Pierpaolo Pravatto Ph.D.
M.Sc. Chemistry, Ph.D Molecular Sciences
Currently R&D Manager at Woodn Greenwood s.r.l.Summary
Hello! My name is Pierpaolo Pravatto, and I am an Italian chemist driven by an unwavering passion for molecular innovation and technology. As an R&D Manager and scientist, my core expertise and interests lie at the intersection of synthetic organic chemistry, advanced analytical techniques, and data-driven chemistry / cheminformatics—a combination I love to leverage to design, synthesize, and optimize complex molecular systems.
Foundations & Early Achievements
My chemistry journey began at the Umberto Follador Institute in Agordo, where I graduated with honors in chemistry and industrial chemistry, with a thesis on intumescent coatings done in collaboration with Amonn Color. During these years, I often participated in the Italian Chemistry Championships with good results. My proudest result in that adventure came in 2013 when I placed 5th nationally and was selected for the training of the Italian Olympic team for the 45th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). This elite intensive training fueled my deep passion for synthetic organic chemistry, a discipline that still drives my experimental work today.
Academic Journey & Quantum Mechanics
I continued my academic career at the University of Padova, earning both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemistry with honors, supported by prestigious merit scholarships like the “Mille ed una lode”. Alongside experimental chemistry, I developed a strong fascination with how quantum mechanics governs molecular reactivity and properties. Under the mentorship of Prof. Giorgio Moro, my undergraduate thesis explored quantum tunneling in molecular systems, blending physics and physical chemistry to explain complex natural phenomena.
Analytical Expertise & Method Development
Parallel to my academic studies, I gained extensive hands-on experience as a laboratory technician at A&B Chem s.r.l., specializing in environmental chemical analysis, trace analysis and method development. I mastered advanced chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, routinely operating and maintaining GC-MS, GC-FID, and HPLC-FLD/DAD/RID, as well as HPLC-IEC, ICP-OES, ICP-MS and TOC analyzers. I developed internal operating procedures for detecting trace pollutants (PAHs, VOCs via head-space, and surfactants) in complex matrices, I worked on various derivatization protocols and implemented methods for Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME), Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) and purge-and-trap systems. In parallel, I was also responsible for managing measurement uncertainty and calibration protocols—skills that guarantee rigorous quality control and analytical precision in any lab environment.
Ph.D., Postdoc & High-Performance Computing
After my master’s degree, I ranked first in the admission test for the molecular sciences Ph.D. course at the University of Padova, securing funding from the CARIPARO Foundation. My doctoral and postdoctoral research (under Prof. Moro and Prof. Barbara Fresch) focused on tunneling splittings, stochastic processes, and cutting-edge quantum computing applications to chemical problems (such as the VQE algorithm). During this time, I became proficient in C++ and Python, mastering High-Performance Computing (HPC) tools like OpenMP, MPI, and even some fundamentals of CUDA. I also had the pleasure to work in an international collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC).
Industrial R&D: From Molecules to Materials
Transitioning to the private sector, I joined Green Energy Storage as an R&D Scientist. Here, I bridged the gap between theory and the bench: I utilized ab initio computational chemistry and machine learning (Tensorflow) to screen promising Redox Active Organic Molecules (ROMs), and then transitioned to the lab for the experimental evaluation of these organic electrolytes, investigating their stability and electro-induced degradation pathways. This work solidified my expertise in organic chemistry, radical chemistry and organic electrochemistry.
Currently, as the R&D Manager at Woodn Greenwood s.r.l., I lead the development of advanced polymer-based materials, successfully bringing novel formulations from formulation to scale-up and industrial production, while securing major public research grants (PR Veneto FESR 2021–2027). This role has sharpened my project management, stakeholder communication, and tech-transfer skills.
Beyond the Professional Lab: Synthesis, Automation & Flow Chemistry
Outside of my formal roles, I actively live my passion for organic synthesis through independent, hands-on projects. I have set up a small-scale experimental environment where I reproduce, test, and optimize synthetic procedures directly from the scientific literature. Lately, this personal space has been evolving into a playground for laboratory automation and flow chemistry. Combining my passion for electronics with chemistry, I am leveraging 3D printing and rapid prototyping to design and build custom, modular fluidic systems and flexible platforms for reaction development. For me, exploring how modern manufacturing can streamline chemical synthesis isn’t just a hobby—it’s a glimpse into the future of agile R&D.
To bridge computational power with practical bench work, I also co-developed SPyCCI (Simple Python Computational Chemistry Interface), an open-source library that automates complex workflows across quantum chemistry packages like ORCA, xTB, and CREST. This tool was built specifically to streamline the high-throughput prediction of molecular properties, helping scientists orient experimental investigations, accelerate route scouting, and identify synthetic targets more efficiently.
The Next ChapterR&D
Driven by a lifelong fascination with complex molecular architecture and mechanistic chemistry, my professional focus is expanding toward the pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry sectors. Whether it involves process optimization, drug discovery support, or chemical innovation, I am eager to bring my unique blend of synthetic organic chemistry, advanced analytical characterization, and data-driven automation into a dynamic research team. I look forward to tackling new challenges where scientific rigor meets practical problem-solving to deliver the next generation of life-changing molecules.