Maria Ronza,
associate professor in Geography at the University of Naples “Federico II” - Humanities Department, is currently Coordinator of the
Master Degree Course in “Management of Cultural Heritage”. Prof. Ronza teaches Cartography and GIS (Geographical Information System) at this Master Degree Course, Human Geography at the Degree Courses in “Modern Literature” and “Archeology, Arts and Cultural Heritage’s Sciences”.
She is a member of the Scientific and Editorial Board of “Documenti Geografici” and “Bollettino dell’Associazione Italiana di Cartografia” (Class A Journals in Italian ranking for Geography scientific sector). Since 2019 prof. Ronza is member of the Ph.D Committee in “Documentation Studies, linguistics and Literature”, University of Rome “Sapienza”. Since 2001 she has contributed to many research projects funded by Italian Minister of University and Scientific Research (MUR), National Research Council (CNR), Italian Geographical Society (SGI) on cultural routes, historical cartography, cultural landscape as an historical stratification and an identities’ reflection. An innovative perspective is based on satellite imagery and digital mapping software to manage spatial data and diachronic series of cartographic sources. In collaboration with the SGI and the European Association of Francigene Ways, prof. Ronza has contributed to promote the Francigena Way of southern Italy as an European Cultural Route to the Council of Europe (a process with a positive result).
Over the years, she has promoted conferences, seminars, workshops on historical cartography, GIS, landscape and cultural heritage; in 2022, a Summer School on smart and sustainable tourism was organized in partnership with the Vesuvius National Park. Prof. Ronza is component of several research groups of the Italian Geographers Association such as terraced historical landscape, innovative technologies in Geography, historical cartography and other geographical legacy for scientific and academic museums.
She has published two monographs (2005, 2019) and a collection of essays written by various authors for the Cultural Heritage Department of CNR (2009). Since 2002 prof. Ronza is author and co-author of around 60 papers published in scientific journal, books and conference proceedings; she has written many reviews and educational articles.
For further details, please refer to the links and these documents (download "Insight section"): Scientific Publications, Didactic Activity, Research Projects, Conferences and Public Geography, Journals Editorial Board and Geographic Associations, Scientific Assessments.
Maria Ronza, in a first time, analysed the role of cultural heritage in the organisation of local systems. Subsequently, in collaboration with the Province of Naples during the preliminary phases of the PTCP, its role was then analysed from an operational perspective in terms of territorial planning. During the course of a feasibility study conducted on behalf of the Vesuvius National Park Authority, the role of the ecological network in safeguarding environmental quality in highly anthropized systems was also taken into consideration. In analysing the landscape, She focused her attention on diachronic readings of territorial dynamics through the use of non-homogenous GIS sources and was responsible for the planning of a data-base for the Campania Region’s coastal systems. Maria Ronza is part of an A.Ge.I. (Association of Italian Geographers) research group dealing with “Terraced Landscapes” and “New Technologies for Territorial Management”. She earned her research doctorate in "Assessment and Mitigation of environmental risk” at the C.I.R.AM (Environment Interdepartmental Research Center) at the Federico II University of Naples with her dissertation entitled "Territorial and Environmental Quality Requalification: landscape units and ecological corridors in the Campania Regional System ".
The research fields are characterized by an interdisciplinary approach; she has collaborated with historians, archivists, sociologists, communication experts, planners. The research has been directed chiefly on the following topics:
- analysis of environmental and cultural heritage in the perspective of operational planning and development of functional maps in the zoning process; particular attention has focused on the values of a geographic approach, for the application of the European Landscape Convention and the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape;
- analysis of the cultural and natural stratification by integration of non-homogeneous sources (historical maps, IGM cartography, aerial photography, etc. ..) in GIS and relational database design for the integrated management of tourist attractors;
- feasibility studies on the functional transformations of cultural heritage to ensure, in accordance with the historical and architectural values, active and supportive role for the competitiveness and local development.
The research has been directed chiefly on the following topics:
- analysis of environmental and cultural heritage in the perspective of operational planning and development of functional maps in the zoning process; particular attention has focused on the values of a geographic approach, for the application of the European Landscape Convention and the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape;
- analysis of the cultural and natural stratification by integration of non-homogeneous sources (historical maps, IGM cartography, aerial photography, etc. ..) in GIS and relational database design for the integrated management of tourist attractors;
- feasibility studies on the functional transformations of cultural heritage to ensure, in accordance with the historical and architectural values, active and supportive role for the competitiveness and local development.