Erika M.D. Porporato is a marine ecologist holding a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences. Since 2020, she has been a researcher at the IMC - International Marine Centre Foundation. Her scientific interests lie at the intersection of biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and macroecology, with a particular focus on species' responses to antrhopogenic pressures-such as aquaculture and fisheries-and environmental change. Her research places special emphasis on the impacts of climate change and the role of multiple interacting stressors on marine ecosystems. Her current work is primarily dedicated to the evaluation of aquaculture suitability, employing individual-based growth models, satellite remote sensing, and multicriteria decision analysis. She has contributed to several international initiatives supporting the identification of Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZAs) in  Sardinia (Italy), Albania, and Georgia.