Elisa CASELLA

Short description
I am a researcher holding a dual Italian-French Ph.D. in “Methods for Environmental Monitoring” and in “Sciences de l'Univers”. Since 2022, I hold the Italian habilitation as “Professore (II fascia)” in the sector 04/A3 – Applied Geology, Physical Geography and Geomorphology. From 2016 to 2022, I worked as senior scientist at the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany. Most of my work focuses on the study of geomorphological changes in coastal environments, both temperate and tropical. Since 2013, I am specializing in the use of Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UASs) and Photogrammetry techniques to gather high-resolution information on coastal processes. At ZMT, I also led the implementation of the manual, procedures, and forms necessary to make the institute compliant with the EU 2019/947 regulation on UASs. I am the author of more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific papers and several conference communications. I took part in several research campaigns in different countries worldwide. This allowed me to gather experience in planning and performing efficient and law-compliant field activity where UASs are involved, and to broaden my knowledge on different geomorphic systems.

Previous positions
Jan 2016 – Jan 2022              Senior Scientist at the Leibniz ZMT, Bremen, Germany. Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin (Entgeltgr.13 TV-L, Stufe 5).

Nov 2011 – Dec 2016             Partner of the Academic SpinOff company SEAMap srl (University of Genoa), Italy, Environmental consulting.

Mar 2013 – Feb 2015            Research Fellowship DISTAV, Department for the study of Territory, Environment and Life, University of Genoa, Italy.

Mar 2012 – Feb 2013            Research Fellowship DIST, Department of Computer and System Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy (CIMA Research F)

Jan 2008 – Jan 2013              Operative activity, for the National Department of Civil Protection (Italy), at CIMA Research Foundation.

Jan 2010 – Dec 2011             Research Fellowship DIST, Department of Computer and System Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy (CIMA Research F)

Visiting researcher at: Leibniz ZMT (Bremen, Germany, Feb-Dec 2015); Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University (New York, USA, Jan-Mar 2014); CIIMAR, University of Madeira (Portugal, Apr-Jul 2011).

Education
Nov 2006 – Oct 2009 Ph.D. in Methods and Technologies for Environmental Monitoring, University of Basilicata and CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy. In co-direction with University of Toulon-Var, France

Nov 2006 – Oct 2009 Ph.D. in Sciences de l'Univers – LSEET, University of Toulon-Var, France.

Sep 2004 – Sep 2006 MSc 110/110 CUM LAUDE in Environmental Engineering; Management of natural and industrial hazard. University of Genoa, Italy.

Feb – Jun 2004 Erasmus student at Ecole Polytechnique Universitaire dep. Science et Technologies de l’Eau, University of Montpellier II, France.

Sep 2001 – Nov 2004 BSc 110/110 CUM LAUDE in Environmental Engineering. University of Genoa, Italy.

Other certificates
Apr 2021                                Certificate for UAS in the A1/A3 category (UE 2019/947)

May 2020                               Certificate for UAS following the par. 21a Abs. 4 Satz 3 Nr. 2 der Luftverkehrs-Ordnung (Germany)

Jul 2019                                  Three-day practical and theory course on copter UASs (Copteruni – Germany)

Apr 2015                                Two-day practical course on the use of fixed-wing drone Lehmann Aviation LA300 (AOZULM – France)

Supervision of students
2019-2020 Supervisor of the Master Thesis “Mapping shallow-water coral reefs in Palau using consumer-grade drones and evaluating the efficiency to predict size diversity of fish assemblages” by Pia Lewin, ISATEC, University of Bremen, Germany.

2019-2020 Supervisor of the Master Thesis “Photogrammetry in coastal engineering - chances and potential of aerial photos from consumer grade unmanned vehicles to analyse underwater topography” by Nina Kohl, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany.

2018-2019 Co-supervisor Geo-Scientific Project “Using UAV multispectral and satellite imagery for monitoring mangrove forests” Anant Khimasia, University of Bremen, Germany.

2018 Supervisor of the NAM Fellowships (young scientists from developing countries) granted to Juan Carlos Mejia Ph.D. student at the Universidad del Valle, Colombia. Title of the project: Beach topography changes in Buenaventura Bay (Colombian Tropical Eastern Pacific): Using UAVs to study the sediments dynamic through the dry and rainy seasons.

2017-2018 Collaboration to supervise the Master Thesis “Drones as low-altitude remote sensing tool in coastal areas” by Jan Drechsel, MARUM, University of Bremen, Germany

Skills and research experience
I developed my current expertise through a Ph.D. focusing on physical oceanography (numerical modeling) and several postdoctoral activities focusing on the study of geomorphological processes on coastal environments with UASs and photogrammetry. I have experience of work on both temperate and tropical coasts.

Postdoctoral
o   Coastal monitoring using UASs and SfM-MVS methods, and their applications in different coastal environments (e.g., beaches, coral reefs, mangroves).

o   UASs as new technology to study coastal environments and coastal changes.

o   Implementation (at the research institute level) of the European regulatory framework to operate UASs (EU 2019/947) safely and legally.

o   Application of UAS-SfM in coastal erosion and flooding studies coupled with numerical coastal models.

o   Integration of observed and modeled data in coastal areas.

o   Project management, including the planning and management of international fieldwork.

List of publications
Peer-reviewed articles
1.           Casella, E., Lewin, P., Ghilardi, M., Rovere, A., Bejarano, S. 2022. Assessing the relative accuracy of coral heights reconstructed from drones and structure from motion photogrammetry on coral reefs. Coral Reefs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-022-02244-9

2.           Casella, E., Rovere, A., 2022. Other UAV sensors. Book chapter in Eltner et al., UAVs for the Environmental Sciences Methods and Applications. WBG academic. https://www.wbg-wissenverbindet.de/shop/42282/uavs-for-the-environmental-sciences

3.           Castellanos-Galindo, G.A., Casella, E., Tavera, H., Zapata, L., Simard, M. 2021. Structural characteristics of the tallest mangrove forests of the American continent: a comparison of ground-based, drone and radar measurements. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, p.147. doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2021.732468 

4.           Boyden, P., Casella, E., Daly, C. and Rovere, A., 2021. Hurricane Matthew in 2100: effects of extreme sea level rise scenarios on a highly valued coastal area (Palm Beach, FL, USA). Geo-Marine Letters, 41(4), pp.1-13.

5.           David, C.G., Kohl, N., Casella, E. , Rovere, A., Ballesteros, P., Schlurmann, T. 2021. Structure-from-Motion on shallow reefs and beaches: potential and limitations of consumer-grade drones to reconstruct topography and bathymetry. Coral Reefs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-021-02088-9

6.           Carlot, J., Rovere, A., Casella, E., Harris, D., Grellet-Muñoz, C., Chancerelle, Y., E. Dormy, L. Hedouin, V. Parravicini. 2020. Community composition predicts photogrammetry-based structural complexity on coral reefs. Coral Reefs, 1-9.

7.           Casella, E., Drechsel, J., Winter, C., Benninghoff, M., Rovere, A. 2020. Accuracy of sand beach topography surveying by drones and photogrammetry. Geo-Marine Letters, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-020-00638-8

8.           Castellanos-Galindo, G.A., Casella, E., Mejía-Rentería, J.C., Rovere, A. 2019. Habitat mapping of remote coasts: Evaluating the usefulness of lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles for conservation and monitoring. Biological Conservation, 239, 108282.

9.           Mejía-Rentería, J.C., Castellanos-Galindo, G.A., Osorio-Cano, J. D., Casella, E. 2019. Subaerial exposure of coral reefs during spring low tides in the eastern Pacific. Bulletin of Marine Science. DOI https://doi.org/10.5343/bms.2019.0085.

10.        Collin A., Ramambason C., Pastol Y., Casella E., Rovere A., Thiault L., Espiau B., Nakamura N., Siu G., Hench J., Schmitt R., Holbrook S., Troyer M., Davies N., 2018. Very high resolution mapping of coral reef state using airborne bathymetric LiDAR surface-intensity and drone imagery. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 39(17), 5676-5688 DOI: 10.1080/01431161.2018.1500072

11.        Harris D. L., Rovere A., Casella E., Power H., Canavesio R., Collin A., Pomeroy A., Webster J. M., Parravicini V. 2018. Coral reef structural complexity provides important coastal protection from waves under rising sea levels. Science advances, 4(2), eaao4350.

12.        Rovere, A., Casella, E., Harris, D.L., Lorscheid, T., Nandasena, N.A., Dyer, B., Sandstrom, M.R., Stocchi, P., D'Andrea, W.J. and Raymo, M.E. 2018. Reply to Hearty and Tormey: Use the scientific method to test geologic hypotheses, because rocks do not whisper. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(13), E2904-E2905.

13.        Rovere, A., Casella, E., Harris, D.L., Lorscheid, T., Nandasena, N.A., Dyer, B., Sandstrom, M.R., Stocchi, P., D'Andrea, W.J. and Raymo, M.E., 2017. Giant boulders and Last Interglacial storm intensity in the North Atlantic. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114(46), 12144-12149.

14.        Lorscheid, T., Stocchi, P., Casella, E., Gómez-Pujol, L., Vacchi, M., Mann, T., & Rovere, A. 2017. Paleo sea-level changes and relative sea-level indicators: Precise measurements, indicative meaning and glacial isostatic adjustment perspectives from Mallorca (Western Mediterranean). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 473, 94-107.

15.        Casella, E., Collin, A., Harris, D., Ferse, S., Bejarano, S., Parravicini, V., Hench, J.L. and Rovere, A., 2017. Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques. Coral Reefs, pp.1-7. doi:10.1007/s00338-016-1522-0

16.        Rovere, A., Raymo, M. E., Vacchi, M., Lorscheid, T., Stocchi, P., Gómez-Pujol, L., Harris D.L., Casella E., O’Leary M.J., Hearty, P. J. 2016. The analysis of last interglacial (MIS 5e) relative sea-level indicators: reconstructing sea-level in a warmer world. Earth-Science Reviews, 159, 404-427.

17.        Casella E., Rovere A., Pedroncini A., Stark C. P., Casella M., Ferrari M., Firpo M. 2016. Drones as tools for monitoring beach topography changes in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean). Geo-Marine Letters, DOI: 10.1007/s00367-016-0435-9.

18.        Casella E., Rovere A., Pedroncini A., Mucerino L., Casella M., Cusati L. A., Vacchi M., Ferrari M., Firpo M. 2014. Study of wave runup using numerical models and low-altitude aerial photogrammetry: a tool for coastal management. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2014.08.012.

19.        Rovere A., Casella E., Vacchi M., Parravicini V., Firpo M., Ferrari M., Morri C., Bianchi C.N. 2014. Coastal and marine geomorphology between Albenga and Savona (NW Mediterranean Sea, Italy), Journal of Maps, DOI: 10.1080/17445647.2014.933134.

20.        Casella E., Tepsich P., Couvelard X., Caldeira, R.M.A., Schroeder, K. 2014. Ecosystem dynamics in the Liguro-Provençal Basin: the role of eddies in the biological production. Mediterranean Marine Science. DOI: 10.12681/mms.520.

21.        Rebora, N., Molini, L., Casella, E., Comellas, A., Fiori, E., Pignone, F., Siccardi, F., Silvestro, F., Tanelli, S., Parodi, A.  2012. Extreme rainfall in the Mediterranean: what can we learn from observations? J. Hydrometeor., DOI:10.1175/JHM-D-12-083.1.

22.        Caldeira, R. M. A., Couvelard, X., Casella, E., and Vetrano, A. 2012. Asymmetric eddy populations in adjacent basins – a high resolution numerical study of the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas. Ocean Sci. Discuss., 9, 3521-3566, doi:10.5194/osd-9-3521-2012.

23.        Casella, E., Molcard, A., Provenzale, A. 2011. Mesoscale vortices in the Ligurian Sea and their effect on coastal upwelling processes. Journal of Marine System, 88 12–19.

Ph. D. Thesis
Casella E. Numerical simulation of mesoscale processes in the Ligurian Sea. Ph.D. Thesis, 2010. oai:tel.archives-ouvertes.fr:tel-00533713. Supervisors: Anne Molcard, Antonello Provenzale.

Datasets
1.           Casella, E., Rovere, A., Pedroncini, A., Mucerino, L., Cusati, L. A., Vacchi, M., Ferrari, M., and Firpo, M.: GPS raw data (control points and ground control points) from the Liguria Region, Borghetto Santo Spirito, Italy, , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.847710, 2014a.

2.           Casella, E., Rovere, A., Pedroncini, A., Mucerino, L., Cusati, L. A., Vacchi, M., Ferrari, M., and Firpo, M.: GPS raw data of Ground control points from the Liguria Region, Borghetto Santo Spirito, Italy, , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.847709, 2014b.

3.           Castellanos-Galindo, G. A., Casella, E., Mejía-Rentería, J. C., and Rovere, A.: UAV derived orthomosaics of a rocky intertidal area, a coral reef area and a mangrove area in the Pacific coast of Colombia, eastern Pacific Ocean, , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.911690, 2020.

4.           Lorscheid, T., Stocchi, P., Casella, E., Gómez-Pujol, L., Vacchi, M., Mann, T., and Rovere, A.: Appendix B.1 - Relative sea level, , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.883854, 2017.

5.           Rovere, A., Casella, E., Vacchi, M., Parravicini, V., Firpo, M., Ferrari, M. C. O., Morri, C., and Bianchi, C. N.: Maps of coastal and marine geomorphology between Albenga and Savona (NW Mediterranean Sea, Italy), , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.846545, 2015.

6.           Rovere, A., Raymo, M. E., Vacchi, M., Lorscheid, T., Stocchi, P., Gómez-Pujol, L., Harris, D. L., Casella, E., O’Leary, M. J., and Hearty, P. J.: (Supplementary material) A spreadsheet structure for building compilations of MIS 5e (and older) sea-level data, and updating a formerly proposed one, , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.883767, 2017a.

7.           Rovere, A., Casella, E., Harris, D. L., Lorscheid, T., Nandasena, N. A. K., Dyer, B., Sandstrom, M. R., Stocchi, P., D’Andrea, W. J., and Raymo, M. E.: Wave models for Eleuthera, Northern Bahamas, , https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.880687, 2017b.

8.           Rovere, A., Casella, E., Ghilardi, M., and Bejarano, S.: Analysis of drone Digital Surface models and Orthomosaics, Zenodo, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4974564, 2021.

Communications at conferences
1.           Georgiou N., Stocchi P., Rovere A., Casella E. Reconstructing past sea level through notches: Orosei Gulf. 2020 IMEKO TC-19 International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea Naples, Italy, October, 2020.

2.           Cerrone C., Petersen A.K., Stocchi P., Rovere A., Casella E. 3D mapping of Quaternary coral reef terraces on Curacao Island, Southern Carribean Sea. doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6404, EGU General Assembly 2020.

3.           Boyden P., Rovere A., Casella E., Daly C. Modeling the Impact of Tropical Cyclones on Developed Coastlines Under Future  Sea-Level Rise Scenarios. Vol. 21, EGU2019-5593, EGU General Assembly 2019.

4.           Casella E. Invited speaker. UAV platforms as new technology to study coastal environment and coastal changes. CoChe Summer School, European Geosciences Union 2019.

5.           Drechsel J., Casella E., Benninghoff M., Winter C., Rovere A.  Drones as low-altitude remote sensing tool in beach environments. GeoBremen 2017.

6.           Rovere A., Harris D., Casella E., Lorscheid T., Stocchi P., Nandasena N., Sandstrom M., D’Andrea W., Dyer B., Raymo M. Superstorms at the end of the Last Interglacial (MIS 5e)? Modeling paleo waves and the transport of giant boulders. Vol. 19, EGU2017-4087, 2017, Vienna.

7.           Dyer, B., D’Andrea, W.J., Sandstrom, M., Rovere, A., Lorscheid, T., Casella, E., Raymo, M.E., 2016. Extracting Past Climate and Local Sea Level Change from the Geologic Record of Coastal Sediment Transport in The Bahamas, in: AGU Fall Meeting 2016.

8.           Serwa A., Mann T., Rovere A., Casella E., Appeaning Addo K., Jayson-Quashigah P. N., Mensah-Senoo T., Lassale B., Westphal H. Shoreline changes in the Keta Municipal District (Ghana): Evidence from multi-decadal records. GeoBremen 2016.

9.           Harris, D.L., Rovere, A., Parravicini, V., Casella, E., Canavesio, R., Collin, A., 2016. Healthy coral reefs may assure coastal protection in face of climate change related sea level rise, in: AGU Fall Meeting 2016.

10.        Rovere, A., Casella, E., Raymo, M.E., Stocchi, P., Vacchi, M., Lorscheid, T., Harris, D.L., Nandasena, N.A.K., Sandstrom, M., D’Andrea, W.J., Dyer, B., 2016. MIS 5e sea levels and “superstorms”: what the integration of field data and modelling can tell us?, in: AGU Fall Meeting 2016.

11.        Casella E., Rovere A., Harris D., Parravicini V. Coral Reef environment reconstruction using small drones, new generation photogrammetry algorithms and satellite imagery. Vol. 18, EGU2016-11869, 2016,  Vienna.

12.        Serwa, A., Mann, T., Rovere, A., Casella, E., Appeaning-Addo, K., Jayson-Quashigah, P.N., Mensah-Senoo, T., Lassalle, B. and Westphal, H.: Shoreline changes in the Keta Municipal District (Ghana): Evidence from multi-decadal records (accepted for poster presentation). ECSA 56 Coastal systems in transition: From a 'natural' to an 'anthropogenically-modified' state. 4th-7th September 2016, Bremen, Germany.

13.        Lassalle, B., Mann, T., Casella, E., Rovere, A., Mensah-Senoo, T., Jayson-Quashigah, P.-N., Appeaning-Addo, K., Serwa, A. and Westphal. H.: Heavy mineral analysis of the coastal area of the Keta Municipal District (Ghana) (accepted for oral presentation). ECSA 56 Coastal systems in transition: From a 'natural' to an 'anthropogenically-modified' state. 4th-7th September 2016, Bremen, Germany.

14.        Appeaning-Addo, K., Casella, E., Jayson-Quashigah, P.-N., Lassalle, B., Mann, T., Mensah-Senoo, T., Rovere, A., Serwa, A. Westphal, H. and Wiafe, G.: Approaches to evaluate long-, medium-, and short-term shoreline changes at the coastline of Keta (Ghana) (Talk). Regional Conference on New Regional Formations: Rapid environmental change and migration in coastal areas. November 17th-18th 2015, Accra, Ghana.

15.        Harris D., Rovere A., Parravicini V., Casella, E. Linking wave forcing to cover and structural complexity across coral reef flats. AGU Fall Meeting. Dec. 2015, San Francisco, CA, USA.

16.        Casella E., Rovere A., Casella M. Integrated use of drones and numerical models for environmental studies: some applications. DHI Conference. Oct. 2015, Turin, Italy.

17.        Casella E., Rovere A., Casella M. Applicazioni della tecnologia SAPR a studi di carattere scientifico in diversi ambienti marini costieri. FIAPR (Federazione Italiana Aeromobili a Pilotaggio Remoto) Academy, University Cattolica Piacenza and University of Ferrara. Oct. 2015, Piacenza, Italy.

18.        Casella E., Rovere A., Casella M., Pedroncini A., Ferrari M., Vacchi M., Firpo M. Beach monitoring using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: results of a multi-temporal study. Vol. 17, EGU2015-7212, Mar. 2015,  Vienna.

19.        Casella, E., Rovere, A., Pedroncini, A., Mucerino, L., Casella, M., Cusati, L. A., Vacchi, M., Ferrari, M. and Firpo, M. Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in coastal areas: lessons learned from applications in Liguria, NW Mediterranean. AGU Fall Meeting. Dec. 2014, San Francisco, CA, USA.

20.        Casella, E., Rovere, A., Vacchi, M., Mucerino, L., Pedroncini, A., Casella, M., Ferrari, M., Firpo, M. Innovative Methodologies for Coastal Environmental Monitoring and Analysis. MIRAMar project. Fifth International Symposium: Monitoring of Mediterranean coastal areas: problems and measurement techniques. Jun. 2014, Livorno, Italy.

21.        Rovere, A., Casella, E., Vacchi, M., Mucerino, L., Pedroncini, A., Ferrari, M., Firpo, M.  Monitoring beach evolution using low-altitude aerial photogrammetry and UAV drones, Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Mar. 2014 16, 1–1.

22.        Rovere, A., Casella, E., Vacchi, M., Mucerino, L., Pedroncini, A., Ferrari M. and Firpo, M. First results of the research project MIRAMAR, Innovative Methodologies for Coastal Environmental Monitoring and Analysis.  AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, Dec. 2013.

23.        Casella, E., Tepsich, P., Arcangeli, A. An Oceanographic model of the Pelagos Area as essential tool for cetacean habitat modeling. 26th Conference European Cetacean Society. Mar. 2012, Galway, Ireland.

24.        Casella, E., Tepsich., P., Couvelard X., Caldeira R. Role of wind events in the generation of (sub)mesoscale structures and their implications on the biological activity of the North West Mediterranean Sea. Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Storms, EGU. Sep. 2011, Savona, Italy.

25.        Casella, E., Parodi, A., Siccardi, F. Effects of turbulence parameterization on the modeling of mesoscale vortices in the Ligurian Sea. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, Dec. 2010.

26.        Casella, E., Molcard A., Provenzale A. Mesoscale vortices in the Ligurian Sea and their effect on coastal upwelling processes. 41st International Liège Colloquium on Ocean Dynamics Science-based management of the coastal waters. Jun. 2009, Liège, Belgium.