PhD Students

Mattia Ciurlia is a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering. He has conducted research on the use of augmented reality to support prostate surgery, with a particular focus on the integration of 3D models and clinical information into the surgical workflow. His current research interests concern extended reality (XR) environments to support medicine and immersive solutions for medical training, with a focus on simulation, preoperative planning, and interactive training for healthcare professionals.

Marco Calò is an archaeologist specializing in Classical Archaeology. He earned a Bachelor's degree magna cum laude in Archaeological Heritage in 2017 and a Master's degree magna cum laude in Archaeology in 2019, both from the University of Salento. From 2020 to 2022, he attended the “Dinu Adamesteanu” School of Specialization in Archaeological Heritage at the same university, obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology with top marks (70/70 with honors).

From 2022 to 2024, he worked as a freelance archaeologist (Category I) registered in the National Register of Cultural Heritage Professionals. He is currently a PhD student in the Italian National Doctoral Program in Heritage Science at Sapienza University of Rome. His current research focuses on the application of new technologies to the cultural heritage sector, aimed at studying and enhancing the archaeological heritage of the Salento region. He pays particular attention to the Hellenistic landscapes of Messapia, with the goal of developing innovative and immersive methods of cultural engagement.

Leonardo Matteo Dinoi is a Research Fellow at the AVR Lab (Augmented & Virtual Reality Laboratory) in the Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, and a PhD candidate in Technologies for Health and Well-Being at the Universitat Politècnica de València (in co-tutelle with the University of Salento). His work spans Virtual Human modeling and control, eXtended Reality (XR), and bio-adaptive interfaces, with applications in healthcare and education. He earned a BSc in Information Engineering and an MSc in Computer Engineering – AI (University of Salento); his master’s thesis developed a stress-adaptive Virtual Human for autism, laying the groundwork for his current research.

Federica Faggiano is a PhD student in the Italian National Doctoral Program in Heritage Science at Sapienza Università di Roma. From 2022 to 2024, she was a research fellow at the AVR Lab within the Department of Engineering for Innovation at the University of Salento. In 2021, she graduated magna cum laude with a Master’s degree in European Heritage, Digital Media, and the Information Society from the University of Salento. Previously, in 2019, she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Technologies for Cultural Heritage from the same university.

Her current research interests lie in Digital Humanities, with a particular focus on the enhancement and accessible fruition of cultural heritage through technology, and a special emphasis on the digital curatorship of archaeological contexts.