Ginevra Balletto (Rome, 1971) is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Design, qualified for Full Professorship (Prima fascia, 2020) and PhD holder (1999), with an interdisciplinary research profile.
Her main research strand concerns integrated spatial planning, advanced geospatial technologies and geographic information systems. She is affiliated with the University of Cagliari, where she teaches at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture unica.it – Research.

She is a member of the Degree Programme Councils in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering for Sustainable Development, and Electrical Energy Engineering for Sustainable Development, where she delivers teaching activities. Over the course of her career, she has coordinated research grants, research fellowships and doctoral programmes, and has supervised more than 160 Master’s and Bachelor’s theses.
She is the contact person for the interdepartmental agreement between the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (DICAAR) of the University of Cagliari and the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics “Bruno de Finetti” (DEAMS) of the University of Trieste, for teaching, technology transfer and research dissemination.

She is part of consolidated national research networks (Trieste, Venice, Naples Federico II, Potenza, Genoa, Pavia, Brescia, Bari, Rome Sapienza, L’Aquila, Pisa, Turin, Salerno et al.) and international ones (Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile; University of Malta, Malta; University of Reading, Whiteknights, UK; Universidad de Cádiz, Spain; University of Redlands, California, USA; University of Technology, Poland; University of Debrecen, Hungary; Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering, Germany; University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) in the fields of sustainable urban and regional planning, applied geography, sustainable mobility, port logistics, within the broader framework of ongoing transitions (demographic, ecological, digital and energy). She takes part in competitive national and international projects that connect universities, research centres, local authorities and public and private operators.

She is involved in national research programmes funded through PNRR and Innovation Ecosystem instruments, which strengthen the link between research and development and public administrations within an interdisciplinary network

Istitutional Appointments by the University of Cagliari:

1. as Technical Expert (auxiliary to the Judge) in judicial proceedings both before the Regional Administrative Court of Sardinia (TAR) and before the Council of State (CdS), Fourth Section;
2. as member/commissioner in selection procedures for the recruitment of senior managers in the Public Administration;
3. as representative of the University of Cagliari for the State examination for qualification to the engineering profession.

Main Research & Development Projects

1) SECNET – Cross-border institutional cooperation for strengthening port security. Cross-border Italy–Slovenia cooperation project (2017–2019), aimed at reinforcing the institutional capacity of ports in the programme area (Trieste, Venice, Koper/Capodistria) and laying the foundations for coordinated and permanent governance of port security at cross-border level, through the use of innovative ICT tools. The project concluded with the signing of a joint protocol for the institutionalisation of a cooperation system on port security in the Upper Adriatic.

2) GHOST – Governing the smart city: a governance-centred approach to SmarT urbanism (MIUR – SIR programme 2015–2019). Development of an advanced prototype of city dashboard based on WebGIS architectures and a territorial data‑warehouse, designed to integrate heterogeneous datasets from institutional sources, IoT sensors and open data.

3) RE-MINE – Restoration and remediation of abandoned MINE sites (Fondazione di Sardegna, 2016–2019). Experimental research project on mining landscapes through a “living lab” to develop integrated models of reuse, environmental mitigation and circular economy. The research is based on GIS analysis, risk assessment, multi‑level governance scenarios and the construction of operational guidelines to define replicable protocols for the transition of mining sites towards cultural, tourism and sustainable uses.

5) T_SULKI (2018–2020) – Tourism and Sustainability in Sulcis is an advanced research project on sustainable tourism and territorial regeneration in the Sulcis Iglesiente area, promoted by the University of Cagliari with Sardinian and Chilean partners. It develops quantitative and spatial methods to analyse and govern tourism processes in a former mining area, integrating sustainability indicators and multi‑scalar planning scenarios. It tests models of slow and place‑based tourism based on walking networks and geospatial technologies. It aims at prototyping platforms and methodologies that can be transferred to sustainable tourism policies replicable in other Mediterranean contexts.

6) MEISAR (2019–2021) – Top-Down Cluster Project – Materials for sustainable construction and infrastructure. Recycled aggregates (Sardegna Ricerche with ERDF ROP 2014/2020 funds – Priority Axis I “Scientific research, technological development and innovation”). Design and implementation of an open‑source interactive geospatial map for tracking, characterising and optimising the supply chain of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste, through the integration of datasets relating to extractive plants, concrete producers and Sardinian construction SMEs. The platform is tested on the case study of the new Sant’Elia stadium.

7) Investigating the relationships between knowledge-building and design and decision-making in spatial planning with geodesign is a research project funded by Fondazione di Sardegna (2019–2022), focused on the relationships between knowledge-building, design and decision-making in spatial planning through geodesign. The project prototypes geodesign workshops supported by digital platforms and planning decision support systems (Planning Support Systems, Geodesignhub), applied to strategic planning for the Metropolitan City of Cagliari at regional and metropolitan scales. The workshops integrate territorial data, scenarios and impact assessments in near real time, producing project sheets, cross-cutting policies and a Geodesign Atlas to support the Metropolitan Strategic Plan.

8) Strategic Plan of the Metropolitan City of Cagliari (2019–2021) is a comprehensive strategic document that defines the medium‑ to long‑term development vision for the wider urban area, involving the 17 metropolitan municipalities. It structures strategic directions, objectives and priority actions in line with the 2030 Agenda, cohesion policies and the NRRP, with particular attention to sustainability, mobility, services and ecological transition. The elaboration process was built through extensive participatory processes with citizens, economic, social and cultural stakeholders and the academic world. The Plan constitutes the integrated reference framework for sectoral plans, territorial projects and strategic metropolitan investments.

9) Geodesign for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Mediterranean region (Fondazione di Sardegna, 2022–2025). Research project on spatial planning and climate change, with the role of research unit in the development of a geospatial platform for Sardinia, transferable to other Mediterranean contexts. The platform integrates local and global data in GIS and DSS environments to build and assess climate mitigation and adaptation scenarios.

10) e.INS – Ecosystem of Innovation for Next Generation Sardinia (Spoke 8 “Sustainable Mobility and Urban Planning”, 2022–2025) is a NRRP MUR – Innovation Ecosystems programme (M4C2, Investment 1.5) aimed at strengthening the link between research and the productive system in Sardinia. Within Spoke 8, the focus is on sustainable mobility and smart urban planning, with the testing of integrated solutions for accessibility, transport services and decarbonisation. Activities include prototyping a regional ecosystem for smart mobility that integrates R&D with digital platforms and services co‑developed with SME clusters, local authorities and mobility operators. A central objective is the development of a decision support system (DSS) and a regional‑scale MaaS (Mobility as a Service) platform, enabling data‑driven policies for sustainable mobility, with a strongly experimental approach and technological transfer.

11) MOST Spoke 9 – Urban Mobility (National Centre 2023–2025). Prototyping advanced DSS tools for sustainable urban mobility (GIS models of accessibility, connectivity and infrastructural scenarios), directly usable by sector operators, with solutions co‑designed and tested in collaboration with public transport companies and mobility service providers, which validate operational effectiveness on real cases (public transport networks, on‑demand services, intermodality). Research results are transferred into products and services ready for industrial uptake to support the planning of intelligent mobility infrastructures and services.

12) TAP – Triple Access Planning to Enhance Urban Accessibility and Connectivity (ERA‑Net Cofund EN‑UAC, MIUR/Italy, 2021–2024, “TAP for Uncertain Futures”) is a pan‑European project that aims to innovate Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans by integrating physical transport, spatial proximity and digital connectivity in the concept of the Triple Access System. The consortium involves the University of the West of England (coordinator), the University of Cagliari, Radboud University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, together with partner cities and national transport agencies (Bristol, Aberdeen, Cagliari, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Nova Gorica, Norrköping, Swedish Transport Administration, etc.). In the Italian unit, the project develops computational toolboxes – GIS models of multi‑modal/spatio‑temporal accessibility, composite indicators and data pipelines connecting transport–land‑use–digital services – directly integrable into urban planning and SUMP workflows. Experimentation with industrial operators and local authorities makes it possible to transform these models into consultancy services and software components marketable in the smart urban mobility sector, strengthening technology transfer.

13) Rocking‑based strategies for resilience of reinforced concrete structures (Rock‑Resilience) – PRIN/PNRR (2022–2024) develops advanced design and seismic retrofit strategies based on rocking mechanisms to enhance resilience, efficiency and sustainability of reinforced concrete structures in urban contexts. It assesses vulnerability scenarios and intervention priorities in urbanised areas. The research combines numerical modelling and simulations with real case studies, integrating structural aspects, energy performance and life‑cycle assessment of solutions.

14) URB_REC (2024–2025) – Managing the Historic Urban Landscape: Renewable Energy Communities for Sustainable Urban Conservation – Proof of Concept (PoC), e.INS Spoke 7 – Low Carbon Technologies for efficient energy system, NRRP – Mission 4 – Education and Research – Component 2, Investment line 1.5 – Creation and strengthening of “Innovation Ecosystems for Sustainability”, building “Territorial R&D Leaders” (NextGenerationEU, 2025–2026). Operational framework for the integration of Energy Communities (CER) in the historic urban landscape. The solutions are codified into technical‑regulatory guidelines integrable into conservation and urban regeneration processes along the low‑carbon value chain, guiding the standardisation and scalability of CER in historic centres.

15) TechLog (2021–2023) – Technological Transfer for Logistics Innovation in the Mediterranean Area is an ENI CBC MED project for the creation of a network of living labs for port and hinterland logistics innovation in the Mediterranean. The partnership includes 9 partners from 5 countries, with the University of Cagliari–CIREM as lead partner, the Chamber of Commerce Maremma and Tirreno, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, the Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations and Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport, together with Lebanese and Tunisian partners. The research develops digital platforms, indicators and prototypes to optimise freight flows, reduce environmental impacts and improve city‑port integration through advanced simulation technologies. The solutions, co‑designed with port operators, companies and authorities, are tested in the living labs of Cagliari, Sfax, Beirut and Alexandria (Egypt) as models of smart logistics and “light” digital twins, capable of ensuring the transferability of tools and technological models to other Mediterranean ports.

16) Easy2log – Interreg Italy–France Maritime (ERDF, 2024–2025) addresses innovation in logistics and maritime transport in a cross‑border perspective, with the University of Cagliari–CIREM as lead partner and a network of port and chamber partners in Sardinia, Tuscany, Liguria, Corsica and Var. The project develops spatial analysis tools and decision support platforms for the digitalisation of infrastructures and processes along multimodal logistics chains, testing them on Italian–French case studies. The experimental dimension is ensured by cross‑border living labs where advanced logistics services are co‑designed and field‑tested. The scientific contribution concerns translating operational needs into spatial models and shared indicators among institutional and private partners, supporting a more efficient and sustainable cross‑border logistics community.

17) INVECE – Green Innovation and Energy Communities, part of the Interreg Italy–France Maritime Programme (2024–2026), aims to develop effective models for producing, managing, and sharing renewable energy at both local and cross-border levels between Italy and France. The project brings together institutions, research centers, businesses, and citizens, fostering cooperation to create new forms of green and innovative energy communities.

 

Research impact:

On ResearchGate, her publications have exceeded 50,000 reads overall (January 2026), demonstrating a high scientific impact within the relevant international research community.

On Google Scholar, her scientific output has received more than 1,500 citations, with an h‑index of 21 and an i10‑index of 42, indicating a high level of international scientific recognition.

Bibliometric indicators (Scopus): her scientific production is predominantly indexed in international peer‑reviewed journals and Springer/Elsevier volumes in the areas of Urban & Regional Planning and Environmental Sciences, with a significant number of citations, totalling 853. Her editorial activity includes articles in high‑ and very high‑ranked journals and contributions to international conference proceedings, co‑authored with scholars belonging to interdisciplinary research networks (engineering, geography, planning, energy), attesting to a nationally and internationally recognised interdisciplinary impact.

 

Visiting academic positions  

Over the last three years she has undertaken several 10–15 day research stays abroad, involving seminars, co‑design activities and visiting lectures at leading international universities. These include Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada (June 2024), where she contributed to discussions on sustainable urban and regional planning in coastal and port cities. In September 2024 she was hosted by the University of Redlands, California, deepening joint work on urban regeneration, energy transition and e-mobility in metropolitan regions. In April 2026 she was a visiting scholar at Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey, delivering seminars and workshops on integrated spatial and energy planning in complex urban contexts and promoting collaborative teaching and research initiatives with local academic staff and students

 

Research awards:

1. PAN 2015 Prize (Landscape, Architecture, Nature) – G. Balletto, S. Naitza, C. Vargiu, G. Mei, “Local identity and technological innovation. Urban and territorial policies for the re‑interpretation of the historical center of Sadali (Sardinia).”
2. INU Urban Planning Literature Prize 2017 – National Institute of Urban Planning, unpublished book – G. Balletto 2017 – “Stones in the City – Pvblica Press.”
3. PAN 2017 Prize – Landscape, Architecture, Nature – Ginevra Balletto, Stefano Naitza, Giulia Desogus, “Stone in the City. Extraction Sites and Spoliation of Stone Materials in the City of Nora (South‑West Sardinia), University of Cagliari.”
4. Iconic Landscape (2018), within the framework of the EcoTechGreen Award. The preliminary design for the Cagliari stadium was awarded as a virtuous example of eco‑sustainable infrastructure, with Sportium scrl as lead partner.

 

Cagliari, May 10, 2026