Paola holds a PhD in Analysis and Governance of Sustainable Development from the University of Venice Ca’ Foscari and a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Rome La Sapienza. She has previous research experience at Venice Research Consortium and the US Environmental Protection Agency for the development and application of Decision Support Systems in risk assessment and management. She was Scientific Project Officer at the European Commission, Directorate General for Research and Innovation, in Bruxelles, supervising projects related to climate change and natural hazards.

Since November 2013, she works at CMCC, OPA Division/OceanLab, mainly in activities concerned with fund raising, communication, dissemination and project management.