I am a third-year PhD student investigating the developmental trajectories of spatial and socio-relational skills, and the interplay between them, in both typical and atypical development. My work is carried out within the DARE (Digital Lifelong Prevention) project, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

My research primarily focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and Developmental Visuospatial Disorder. I am also deeply interested in motor functioning in atypical development, with a particular focus on handwriting, which I study from both kinematic and developmental perspectives. Before beginning my PhD, I worked as a research assistant on several projects examining the behavioural, cognitive/neuropsychological, and neurophysiological correlates of neurodevelopmental disorders.

In addition to my research interests, I have a clinical background with a specialisation in neurodevelopmental disorders and psychopathologies. I firmly believe that research and clinical practice cannot stand alone; rather, their mutual interplay – each informing the other – can provide better support for the children and families we work with.

Beyond academia, I love sports (especially trekking and those involving snow and ice), reading and zooming around museums. Since 2013, I have also been a track and field coach for athletes with intellectual or socio-relational disabilities.

Supervisor: Prof. Irene C. Mammarella