Laviolette | Arts and Humanities | Best Researcher Award 

Berghahn Journals | Germany

Author Profile

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Early Academic Pursuits 🎓

Dr. Patrick Laviolette's academic journey began with a deep interest in human-environment relationships. His undergraduate studies at Concordia University in Montreal, where he earned a BA with distinction, laid the foundation for his intellectual curiosity. He later pursued an MSc in Human Ecology from the University of Edinburgh, where he explored conservation scenarios and cultural landscapes, delving into themes of heritage and ecological preservation. This culminated in his Ph.D. in Anthropology from University College London, where his research focused on the symbolic meanings and identities attached to the Cornish landscape. His academic mentors included some of the most notable figures in the field, such as Professors Chris Tilley and Barbara Bender.

Professional Endeavors 🌍

Throughout his career, Dr. Laviolette has held numerous influential positions in academia. His work has spanned continents, from New Zealand to Europe. Notably, he served as Professor of Anthropology and Chair of the School of Humanities at Tallinn University in Estonia from 2010 to 2018. Prior to that, he was a Senior Lecturer and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Massey University in New Zealand, where he led innovative research in visual and material culture. Dr. Laviolette’s career also saw him as a research fellow and lecturer at University College London. His most recent position, as an Assistant Professor at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, continues to allow him to influence and mentor future anthropologists.

Contributions and Research Focus 🔬

Dr. Laviolette’s research covers a wide spectrum of anthropological and interdisciplinary themes. His contributions to the study of visual and material culture, political ecology, and risk recreation stand out. He is particularly interested in the phenomenology of landscapes, exploring how spaces like Cornwall, Scotland, and Estonia shape cultural identity and collective memory. His work on "placelessness" and "surveillance technologies" reveals a keen interest in the intersection between people, their environments, and how those environments are changing in a modern, globalized world. He has published extensively on topics like heritage landscapes, autobiographies, and assistive technologies, leaving a significant mark on the field of anthropology.

Accolades and Recognition 🏆

Dr. Laviolette’s academic prowess has earned him multiple fellowships and visiting scholar positions. He was an EUFISCDI Fellow at the prestigious New Europe College in Bucharest and held a Residency Fellowship between the University of Leicester and Tartu. His work has also gained recognition at international conferences, and his leadership in the field is evidenced by his numerous guest editorships and contributions to special journal issues. His book, Hitchhiking: Cultural Inroads, published by Palgrave Macmillan, is considered a significant contribution to cultural anthropology and transport studies.

Impact and Influence 🌐

Dr. Laviolette’s interdisciplinary approach has made a profound impact on the way we understand the relationship between people and their environments. His focus on placelessness and identity has brought new insights into how global phenomena like migration and tourism reshape local landscapes and cultural symbols. He has not only shaped academic thought but also influenced policy discussions on heritage preservation and sustainable tourism, particularly through his work in Estonia and Cornwall.

Legacy and Future Contributions 🌱

As Dr. Laviolette continues his research and teaching at Masaryk University, his legacy as a thought leader in anthropology grows. His forthcoming works, including Placelessness Revisited and He the Tikopia, promise to further extend his contributions to the understanding of place, identity, and biographical narratives. His ongoing research into visual anthropology and material culture ensures that his influence will be felt for many years to come, inspiring future generations of scholars.

 

Publications

  • 📘"Hitchhiking and the Production of Haptic Knowledge"
    Authors: Jonathan Purkis, Patrick Laviolette
    Journal: Humanities
    Year: 2024
  • 📘"Thinglessness: Without Living Things"
    Author: Patrick Laviolette
    Journal: Home Cultures
    Year: 2024
  • 📘"Response to Issue 32 (2) – ‘Off the Grid on the Road in Europe’"
    Author: Patrick Laviolette
    Journal: Anthropological Journal of European Cultures
    Year: 2024
  • 📘"Book Review: Jonathan Purkis, Driving with Strangers: What Hitchhiking Tells Us about Humanity"
    Author: Patrick Laviolette
    Journal: Sociology
    Year: 2024
  • 📘"Echo and the Ecumene"
    Authors: Art Leete, Patrick Laviolette
    Journal: Anthropological Journal of European Cultures
    Year: 2022