Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia Partner Institution

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1 Annex A Ph.D. Program in Science, Technology and Biotechnology for Sustainability Coordinator Prof. Mauro Moresi Department Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia Partner Institution University of Molise, Campobasso Program duration 3 years: 1st November st October 2021 Thesis Defence: within April 2022 Program objectives The main aim of this PhD course is to provide high quality training in research methods and prepare professional researchers for University, Research Institutions and Industries in three fields of research: 1) Food products; 2) Forest Ecology and environmental technologies; 3) Biological systems/ Bioindustries. The research activities of the curriculum in Food products will cover the food science and technology sector and deal with food processing, preservation and quality assessment and management, as well as the assessment of the environmental impact of food processing. The formation activity will involve the cooperation with the National Network of the Italian PhD Research in Food Science Technology and Biotechnology. The research activities of the curriculum Forest ecology and environmental technologies will include the functionality and structure of forest systems, the soil system being included; forest bio-diversity; monitoring and management of forest and environmental resources; the ecological recovery of degraded ecosystems; climate and global change mitigation and adaptation. The research activities of the curriculum Biological systems/ Bioindustries will include basic and applied biology for animal, plant, and microbial systems; bioremediation and human health biotechnologies, as well as the sustainable farming and phytosanitary management of plant diseases. The formation programme is directed to provide students with skills in English language, statistic analysis of experimental data, and assessment of the environmental sustainability of complex systems. No. of positions Total places 17 Places with scholarships 13 Place with research grant 1 Places without scholarships 3 Curricula (In the application form the candidate must specify the curriculum of interest) Curriculum in Food products no. 2 position with scholarship no. 1 position with research grant n. 2 positions with no scholarship Curriculum in Forest Ecology and environmental technologies no. 9 positions with scholarship no. 1 position with no scholarship Curriculum in Biological systems/ Bioindustries no. 1 position with scholarship no. 1 position with Marie Curie fellowship

2 Scholarships curriculum in Food products n. 1 scholarship cofunded by the University of Tuscia and DIBAF n. 1 scholarship funded by Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition n. 1 position with research grant cofunded by Region Umbria and DIBAF (Excellence Department Project *) The call for applicants for the research grant will be published on Department for Innovation Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems. Applicants must submit their application to the aforementioned Department. curriculum in Forest Ecology and environmental technologies n. 2 scholarships cofunded by the University of Tuscia and public Institutions (Fondazione Mach e CNR) n. 4 scholarships cofunded by DIBAF (Excellence Department Project *) and public Institutions (European Research Project, Fondazione Mach, ISPRA, CMCC) n. 3 scholarships funded by the University of Molise curriculum in Biological systems/ Bioindustries n. 1 scholarship cofunded by the University of Tuscia and a private firm. n. 1 Marie Curie ITN ETN PROTECTA EU Training Networks - Early Stage Researcher fellowship. Salary: The salary is very competitive, and includes a complement for foreign residency, possibly adding to a family bonus, when applicable (up to 119, for Living allowance, 21, for Mobility Allowance, 9, for Family Allowance) Contract Type: Fixed Term (3 Years) Basis: Full Time PROTECTA is a Horizon 2020 European training network that has received funding from the EU s Marie Skłodowska-Curie action (H2020-MSCA- ITN-2017). PROTECTA will provide a 36-month multi-disciplinary PhD training program for 15 Early Stage Researchers to develop and exploit knowledge of Oomycete effector biology for the advancement of our understanding of host-oomycete interactions and the development of sustainable disease control measures. University of Tuscia (DIBAF) is looking for an Early Stage Researcher (ESR) to work on the project Ecofriendly control strategies against Phytophthora species in nurseries (ESR12) as part of PROTECA network collaborating with 14 other ESRs based in European academic, industrial and other institutes. The focus of this project is to test phenols and plant secondary metabolites (which contain a benzene ring with one or more hydrozy groups, such as benzoic acids, cinnamic acids, coumarins, catechins, flavones etc) which will be selectively extracted from dietary and medicinal plant sources. Novel derivatives will be obtained and tested for antimicrobial activity. Tasks The PhD candidate will assist in the yearly data collection and will be responsible for data cleaning and archiving. The PhD candidate is furthermore responsible for the analyses and scientific reporting of results in national and international peer reviewed scientific journals The PhD candidate will participate in department meetings and department presentations The project will result in a PhD thesis Admission requirements You will be supervised by Prof. Anna Maria Vettraino Application to the public competition is open to all, regardless of age and citizenship, who, by the date this call expires, possess one of the qualifications listed below: - an Italian laurea specialistica degree, obtained according to the Ministerial Decree n. 509/1999;

3 - an Italian laurea magistrale degree, obtained according to the Ministerial Decree n. 270/2004; - an Italian equivalent university degree obtained under the Italian regulations previously in force, the time-span of which being no less than 4 years; - a foreign university degree equivalent to those mentioned above. Admission is also open to university students who will finish their MS degree by October, 31st, In such cases admission will be conditional ; the applicants will send by mail (capuani@unitus.it) or hand out to the Ufficio Offerta Formativa a self-certification of the relative degree (a certification in case of Non-EU students). Self-certification (or certification in case of Non-EU students) should state the name of the awarding University, award date, grade and type of qualification ( vecchio ordinamento, Specialistica / Magistrale ) and a copy of a valid identity document. Applicants not in possess of the admission requirements must indicate the date by which they expect to obtain the qualification required. Eligibility for Marie Curie ITN ETN PROTECA EU Training Networks - Early Stage Researcher fellowship: there is a mobility rule which applies to this position. The respective candidate must not have worked for more than 12 months in Italy within the last three years. Furthermore, the candidate needs to be in his/her first four years of his/her research career. The four years are counted from the date a degree was obtained which formally entitles to embark on a doctorate in the country either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research training is provided. The range of duties will include: Plan and manage own research activity. Follow the doctoral Training Programmes of PhD School Science, Technology and Biotechnology for Sustainability at DIBAF-University of Tuscia, to attain the PhD qualification. Training students and others in skills appropriate to the project. Assist in the development of student research skills. Be involved in the supervision of projects. Continually update knowledge and understanding in the field. Full details can be found at the Marie Curie ITN guide for applicants You are advised to check this before applying. Evaluation of candidates (Maximum score: 80 out of 80) Selection process For the application procedure please see the call for applicants. - Evaluation of academic qualification and oral examination - Assessment of the English Language Knowledge (for Italian candidates only) Language for the examination: Italian or English The final score is given by summing the scores relative to the academic qualification and oral examination. These scores will be published within the section Didattica ( Dottorati di Ricerca ) of the web site of the University of Tuscia ( Together with the application form, candidates should present a research project, within the themes given below for each curriculum, up to a maximum of 8000 characters, which must be written in Italian or English. The research project will be discussed during the oral exam. Marie Curie ITN ETN PROTECA EU Training Networks - Early Stage Researcher fellowship: Candidates should submit the application form including a detailed CV

4 Evaluation of academic qualification (Maximum score: 20 out of 80) Evaluation of the oral exam Topics of the oral examination (preferably using the Europass template), a motivated letter of application, a list of publications, awards and grants, letters of recommendation, and names and contact details of at least 2 referees, by mail to: vettrain@unitus.it indicating the reference to PROTECTA-UNITUS in the subject. As soon as the deadline for applications expiries, all applicants will be immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. Master s thesis: max 2 points University career (exams taken with the relative grades and final grade): max 5 points Scientific publications relating to the areas of Ph.D.: max 4 points Research and/or study activities in foreign institutions: max 2 points Participation in research projects: max 1 points Professional experiences and other qualifications that each candidate considers useful: max 2 points Research project submitted by the candidate: max 4 points Before of the oral exam, the evaluation of academic qualification results will be published on the UNITUS web site (section Didattica > Dottorati di Ricerca ). Oral exam: maximum score 60 out of 80 points The minimum score for a positive oral exam will be at least 40 out of 80 points. Curriculum in Food products. The oral exam will be aimed at assessing the candidate s basic knowledge of the agro-food science, technology and biotechnology, and, specifically, will focus on the discussion of the research project presented by the candidate, which must be in line with one of the following themes: ii) Innovation, agro-ecology and ecosystem services, profitability and distribution of value in agri-food supply chains. ii) iii) iv) Environmental sustainability of diets and social participation mechanisms. Use of sensors and predictive modeling for the characterization of oenological processes and products (precision oenology) (position with research grant). Production and characterization of novel functional foods) (position with no scholarship). v) Multi-analytical characterization of agri-food products (position with no scholarship). Curriculum in Forest Ecology and environmental technologies The oral exam will be aimed at assessing the candidate s basic knowledge of the forest ecology and environmental technologies with specific attention to the functionality, structure, bio-diversity, monitoring and management of forest and environmental resources; climate and global change mitigation and adaptation, forest resilience and restoration of degraded ecosystems. It will also focus on the discussion of the research project presented by the candidate, which must be in line with one of the following themes: ii) Development of new techniques and data processing methods for greenhouse gas ecosystem fluxes measurement using multiple sensors.* ii) Statistical advances for the multiscalar integration of remotely sensed laser scanning data under forest inventory applications. iii) Alpine Forest monitoring with Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. * iv) Cover mapping of Italian land using high resolution satellite data. *

5 v) Ecosystem responses to environmental stresses. vi) Use of new technologies for sustainable forest management. * vii) Faunistic records and biodiversity of Lepidoptera Tortricidae in Mediterranean ecosystems. viii) Use of remote sensing data and 5odeling approach supporting ecosystem-based territorial planning. ix) Combining dendrochronological techniques and land use analysis to support landscape management and planning. x) Sustainability forest management in the framework of environmental conventions (position with no scholarship). Topics of the oral examination Selection panel Contact to information Curriculum in Biological systems/bioindustries The oral exam will be aimed at assessing the candidate s knowledge of basic biology and industrial biotechnology related to plant, animal and microbial systems, and, specifically, will focus on the discussion of the research project presented by the candidate, which must be in line with the following theme: ii) Truffle cultivation (position with scholarship). ii) Ecofriendly control strategies against Phytophthora pathogens in nurseries (position with Marie Curie fellowship). Marie Curie ITN ETN PROTECA EU Training Networks - Early Stage Researcher fellowship. The selection panel will consist of three members belonging to the same scientific field : a full Professor and two other members selected among Professors or Researchers, chosen also within the network of the project according to Marie Sklodowska Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN), industry experts can join the Committee. Head of the curriculum Food Products Prof. Fabio Mencarelli mencarel@unitus.it Head of the curriculum Forest Ecology and Environmental Technologies Prof. Marco Marchetti marchettimarco@unimol.it Head of the curriculum Biological systems/ Bioindustries Prof. Maurizio Petruccioli petrucci@unitus.it