Giorgio Rizzo

Postdoc Associate, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
“Synthesis of a New Biopolymer for Precision Agriculture”

Giorgio Rizzo works in the Lab for Advanced Materials with Professor Benedetto Marelli, exploring how new polymers affect plant growth and preserve beneficial bacteria by leveraging novel chemical features of biomaterials. An organic chemist by training, he earned a PhD in chemistry at the University of Bari, Italy, focusing on the chemical modification and processing of biopolymers.

Giorgio developed a new biomaterial by chemically modifying chitosan, using it as a fertilizer to stimulate plant growth, preserve living organisms in the soil, and impart stress resistance to crops. This material is less expensive than conventional fertilizers and outperforms existing products. Support from the Kavanaugh Fellowship will help Giorgio scale up the technology and prepare for a strong startup launch.

He is passionate about botany and writes outreach pieces on the chemistry of natural products, pigments, and drugs. Outside the lab, he enjoys classic literature, art history, and visiting museums.