Professor Salvatore Manfreda is an expert in hydrological monitoring and modelling, with a specific focus on stochastic hydrology, satellite remote sensing, and the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for water resource management. His academic career includes a significant tenure as a Research Associate at Princeton University (2004-2005) and various roles as a Visiting Professor at prestigious institutions in Spain and the Czech Republic. He is currently Full Professor of Hydraulic and Maritime Constructions and Hydrology (ICAR/02) at the University of Naples Federico II.
His scientific activity has led to the development of cutting-edge operational tools used globally:
- Hydrological Models: Developer of the DREAM and AD2 models, and soil moisture monitoring systems such as SMAR and SMAR-EnKF.
- UAS Monitoring: A pioneer in the application of optical techniques for river monitoring (VISION, SDI).
- Flood Mapping: Development of tools for rapid flood mapping and risk assessment (GFI, GFA).
He holds key leadership positions that shape the global scientific agenda in hydrology:Chair of the MOXXI working group (Measurements and Observations in the 21st Century) of the IAHS.
Member of the WMO HydroHub Think Tank (World Meteorological Organization).
European Coordinator of COST Action HARMONIOUS, a project involving 36 countries dedicated to harmonizing UAS techniques for environmental monitoring.
Keynote Speaker: Recently invited to deliver the keynote at the “Echoes of the River” conference in the Philippines (2026) to discuss large-scale flood risk strategies.
With over 210 scientific publications, his contributions are highly cited within the global community:
Google Scholar: 7,565 citations, h-index 41, i10-index 110.
Scopus: 5,125 citations, h-index 38.
ResearchGate: h-index 41 (99th percentile).
Research Funding: He has successfully managed and coordinated research grants exceeding €4.5 million.
He serves on the Editorial Board of several high-impact journals, including:Drones, Ecohydrology (Wiley), Hydrology, and Plants.
Guest Editor for special issues in journals such as Water, Remote Sensing, and Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS).
Expert Reviewer for the European Commission (Horizon 2020) and European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST).
Teaching & Mentorship
He currently teaches advanced courses such as Advanced Technologies for Hydrological Monitoring and Hydraulic Construction at the University of Naples Federico II. Throughout his career, he has mentored over 50 Master’s students and 18 Ph.D. candidates from diverse international backgrounds, including India, Chile, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Selected Award
Best Paper Award (2022) from the journal Remote Sensing.
Junior Enrico Marchi Lecture (2014), a prestigious recognition from the Italian Hydraulic Group (GII).
Best Oral Presentation Award at GISDAY (2022, 2023) for his work on complex territorial systems and GIS technologies.
Contact Information
DICEA, University of Naples Federico II, Via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy.
Social: Twitter, Linkedin, Researchgate, Slideshare
e-mail: salvatore.manfreda at unina.it | 🌐 www.salvatoremanfreda.it.