Dr Giulia Giani

Job: Catastrophe Research Analyst

Employer: Gallagher Re

PhD Thesis: On the objective characterization of the rainfall runoff transformation

PhD Supervisors: Dr Miguel Rico-Ramirez and Dr Ross Woods

Giulia was a PhD researcher in the WISE Centre for Doctoral Training between 2017-2021 and was based at the University of Bristol.  She successfully defended her PhD viva “On the objective characterization of the rainfall runoff transformation” in February 2022.  She now works as a Catastrophe Research Analyst for Gallagher Re.

Giulia’s prior academic background is an MSc (Hons) double degree in Environmental and Land Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin and the Polytechnic University of Milan. As part of her MSc, Giulia spent 6 months at the University of Bristol working on her final dissertation project on ‘Improved flood estimation using hydrological process knowledge.’

Giulia’s other academic achievements include:

  • Italian professional qualification of Environmental Civil Engineering in September 2017 from the Polytechnic of Turin.
  • Academic Diploma in “Alta Scuola Politecnica” from the Polytechnic University of Turin and the Polytechnic University of Milan in 2017. Final group project: ‘DREAM-Drone technology for water resources and hydrologic hazard monitoring.’
  • BSc in Environmental and Land Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin in 2014. Final project: ‘Advantages and disadvantages of harvesting methods for microalgae cultured in open pond systems: experiments in flocculation with cationic starch.’

Before joining the WISE CDT Giulia undertook an internship at an engineering consultancy firm in Italy called SERTEC S.r.l. This role involved the verification of small hydraulic construction as well as flood risk and management. Furthermore, she also undertook a 2 month internship at ARPA Piemonte (Regional Environmental Agency) in Turin, within the Forecast System Department – Hydrology and Soil Effects. Here she was tasked with carrying out literature analyses regarding evaluation and verification methods related to hydrological risk forecasts, and the application of these methods to weather and flood bulletins published by the Piedmont Functional Centre.

Research Interests

  • Hydrology
  • Flood forecasting, in particular, the study of rainfall runoff process and dynamics.