Riccardo Cattaneo-Vietti, full Professor in Ecology at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Genoa, was born in Genoa (Italy) on 16th July 1949. His research activity is condensed in more than 200 scientific papers on ecology of marine macrobenthic organisms (mainly sponges, gorgonaceans and opisthobranch molluscs), with special reference to the distribution, structure and dynamics of some littoral environments such as cave and coralligenous communities. Other interests are focused on the red coral biology, the effects of sedimentation on the benthic communities, and the influence of mineralogical features of substrate on settling and community structure. He has been the scientific responsible of several national projects on the Italian Marine Protected Areas (Sistema Afrodite, Fish and spill-over, ASPIM I and ASPIM II). He is member of the board of directors of the Marine Protected Area of Portofino (Liguria) and member of the scientific board of the Tavolara Marine Protected Area in Sardinia. In Antarctica, he worked on the structure and dynamics of the benthic communities with special regard to population dynamics, reproduction, trophic relationships and benthic-pelagic coupling. He has published seven books on marine ecology topics and fishery activities. He has taken part in several scientific expeditions around the world (Norway, Scotland, Capo Verde Islands, Chile, Antarctica, Great Barrier Reef, Japan). He has been member for six years of the scientific board of the Italian Oceanographic Society and member of several scientific associations (Italian Oceanographic Society, Italian Marine Biology Society, Italian Malacological Society and Unitas Malacologica). Tertiary education 1972: University of Genoa, graduated in Biological Sciences Honours and distinctions 1997-2007: Regional Editor for Marine Biology, Springer-Verlag International Journal, Germany 2007 to up date: Associate Editor for Aquatic Biology, Inter Research, Germany 1999-2001: Vice-President of European Federation of the Societies in Marine Science and Technology (EFMS) 1998-2005: member of the Joint Committee of the Science Faculty of the University of Genoa 2000: Delegate of the Genoa University Chancellor inside the Scientific Committee of the Italian Museum of Antarctica. 2000-2005: member of the International Affair Committee of the Genoa University 2003-07: President of the Environmental Science Degree of the Faculty of Science 2008: winner of the “Libro del Mare” Prize, Casinò di San Remo (Italy) 2010: winner of the Tridente d’Oro” prize. Employment record 1973-74: grant at Istituto Talassografico of Triest (Italy) 1975-80: grant at the University of Genoa, Institute of Comparative Anatomy 1981-97: senior researcher at the Zoology Institute of the University of Genoa 1987: visiting researcher at the Zoology Dpt. of the Bristol University 1998: Associate professor in Ecology at the Genoa University 2000: Full professor in Ecology at the Genoa University 2010: Full professor in Ecology at the Università Politecnica delle Marche