Research Group
My research group at the Gran Sasso Science Institute works on the theory and phenomenology of cosmic-ray transport, from Galactic propagation and non-linear feedback to the origin of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. This page lists current and former members, regular collaborators, and the experimental collaborations I belong to.
Current members
Postdoctoral researchers
PhD students
- Lioni-Moana Bourguinat — XXXVIII cycle, co-supervised with Prof. Pierrick Martin and Prof. Sarah Recchia [profile]
- Luciana Andrade Dourado — XXXIX cycle [profile]
- Luis Enrique Espinosa Castro — XXXIX cycle, co-supervised with Prof. Pasquale Blasi and Prof. Giulia Pagliaroli [profile]
- Igor Vaiman — XXXIX cycle [profile]
- Costanza Marinelli — XL cycle, co-supervised with Prof. Pierpaolo Savina [profile]
- Allegra Cavicchi — XLI cycle, co-supervised with Prof. Denise Boncioli and Prof. Pierpaolo Savina [profile]
Former students
Alessandro Cermenati — PhD in Astroparticle Physics, GSSI, XXXVII cycle (defended June 2026), co-supervised with Prof. Roberto Aloisio. Self Confinement of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays [defence]
Allegra Firinu — MSc in Astrophysics and Cosmology, Università di Bologna (October 2025), co-supervised with Prof. Franco Vazza. Propagation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays in Cosmic Magnetic Fields [thesis]. Currently a PhD student at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur.
Benedikt Schroer — PhD in Astroparticle Physics, GSSI, XXXIV cycle (defended December 2022), co-supervised with Prof. Pasquale Blasi. Multiscale Cosmic-Ray Transport and Non-linear Feedback [defence]. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at Potsdam University.
Current collaborators
- Roberto Aloisio — GSSI
- Elena Amato — INAF Arcetri Observatory
- Pasquale Blasi — GSSI
- Denise Boncioli — University of L’Aquila
- Pierrick Martin — IRAP
- Philipp Mertsch — RWTH Aachen
- Sergio Petrera — GSSI
- Sarah Recchia — INP Kraków
- Pierpaolo Savina — GSSI
- Benedikt Schroer — Potsdam University
Journal club
The group runs HAPPJ, the High-energy AstroParticle Physics Journal Club, which meets weekly at GSSI to discuss work in progress and recent literature. Students, postdocs and faculty from GSSI take part, together with visitors from other institutes. Attendance is open; details and the mailing list are on the HAPPJ page.
Experimental collaborations
Pierre Auger Observatory (2022–present) — member of the L’Aquila group, working on mass composition and the energy spectrum at the highest energies.
Cherenkov Telescope Array (2015–2022) — member of the L’Aquila group.
Publications signed by these collaborations carry several hundred authors and are listed separately from my own work on the publications page.