About Me

I'm a Post-doc Research Assistant at the Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR) in Naples, Italy. My research focuses on remote sensing with active and passive sensors, particularly the development of InSAR algorithms for monitoring surface deformation phenomena.

I received my Ph.D. in Engineering for Innovation and Sustainable Development from the University of Basilicata in 2023. In the same year, I had the opportunity to work as a Visiting Scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

My expertise includes SAR data processing, machine learning applications in remote sensing, and the development of algorithms for analyzing areas subject to ground deformation.

Professional Experience

2023 - present

Post-doc Research Assistant

Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR)

• Naples, Italy

• Study of methods and algorithms based on remote sensing synthetic aperture radar data in support of the ASI PLATINO-1 mission

2022 - 2023

Research Assistant

Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment (IREA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR)

• Naples, Italy

• Development of advanced algorithms based on Machine Learning (ML) for processing and analysis of synthetic aperture RADAR (SAR) signals for environmental remote sensing

2019 - 2022

PhD Student

University of Basilicata

• Potenza, Italy

• Study and development of advanced algorithms for the retrieval of Earth's atmosphere and surface geophysical parameters from satellite observations operating in the infrared and microwave bands

2018 - 2019

Trainee

IREA of National Research Council

• Naples, Italy

• Study and development of algorithms for the processing of RADAR synthetic aperture signals (SAR), as part of the ESA-CNR project entitled "Integrated analysis of the combined risk of rising sea levels of abandonment and structural risks in coastal regions delta (INUNDATE)"

Education

2019 - 2023

PhD in Engineering for Innovation and Sustainable Development

University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy

• Thesis: "Innovative Techniques for the Retrieval of Earth's Surface and Atmosphere Geophysical Parameters: Spaceborne Infrared/Microwave Combined Analyses"

2017 - 2019

Master's Degree in Electronic Engineering

University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy

• Thesis: "Innovative Techniques for the Retrieval of Earth's Surface and Atmosphere Geophysical Parameters: Spaceborne Infrared/Microwave Combined Analyses"

• Final Grade: 110/110 with honors

2012 - 2016

Bachelor's Degree in Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering

University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy

• Thesis: "Innovative Techniques for the Retrieval of Earth's Surface and Atmosphere Geophysical Parameters: Spaceborne Infrared/Microwave Combined Analyses"

• Final Grade: 103/110

Publications

Last journal papers

  • Mastro P., Pepe A, and C. E. Jones, "An Adaptive, Statistical Multiscale Phase Unwrapping Approach to Process Large Swath Interferograms," in IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol. 62, pp. 1-17, 2024, Art no. 5229217

  • Mastro P., Peppo M. D., Crema A., Boschetti M., Pepe A., "Statistical characterization and exploitation of Synthetic Aperture radar vegetation indexes for the generation of Leaf area Index time series", International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, vol. 124, p. 103498, 2023

  • Ricciardelli E., Di Paola F., Cimini D., Larosa S., Mastro P., Masiello G., Serio C., Hultberg T., August T., Romano F. "A Feedforward Neural Network approach for the detection of optically thin cirrus from IASI-NG." Proceedings of IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2023

  • Mastro P., Masiello G, Serio C, Pepe A., "Change Detection Techniques with Synthetic Aperture Radar Images: Experiments with Random Forests and Sentinel-1 Observations.", Remote Sensing. 2022; 14(14):3323

  • Mastro P., Masiello G., Serio C., Cimini D., RIcciardelli E., Di Paola F., Hultberg T., August T., Romano F., "Combined IASI-NG and MWS Observations for the Retrieval of Cloud Liquid and Ice Water Path: A Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence Approach," in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, vol. 15, pp. 3313-3322, 2022

Conference Contributions

Sep 2024

Poster Presentation

"Change Detection Approaches with Synthetic Aperture Radar Images: Random Forests and Sentinel-1 Observations for Burned Areas Mapping"

• 13th EARSeL Workshop on Forest Fires 2024, Milan, Italy

Jun 2024

Poster Presentation

"Use of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) Parameters for the Evaluation of Hazardous Conditions in Urbanized Areas"

• Dragon 5 Final Results and Dragon 6 Kick-off Symposium, Lisbon, Portugal

Jul 2023

Oral Presentation

"Risk Analysis of Coastal Areas: an AI-Based Perspective Using SAR Data"

• IEEE IGARSS 2023, Pasadena, USA

Oct 2022

Poster Presentation

"Coherent/Incoherent Change Detection Experiments Using Sentinel-1 SAR Data and Random Forests"

• ESA-MOST Dragon 5 Mid-Term Result Symposium (Virtual)

View all Journal and Conference publications

Skills

Remote Sensing

  • SAR Data Processing
  • InSAR Algorithms
  • Surface Deformation Monitoring
  • Satellite Image Analysis
Expert 95%

Machine Learning

  • Neural Networks
  • Random Forests
  • Deep Learning
  • Data Analysis
Expert 90%

Programming

  • Python
  • MATLAB
  • R
  • Julia
  • C#/C++/C
  • Fortran
  • IDL
  • Java
  • JavaScript
Expert 95%

Algorithm Development

  • Phase Unwrapping
  • Signal Processing
  • Optimization
  • Statistical Analysis
Expert 92%

Awards

2022

Best Poster Award

ESA-MOST, DRAGON 5 Mid-Term Result Symposium

2020

GRS29-CNI 2019 Best Master's Degree Thesis Award

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society - Central-North Italy Chapter

2019

Best Poster Award

Solid Earth & Disaster Risk Reduction Terrain Motion & Urban/Infrastructure Assessment, ESA-MOST, DRAGON 4 Symposium

• Lubiana, Slovenia

2018

M.Sc. Student Award

Financed by ESA within the ESA-CNR project entitled "INtegrated analysis of the combined Risk of groUND subsidence sea level rise, and nAtural hazards in coasTal delta rEgions (INUNDATE)"

Research Projects

2022 - present

E-crops - Technologies for Sustainable Digital Agriculture

Italian National Operating Program (PON)

• Role: Participant unit

• Ref: DBA.AD002.200

2023 - present

MEFISTO - Metodi di Elaborazione di dati SAR multi-Frequenza per Il monitoraggio del disseSTO idrogeologico

Italian National Operating Program (PON)

• Role: Participant unit

• Ref: DIT.AD012.135

2020 - present

GREENISH - Global Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, Extreme Events and Local Ground Subsidence Effects in Coastal and River Delta Regions

European Space Agency (ESA) and Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China

• Role: Young Scientist

• Ref: 4000135320/21/I-NB

2019 - 2021

ComboCloud - Combined MWS and IASI-NG Soundings for Cloud Properties

European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)

• Role: Participant unit

• Contract: EUM/CO/19/4600002352/THH

2019 - 2021

INUNDATE - Integrated Analysis of the Combined Risk of Ground Subsidence, Sea Level Rise, and Natural Hazards in Coastal and Delta River Regions

European Space Agency (ESA) and Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China

• Role: Young scientist

• Ref: ESA-MOST 32294

Teaching History

Mar 2023 - Jun 2023

Supplementary Teaching Activities

SAR Techniques for Earth Observation Class

• University of Basilicata, School of Engineering

• Academic year: 2022-2023

• Total hours: 5

Apr 2021 - Sep 2021

Tutoring and Supplementary Teaching Activities

Physics I Class

• University of Basilicata, School of Engineering

• Academic year: 2020-2021

• Total hours: 80

Nov 2019 - Dec 2019

Tutoring and Supplementary Teaching Activities

Physics Class

• University of Basilicata, Department of Science (DiS)

• Academic year: 2019-2020

• Total hours: 20

Journal Editorial

Dec 2023

Guest Editor

Special Issue: "Remote Sensing Applications in Marine Environmental Monitoring"

MDPI Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

More info: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jmse/special_issues/40YK17AZKN

Courses Taken

Jul 2024

Fraunhofer FHR 15th International Summer School on Radar/SAR

Gustav-Stresemann-Institut, Bonn Bad Godesberg, Germany

Sep 2021

Solar Radiation Based Established Techniques for Atmospheric Observations (SORBETTO) Summer School

CNR Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Jul 2021

InnEO International Summer School

R&D Institute of Transilvania University, Brașov, Romania

Download CV

You can download my complete curriculum vitae to learn more about my research experience, publications, and academic background.

Download CV (PDF)

Get In Touch

I'm always open to discussing new research opportunities, collaborations, or just having a conversation about remote sensing and data science.