Riccardo Maria Pulselli is currently a research fellow (2007-2011) at the University of Siena (Italy).
Architect. In 2000, he graduated from the University of Rome III (Italy) with a degree thesis on New Technologies for the Renewal of Condemned Buildings, after a period at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona (Spain).
In 2004, he was visiting student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (USA), SENSEable City Laboratory – Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP). http://senseable.mit.edu/
In 2005, he earned his PhD degree from the University of Siena with a thesis entitled: Urban Systems Dynamics: a Physical and Environmental Chemistry-based Approach.
He is teacher at the Magister School of Monitoring techniques and environmental renewal” (A.Y. 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09), Chemistry for Sustainable Development (2009-10) and Environmental Sustainability (2011-12), at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Siena.
He is author, with Enzo Tiezzi, of City Out of Chaos. Urban Self-organization and Sustainability. WITpress, Southampton UK 2009 (with a foreword by Paolo Portoghesi). This book deals with thermodynamics of dissipative structures and complex systems theory and aims to introduce new research approaches and tools for understanding contemporary cities.
He is author, with Pietro Romano, of Dinamiche dei Sistemi Urbani. Indagine di un’Area Metropolitana – Urban Systems Dynamics. Investigating a Metropolitan Area – Alinea, Firenze 2009 (with a foreword by Enzo Tiezzi, director of Ecodynamics Group, and a foreword by Carlo Ratti, director of MIT SEANSEable City Lab). This book shows a new study approach, inspired by the theory of landscape ecology, for understanding thermodynamic and kinetic properties of contemporary cities. It also presents results of a monitoring technique of urban dynamics based on mobile telecommunication technologies.
He is author of The Moving City. How to explore Urban Kinetics – Laris, ColleVal d’Elsa (Italy) 2011 (with a foreword by Michael Batty, director of UCL Centre of Advanced Spatial Analysis). This book shows an innovative monitoring technique for understanding urban dynamics in contemporary cities, from a theoretical systemic framework to data elaboration to the communication of strategic outcomes. A vewpont on the smart city from the next future.
He is author of scientific papers in peer reviewed international journals and books. He was among delegates at national and international conferences and seminars and he was in the International Scientific Advisory Committee of international conferences. He is in the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning (WITpress) and of the e-journal Open Construction and Building Technology, and referee of scientific international journals.
He was engaged in research projects, most of which funded by public administrations in Italy. He developed models (based on the energy systems theory by H.T. Odum) for studying regional systems, urban settlements and buildings (i.e. processes of building manufacturing, maintenance and use), agricultural systems (e.g. grape cultivation and wine production), manufacturing processes (e.g. cement, concrete, crystal), management systems (water and waste), transport systems. He conducted studies on innovative methods for strategic environmental assessment and environmental monitoring applied to urban systems.
In 2004, he was awarded with the Young Researchers Prigogine Award for his work on energy flows and sustainability indicators, work of fundamental importance for the strategy of environmental assessment and planning.