OUR TEAM
Giulia Calogero
President
Graduated in Marine Environmental Sciences, at the University of Genoa He has participated in several oceanographic campaigns on board research vessels of the CNR in the Mediterranean Sea and worked in some sectors of the Genoa Aquarium. Following the participation in the EuroMediterranean Environmental Journalism course “Laura Conti” has developed a particular attention to scientific popularization and has started to collaborate for several years with the Festival of Science as a scientific animator in laboratories and exhibitions. Since 2016 he has been the organizational and scientific manager of the research and dissemination projects of the Menkab: the breath of the sea , which operates in Liguria and the Mediterranean Sea for the protection and monitoring of marine mammals and biodiversity. Since 2018 he has been the president of Menkab with the organizational and managerial role of the research and disclosure team.
Biagio Violi
Vice-president
scientific coordination
PhD at the Department of Earth and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa. He developed his doctoral project between Genoa and the molecular ecology laboratory of the bioscience site of the University of Durham (United Kingdom). He studies and focuses on nature conservation through the study of marine biodiversity, population genetics and evolution.
He has traveled the world, from the Azores to the Comoros Islands, to study marine mammals, dedicating herself in particular to sperm whales. Photographer, skipper and passionate popularizer, since 2018 he is also vice president of the Menkab Association, with the role of head of research projects at sea.
Maurizio Würtz
Founder
Referente Scientifico
Maurizio Würtz, Professor emeritus, was professor and researcher at the Department of Biology of the University of Genoa, professor of Biology and monitoring of cetaceans and naturalistic Museography, at the Faculty of Science and professor of Applied Ecology at the Faculty of Engineering of the same university. He was scientific conservator of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.
His research experience has developed on different aspects of the biology of marine organisms, fishery biology and marine ecology of the Mediterranean Sea. He is a specialist in cephalopods and cetaceans, in particular the trophic pelagic nets and the role of large pelagic predators. Recently, in collaboration with the IUCN, he has dealt with the governance and protection of the Mediterranean ecosystem.
Founder and Councilor of the Menkab Association, he is now the scientific reference for the projects developed.
elia biasissi
Skipper – ROV Operator
Graduated first in Biological Sciences in Genoa and subsequently in Marine Biology in Pisa both with honors; he specialized with a thesis on the biology of fishing working on projects whose purpose is the study of the exploitation of the main commercial fish stocks. His innate passion for the sea and fishing has evolved over time towards a scientific and eco-sustainable aspect, leading him, since 2018, to collaborate with the Menkab association as skipper, diver and ROV, scientific consultant and on occasion also popularizer.
martina bottaro
Photographer
Bioacoustics officer
Graduated in Biology at the University of Florence, she specialized in the photo-id technique and bioacoustics. For years he has been monitoring marine mammals in the Pelagos Sanctuary, also playing the role of PI (Principal Investigator) in various research campaigns. Since 2019 she has collaborated with Menkab as a photographer and bioacoustics officer in the monitoring campaigns, and as a communicator in raising awareness of environmental issues.
alessandro capone
PhD Student
Marine Litter Expert
PhD student in environmental sciences at the University of Genoa.
He deals with environmental assessments concerning microplastic pollution in fish species, is a professor of chemistry and biology, a passionate diver and kayak instructor.
He collaborates with Menkab dealing with GIS cartographic elaborations and as a crew member in monitoring campaigns.
nicolò roccatagliata
Filmmaker
Sub-operator
Nicolò Roccatagliata is a marine biologist, film-maker and documentary maker
He has a strong background as a researcher in the field of marine biology; he attended the master in Biodiversity and biological evolution at the University of Milan.
After graduating he worked in the field of marine biology with a particular interest in behavioral study of marine mammals.
From 2014 to 2015 he attended the master in production of documentaries on wildlife at the University of Salford.
Today he works for several conservation projects and documentary production for the scientific community, universities, Italian and international television, winning prizes such as Wild Life Film Fest 2016 and participating in various film festivals around the world.
Collaborate with Menkab for almost ten years as a sub operator, photographer and documen Tarista
samuele Würtz
Director
Artescienza
Laureato in Lettere Moderne, nel 2007 è stato ammesso al Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia di Roma. Si occupa principalmente di spot e documentari. In generale Samuele gestisce la produzione di un prodotto cinematografico a trecentosessanta gradi, dalla sceneggiatura al montaggio.
Nel 2004 ha fondato l’associazione culturale Laboratorio probabile Bellamy, attiva nel settore cinematografico per sceneggiature, produzione di documentari, filmati istituzionali, video-installazioni ed organizzazione eventi. Per Artescienza realizza filmati di grandi animali marini ripresi nel loro ambiente naturale sia in superficie che in immersione, con strumentazione e tecniche del tutto innovative.
Gabriele Principato
Drone Operator
Artescienza
Laureato in Conservazione dei Beni Culturali, Università degli studi di Genova.
Active in the audiovisual and film sector since 2011, he holds the role of cameraman and steadycam operator for Artescienza. Since 2011 member of the "Probable Bellamy Laboratory" cultural association dedicated to the production of videos, documentaries and promoter of film workshops, she collaborates in the management of the "Altrove" cinema / theater in Genoa from 2015 to 2018.
Collaborate with Menkab: the breath of the sea since 2015 as a drone player and video operator and is contributing to the development of a new application system for aerial shots for monitoring adults marine mammals.
mattia meirana
Reporter
Urban photographer first for passion and later for work, he is dedicating all his photographic research to the sea and the Riviera.
He collaborates with Menkab as an on-board reporter, photographer and technical support.
maria cristina ramasco
Photographer
Maria Cristina Ramasco: graduated in Biological Sciences, at the University of Milan, she obtained an MA in Biodiversity and Biological Evolution, at the University of Studies in Milan and a second MA in Wildlife Documentary Production, at the University of Salford in Manchester UK. Specialized in bioacoustic and Photo-ID studies of Cetaceans, monitoring and Photo-ID of sea turtles and in scientific dissemination through the production of naturalistic documentaries. Collaborate as a sighting, researcher, photographer and documentary film maker.