Rizzi Rosanna

Dr. Rosanna Rizzi graduated in Physics from the University of Bari with a thesis entitled “Two-photon absorption processes in GaAs-AlxGa1-xAs quantum wire semiconductors.” In 2002, she obtained a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Bari, defending a thesis entitled “Development of crystallographic methodologies for powder structure analysis with particular emphasis on zeolite compounds.” Supervisor: Prof. Carmelo Giacovazzo.

She worked at the Institute of Crystallography (CNR-Bari) from 1995 to 2001 as the recipient of several research fellowships. In 2001, she won a permanent researcher position, working on the development of crystallographic methodologies for the characterization of small and medium-sized molecules of polycrystalline compounds under the supervision of Prof. C. Giacovazzo.

Dr. Rizzi is co-author of several software packages for:

1. quantitative phase analysis (the QUANTO program);
2. qualitative analysis (the QUALX program);
3. crystal structure solution (the EXPO program);
4. OchemDb, a new free web portal developed to assist the crystal structure determination process through the identification of bond distances, bond angles, torsion angles, atom types, and space groups;
5. CrystalMELA, a machine-learning-based web platform for the determination of the crystal system from powder diffraction data.

The new methodologies and procedures developed by Dr. Rizzi within the Institute of Crystallography have been implemented in the aforementioned software packages. These tools are widely used by the national and international crystallographic community, and a large number of crystal structures have been solved using the EXPO program and all its previous versions. EXPO is also included in the list of programs associated with the CCP14 project (Collaborative Computational Project No. 14, http://www.ccp14.ac.uk/about.htm) and has been integrated into the SmartLab Studio II software suite produced and distributed by the Japanese company Rigaku, a world leader in scientific instrumentation manufacturing.

Dr. Rizzi is responsible for the Rigaku RINT2500 X-ray Diffraction Laboratory. The diffractometer is housed within the laboratories of the Institute of Crystallography and is used for third-party services as well as for scientific collaborations.

Within the Institute of Crystallography, Dr. Rizzi has developed extensive expertise in the field of crystallographic methodology development for the characterization of crystal structures from powder diffraction data. Her focus on the treatment of polycrystalline data stems from the fundamental role that powder diffraction has increasingly assumed in recent years in the characterization and investigation of organic, inorganic, pharmaceutical, and other types of structures.

Dr. Rizzi’s research activity is widely recognized by the national and international scientific community and is documented by numerous scientific publications in international journals in the field, contributions and presentations at international and national conferences, as well as participation in national and international schools and workshops.

Dr. Rizzi’s research activity also includes an experimental component involving the collection of X-ray diffraction data from polycrystalline compounds using the RINT2500 diffractometer, for which she is responsible at the IC laboratories. Data collection is often followed by data processing for qualitative analysis or crystal structure solution.

Main Collaborations:

• University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
• University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Pharmacy – Pharmaceutical Sciences, CINMPIS Consortium, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
• University of Bari Aldo Moro, Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (ICCOM) – CNR, Department of Chemistry, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
• University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Earth and Geoenvironmental Sciences, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
• Laboratory of Industrial and Synthetic Organic Chemistry (LISOC), Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria
• Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Polytechnic University of Turin
• University of Napoli Federico II, Department of Earth, Environment and Resources Sciences