Dr. Lucia Fanini, Msc in Ecology and PhD in Ethology and Animal Ecology (University of Florence) started her work on sandy beach ecology in 2003, with fieldwork carried out at broad geographical scale. 

Her focus is on the adaptation of resident organisms to transitional environments, including both natural and human-driven impacts on sandy shores. Her work is therefore linked to social ecological systems. She is Associated Researcher at the Universidad de la Republica de Uruguay (2011 ? to date) and at the Australian Museum Research Institute (2014 ? to date). She acts as Managing Editor for the international journal Ethology Ecology and Evolution (University of Florence, Taylor&Francis publisher).