The Department welcomes Giovanni Bruno as RTDA from August 2024

My university and academic journey began and developed at the Department of General Psychology, where I arrived in 2013 as an undergraduate student and then continued step by step as a master's student, post-graduate intern, research fellow, PhD student and post-doc researcher. At the DPG  I obtained my PhD in Psychological Sciences in 2022, and today I conduct research in the fields of psychometrics, applied statistics, and experimental methods.
Since 2018, I have been a member of the Quantitative Psychology Laboratory (QP Lab), where I have been able to develop my interests in psychometrics thanks to the fundamental guidance of Prof. Giulio Vidotto first and then Prof. Andrea Spoto. In this context, my interests are focused on a critical exploration for a conscious and constructive use of psychometric techniques in experimental and applied psychology, with particular attention to Generalized Linear Models, Item Response Theory, Structural Equation Modeling, and longitudinal approaches (e.g., Time Series Analysis). I have had the opportunity to deepen these techniques in various fields of application: moral psychology and ethics of artificial intelligence, driving behaviors, and user relationship with progressive levels of automation (autonomous vehicles), electrophysiological correlates and neuroimaging techniques (fNIRS), clinical and psychodiagnostics assessment.
I believe that the use of psychometric and statistical techniques should be guided by a "Thinking Before Testing" approach, so that every piece of research is coherent, reasonable, and aware of the advantages and limitations of each hypothesis, statistical technique, and interpretation of effects. I share this attitude daily with numerous colleagues, and especially with all members of the QP Lab and the “Psicostat” group, of which I have been happy to be a member - thanks to Prof. Massimiliano Pastore - since the very first meeting organized on January 13, 2016!
I am a member of the “Mobility & Behavior” Study Center (MoBe) in collaboration with the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (ICEA), whose main objective is the study of driving behaviors aimed at improving road safety. I have had the fortune to collaborate with national and international working groups and research centers, and I have conducted research periods abroad at the Universities of Galway (Ireland), Granada (Spain), and Amsterdam - Vrije (Netherlands).
There is life beyond the University, and I believe that to be a good researcher it is essential to always keep this in mind. During my free time, I carefully cultivate the important relationships in my life, my community, and my ideas. I like to involve myself and inform myself, "contaminating" myself with ideas and points of view through a number of experiences of association and social activism. Among these, I am a member of the “Polisportiva San Precario”, a historic grassroots sports association in Padua that believes in the utility of team sports as a means of social and physical inclusion and against racism, sexism, and all forms of social discrimination. For the "Sanpre" I play basketball.