PhD thesis in Earth Science in 1993.
From 1990 to 1992 participate to the GRIP (Greenland ice core project) project, for the deep drilling in the central of Greenland ice Sheet. Participate to the 10 Antarctic field seasons (from 1992 to 2008) of Italian Antarctic Expeditions, for firn drillings in the Northern Victoria Land and Dome C. Has been PI in the UE AlpClim Project on the climatic characterization from Alpine ice cores, PI of IMONT (Italian Institute for Mountain Research) project CryoAlp and coordinator of 3 ISPESL (Italian Institute for Work Safety) projects on the anthropogenic impact on the Mediterranean area. From 2002 is Italian representative of the EPICA Steering Committee. Was member of the scientific committee of Project of Strategic Interest NEXTDATA of CNR (2012-2018). Was representative of the Paleoclimate Committee of the International Quaternary Association (INQUA).
From 2004 is member of the International Glaciological Society (IGS) and, from 1997, also member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). He is member of the Italian Quaternary Association (AIQUA), the Italian Physical Geography and Geomorphology Association (AIGEO) and is Vice-President Italian Glaciological Committee (CGI). It is representative of the UNIMIB in Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente (FLA), and UNIMIB representative in the Climate Change Working Group of the Rete Italiana delle Università per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (RUS). It is Chair the Table 9 Mountain Territory and Biosphere, part of the Stati Generali della Montagna of the Italian Ministry of Regional Affair. President of the UIS Commission on Snow, Firn and Ice Caves.
In 2008 was a winner of EU Descartes Prize, with other 10 European colleagues, for the Collaborative Research.
The main research topics are the characterization atmospheric dust, mainly in Antarctica, Greenland and Alpine areas, and long-term paleoclimatic influences of mineral phases on the atmosphere. Identification of the source areas of mineral dust and evolution of the solid charge in atmosphere in the last 800 ky. Author and co-author of more than 100 scientific papers on the international journals.
From 2018 is Full Professor in the University of Milano-Bicocca at the Earth and Environmental Sciences Dep.