Blog > NAST Profiles > Prof. Carla Andrean

Prof. Carla Andrean


Carla ANDREANI

Contact details

Office: Physics Department

Tel: +39 06 72594441

Lab: +39 06 72594422

Fax: +39 06 72594089

Send an E-Mail webpage

Current Professional Positions

Full Professor in Condensed Matter at the Faculty of Science of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Research Experience

Following a Laurea in Physics at the Università degli Studi di  Roma ‘La Sapienza’, Italy, (Final grade: 110/110 “Summa cum Laude”, dissertation Topic: “Missing Mass in the Universe and Black Holes”), I held a Post Docs positions at the AERE Harwell (UK) and visiting scientist positions at the ISIS Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK), the ILL Reactor (F) and at the IPNS pulsed Neutron source, Argonne National Laboratory (USA).

I have a track record in studying and directing research on the study of microscopic structure and dynamics of disordered systems. In particular I have investigated the structure factor and single particle dynamics, i.e. momentum distribution – n(p) – and mean kinetic energy of light atoms – <EK> – of:

  • quantum fluids and solids – liquid 4He, liquid and solid 3He, in bulk and confined geometry, and 3He-4He mixtures [1,2];
  • molecular fluids and solid – [3,4,5,6,7]. Examples includes diatomic homonuclear fluids (Cl2, Br2, I2, H2, D2) hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, HI), H2S and H2O (in bulk and confined geometry);

In my most recent n(p) experimental studies I have addressed the proton quantum dynamics in water – in normal and metastable phases – in bulk and confined geometry [5,6,7].

In most cases I have employed a combination of diffraction and spectroscopy techniques (most notably, neutron and x-ray diffraction, neutron spectroscopy, combined with Raman spectroscopy). Neutron scattering represents an important tool for the study of the properties of matter at the nanoscale, the ideal probe of microscopic correlations in bulk sample in reciprocal space. Its provides relevant information to nanoscience and application to nanotechnology, which add and complement real space visualization and manipulation of matter on the nanometer scale.

As experimental scientist I have contributed to the design and development of several instrumentation for neutron diffraction and scattering: the DBSS diffractometer, at PLUTO reactor (Harwell, UK), the  2 ASSI diffractometer at TRIGA reactor (ENEA Casaccia, I), the constant-Q spectrometer at HELIOS Linac (Harwell, UK), the TOSCA spectrometer at ISIS pulsed neutron source (UK). I have proposed a novel design a concepts for the  VESUVIO and e.VERDI spectrometers at ISIS for Deep Inelastic Neutron Scattering  (DINS) [3], and given a significant contribution to the development of gamma detector for epithermal neutron spectroscopy [8]. DINS is the unique technique to access microscopic information on the dynamics,  n(p), and the local structure of light atoms and molecules in a variety of environments.

In eV spectroscopy I have proposed:

  • the use neutrons at the eV energies to produce quantitative measures and even 3D images of the elemental composition and physical structure of artefacts. Within the ANCIENT CHARM project an analysis technique based on neutron absorption has been developed, quite innovative in the field of archaeology. This technique uses the “Neutron Resonant Capture Imaging” combined with “Neutron Resonance Transmission” (NRCI/NRT) as a non-invasive technique for producing quantitative measurements and even 3D images of the elemental composition and physical structure of artifacts.

  • the use of neutrons at the MeV for accelerated irradiation test on electronic devices. Following benchmark experiments on VESUVIO a novel beamline (ChIPIR) for fast neutron irradiation tests of electronics is at present under construction at the ISIS spallation neutron source [9].

Teaching Activities

CA is member of the Graduate School in Physics – PhD Program at the University of Roma Tor Vergata – and the Graduate School Nanostructure and Nanotechnology – a joint PhD program between University of Tor Vergata and  University of Milano-Bicocca. CA has a long-standing interest in teaching improvements in undergraduate and graduate physics also providing the students with a modern introduction to spectroscopic techniques. Much of this work has concentrated on the use of modern technology to improve the student’s conceptual understanding of basic experimental physical concepts.

Management and organizational experience

Member of the Neutron Committee of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (1994-present)

Member of the Executive Board of University of Rome Tor Vergata (2005-2008).

Member of the International Advisory Board of the International Advisory Board ESS Bilbao Initiative (2008-present)

Member of the Novel Neutron Instrumentation Think Tank (2005-2009)

Member of the Science Advisory Board del Studsvik Neutron Research Laboratory (NFL) – Svezia (2000-2002 )

Member of the OECD MEGASCIENCE FORUM: NEUTRON SOURCES WORKING GROUP Panel B: International cooperation in the development of neutron instrumentation and data evaluation (1996-1999)

Member (scientific secretary) of the Scientific Advisory Board for Physical Sciences of the Italian national research Council CNR (1994-1998)

Member of the Round Table on Neutron Sources, http://neutron.neutron-eu.net/n nmi3/n (1994-present)

Peer Review

I served as:

  • member of evaluation Area panel Physical Science, CIVR for Italian Ministry of Research (MIUR) (2003-2009)

  • member of the ISIS Facility Access Panel (FAP 5), 2006-2008

  • member of peer review panel for material science for Georgia National Science Fundation (2007-2008)

  • Chairperson of the Area Panel for Physical Sciences, Italian Research Council, CNR Italy (2009)

  • Chairperson of the Ministry of Research advisory board for the Italian Infrastructure roadmap prioritisation exercise (2010)

  • member of review panel for research projects of Regione Lombardia  (2010)

I currently serve as:

  • member of SNS neutron scattering science proposal Review Panel (2008-present)

Since 1998 I serve as referee for:

  • a number of  National and international scientific journals (e.g. the Physical Review journals and Reviews of Modern Physics) and in a number of peer-review roles.

I am currently supervising 6 scientists. I have significant experience in recruiting and interviewing. I have served as project scientist and, more recently, project sponsor in a variety of instrument development projects at ISIS (UK) and SNS (US).

Membership of professional societies

  • Italian Physical Society

  • American Chemical Society

  • School of Neutron Scattering “Francesco Paolo Ricci“

  • Sociedad Española de Tecnicas Neutronicas

Editorial Roles

Editor of Notiziario Neutroni e Luce di Sincrotrone a journal supported by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

Recent Publications

[1] C. Andreani, C. Pantalei and R. Senesi, Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, 18, 5587 (2006)

[2] R. Senesi, C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, A. Cunsolo, M. Nardone, Phys. Rev. Letts. 86, 4584, (2001)

[3] C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, J. Mayers, G. Reiter, R. Senesi, Advances in Physics, 54, 377 (2005)

[4] A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, and C. Andreani, A. Botti, M. A. Ricci, and F. Bruni, Phys. Rev. Letts., 100, 127802 (2008)

[5] C. Pantalei, A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, S. Imberti, C. Andreani, J. Mayers, C. Burnham, and G. Reiter, Phys. Rev. Letts., 100, 177801 (2008)

[6]  A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, C. Andreani, A. Botti, M. A. Ricci and F. Bruni, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 069802 (2009)

[7]  A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, C. Andreani, J. Mayers, Brazilian Journal of Physics, 39, 318, (2009)

[8] C. Andreani et al., Appl. Physics Letters, 85, 5454, (2004)

[9] C. Andreani, A. Pietropaolo, A. Salsano, G. Gorini, M. Tardocchi, A. Paccagnella,, S. C. D. Frost, S. Ansell, S. P. Platt, Applied Physics Letters, 92, 114101 (2008).

Notes. CA has authored about 150 publications on international journals and about 100 scientific oral contributions at international conferences, meetings and schools.

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