The Team
The researchers of the Lean & Quality Solutions Lab.
Giuseppe Ioppolo
Full Professor | Commodity Science (ECON-10/A)
Department of Economics | UniME
Giuseppe Ioppolo is a Civil Engineer for Environment with a focus on sustainability and environmental management, he is a Full Professor of Commodities Science, and a Lecturer in the Technology of Production Cycles and TQM, Department of Economics, University of Messina. He is a member of the Doctoral School of Economics, Management, and Statistics. He is Delegate of the Rector for Relations with Local Enterprises. As Editor-in-Chief of the journal Sustainability, one of the leading international journals on the topic of sustainability, he has served as a referee for Italy and Europe in numerous scientific committees at international conferences. As a Visiting Professor, he has lectured at Tsinghua University (Beijing, China), BJTU MBA (Beijing, China), Tokyo University (Tokyo, Japan), and Santa Barbara University (California, USA). He is the PI for several international programs and is particularly active in China. He has participated in national and international research programs such as Interreg and Horizon. Finally, he has carried out process coordination activities in engineering and spatial planning projects, both in Italy (such as the Aeolian Islands, Sardinia, Valle d'Agrò, etc.) and abroad (Tunisia, Croatia, etc.).
Carlotta D'Alessandro
PhD | XXXVI Cycle EMS
Department of Economics | UniME
Carlotta D'Alessandro holds a Ph.D. in Economics, Management and Statistics with a focus on Sustainability and Circular Economy from the University of Messina. Her research is dedicated to addressing critical issues in sustainability and promoting circular economy practices, working towards a more sustainable and circular future. She is currently serving as a Guest Editor for an international scientific journal.
Antonio Licastro
PhD in Economics, Management and Statistics
Department of Economics | UniME
He completed his PhD with laude in 2025 at the University of Messina, Department of Economics. His areas of expertise are econometrics, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), industrial ecology, and sustainability science, with focus on critical environmental challenges in agricultural and territorial systems. Current research interests include developing accessible assessment methodologies for sustainability transitions in small communities, integrating digital technologies in environmental monitoring systems, and advancing the theoretical foundations of circular economy applications in agricultural contexts.
Andrea Morana
PhD Student | XLI Cycle EMS
Department of Economics | UniME
Ph.D. Student in Economics, Management and Statistics at the University of Messina. His research focuses on sustainable territorial development, circular economy, and sustainable tourism management, with a focus on leveraging AI and digital technologies to support sustainable transitions. Involved in local development initiatives (GAL) and the MeTaBlue DMO project.
Mert Mecit Erim
PhD Student | XL Cycle EMS
Department of Economics | UniME
Ph.D. Student in Economics, Management and Statistics at the University of Messina. His research explores the intersection of digital technologies, Industry 5.0, and sustainable management, with contributions on digital revolution in the pharmaceutical industry and Emotional AI in Human Digital Twins for enhancing human-machine interaction.
Katarzyna Szopik-Depczyńska
Associate Professor | Management and Quality Sciences
University of Szczecin | Poland
Associate Professor in Management at the University of Szczecin (Poland), serves as Senior Researcher in Sustainable Innovation Management for the H-SMA-CE project. Her work focuses on technological innovation analysis, circular economy methodologies, and environmental assessment tools for Historical Small Towns, supporting DSS development and testing. Frequent co-author with Prof. Ioppolo, with around 170 publications in Journal of Cleaner Production, Land Use Policy, Ecological Indicators. Co-author of "Total Quality Management and Lean Thinking 5.0" (Routledge, 2024).