Francesco Laio is a water scientist with expertise in hydrology, water resources assessment, environmental modelling, and statistics. He holds a Ph.D. in Water Engineering (from Politecnico di Milano), and serves as a Full Professor in Hydrology at the Politecnico di Torino. He is currently Head of the Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering Department of Politecnico.

His scholarly activities are documented by more than 150 publications. In the past few years he has served as the coordinator of 11 national and international research projects (including a FIRB project and a ERC Consolidator Grant). Technology transfer activities include participation – as the scientific advisor- in the activities of the spinoff WaterView.

In the 2^nd level Specializing Master's programme in Climate Change: adaptation and mitigation solutions he will lecture Coping with Extreme Events in the course Climate Change                       Adaptation.