Over the decades, memory has been studied mostly from a biased perspective, focusing only on individuals with typical memory or memory impairments. An entire tail of the distribution, representing individuals with superior memory abilities, has been nearly overlooked. Individuals with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) possess the incredible ability to vividly and automatically recall almost every day of their own lives from mid-childhood onward. Discovered nearly 20 years ago, this ability has remained an enigma, offering exciting new opportunities to advance the field. How can someone accurately recall the specific details and emotions of an ordinary day from decades ago? Why do these individuals show this superiority only for autobiographical events and not for other memory tasks? These questions challenge our fundamental understanding of memory consolidation, retrieval, and forgetting – processes we previously considered quite well-understood.

My research passion lies in unraveling this mystery by studying memory across its full spectrum: from the exceptional recall of HSAM individuals to the adaptive forgetting mechanisms that characterize typical memory. I’m particularly fascinated by how self-referential processing biases shape what we remember and what we forget. This isn’t just about understanding rare cases – HSAM individuals offer a unique window into the mechanisms that govern all human memory. By understanding why they don’t forget, we can better understand why and how the rest of us do, with profound implications for conditions ranging from PTSD (where forgetting fails) to Alzheimer’s disease (where it dominates).

Beyond the laboratory, I’m passionate about chess (though I remember my blunders better than my brilliant moves), and I have a serious weakness for open-world video games – you know, the type where “just one more side quest” turns into exploring every single corner of the map. Quite recently I’m also loving to experiment with Large Language Models, probably spending way too many hours playing with embeddings and semantic similarities. When my eyes need a break from screens, I grab my guitar and practice the same songs on repeat – my neighbors have been incredibly patient, or perhaps they’ve just invested in good earplugs.

I also try to be an active member of my community, participating in local assemblies, peaceful demonstrations, and community gatherings. Human rights and civil liberties are causes close to my heart.

Supervisor: Prof. Giovanni Galfano