Pierpaolo Pravatto Ph.D.
M.Sc. Chemistry, Ph.D Molecular Sciences
Currently R&D Manager at Woodn Greenwood s.r.l.Hello! My name is Pierpaolo Pravatto, and I’m an Italian chemist driven by an unwavering passion for science and technology. Whether I’m tinkering with electronics, diving into new chemical reactions and mechanisms, exploring the great outdoors on a hike, or pushing myself at the gym, my curiosity and enthusiasm know no bounds.
My chemistry journey began at the Umberto Follador Institute in Agordo, where I graduated with honors in chemistry and industrial chemistry. During the preparation for my high school final exam, I prepared a small thesis work, done through a collaboration with Amonn Color, focusing on intumescent coatings, their chemistry, and their properties.
During high school, I participated multiple times in the Italian National Chemistry Championship, consistently achieving strong rankings in the regional tournament. In the 2013 championship, I placed third in the regional tournament and fifth in the national competition. That same year, I was selected for the training of the Italian Olympic team for the 45th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Pavia. This was a great experience that fueled my enthusiasm as a scientist. It was during this time that I developed a deep passion for synthetic organic chemistry, a passion that still drives me today.
I continued my academic career at the University of Padova, where I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry, again graduating with honors. In that period I was also awarded many scholarships including the “Mille ed una lode” scholarship from the University of Padova for academic merit. During my bachelor studies, I kept cultivating my passion for organic and synthetic chemistry but, at the same time, I developed a strong fascination for quantum mechanics and its effect on molecular reactivity and properties. This pushed me to expand my knowledge in this fascinating field and brought me to work under the mentorship of Prof. Giorgio Moro. During my undergraduate thesis, I explored the captivating phenomenon of quantum tunneling, with a focus on estimating tunneling splittings in molecular systems. This research fascinated me, as it allowed me to blend multiple disciplines such as chemistry, physics, and theoretical approaches to explain various effects observed in nature.
Despite shifting academically toward theoretical chemistry, my passion for organic chemistry remained strong. Throughout my university years, I kept this interest alive by engaging with experimental colleagues on synthetic protocols, attending related seminars, and, when possible, conducting synthesis and experiments myself.
During the summers in high school and throughout university breaks, I also gained valuable hands-on experience as a laboratory technician at A&B Chem s.r.l., specializing in environmental chemical analysis. My work focused on detecting trace amounts of organic pollutants in complex matrices using techniques such as GC-MS, GC-FID, and HPLC-FLD/DAD/RID, while also routinely utilizing and maintaining equipment like HPLC-IEC, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, and TOC analyzers. During these experiences, I had the opportunity to develop new analysis methods, experimenting with new sampling techniques such as Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME), purge and trap systems, and other column-based pre-concentration techniques for the analysis of pollutants in food and drinkable water. I also contributed to developing internal operating procedures for the determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) by HPLC-FLD analysis, VOC analysis via GC-MS both through solvent extraction/pre-concentration and head-space gas sampling, cationic surfactants and many other different pollutants. Beside practical laboratory work, I also work in assessing measurement uncertainty through error propagation analysis and calibrations.
During my university years, I also proudly participated in the PLS project, aimed at reducing dropout rates in scientific degree programs. I helped create educational materials and supervised students in chemistry courses for biology and biotechnology, merging my love for science with my passion for teaching.
After completing my master’s thesis, I decided to continue my career by enrolling in the molecular sciences Ph.D. course at the University of Padova. To do so, I had sustained the admission examination, ranking first in the admission test and securing, after presenting my research, the financial support for my research from the CARIPARO Foundation. During my Ph.D. I continued my work on tunneling splittings and their relation to the stochastic description of activated processes, under Prof. Giorgio Moro’s supervision. This research period also sparked in me a deep love for programming. I became proficient in C++ and Python and expanded my skill set through various high-performance computing (HPC) courses, learning tools such as OpenMP, OpenACC, MPI, and even some fundamentals of CUDA.
During my Ph.D. I also developed a keen interest in quantum technology and computation, exploring the application of universal quantum computers and quantum annealers to solve complex chemical problems. In that field, I contributed to the application of the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) algorithm to the solution of stochastic diffusive problems, something previously unexplored in the literature. On this occasion, I also had the privilege to present the work to Prof. Ivano Tavernelli from IBM Research (Zurich), a leading scientist in the field of applied quantum computation.
After completing my Ph.D., I pursued a postdoctoral position under Prof. Barbara Fresch, focusing on applied quantum computation. I completed several ongoing projects from my doctoral research, further cementing my expertise in this cutting-edge field. In that period I also co-supervised a collaboration with the Rosa di Felice group at the University of Southern California (USC).
My transition to the private sector began at Green Energy Storage in Trento, where I worked as an R&D scientist in the field of Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs). In this role, I initially joined the computational chemistry team where my work was focused on ab initio and data-driven chemistry dedicated to the identification of promising redox active organic molecule (ROM) to be used as organic electrolytes. In that period I also developed software for the analysis of electrochemical data using regular data analysis tools and machine learning algorithms. I also had the possibility of attending machine learning courses and develop machine learning algorithms, based on Tensorflow, for the automatic identification of the state of health of battery systems based on their Electrochemical Impedance Spectrscopy (EIS) spectrum. Later, I moved into experimental work, focusing on the electrochemical characterization of organic electrolytes, and investigating their stability and degradation pathways after electro-oxidation. This experimental work ignited my passion for the field of organic radicals and electro-induced transformations, I field that I hope I will be able to further develop in the future in the context of electrosyntesis.
Currently, I work at Woodn Greenwood s.r.l., where I was hired as an R&D manager to establish a workflow aimed at enhancing the technical properties of composite polymer materials. So far, I worked on new formulations of wood-plastic composites (WPC) with improved fire reaction behavior. Under my guidance the company managed to certify novel PVC-based formulations acheiving the B-s2,d0 fire reaction class according to the European EN13501-1 norm. At the same time I also developed a new polypropilene-based formulation with flooring applications that obtained the Cfl-s1 European certification. Both formulations have succesfully entered industrial production. This role, played an important role in my professional growth allowing me to develop new management skills by directly interfacing with suppliers, external partners and stakeholders to achieve company goals. In this position I also co-authored and secured public funding for two research projects: one for research on circular materials (PR Veneto FESR 2021-2027. Azione 2.6.1 DGR n. 379/2024) and one for research on bio-derived fibers in the field of sustainable composite materials (PR Veneto FESR 2021-2027. Azione 1.1.1, sub. A, DGR n. 729/2024).
Throughout my career, whether in academia or industry, my passion for discovery, innovation, and problem-solving has guided me every step of the way. From synthetic organic chemistry to quantum technologies, I am constantly exploring new frontiers, excited to tackle the next challenge in science and technology.