Student Representatives

Two Student Representatives are elected from among the doctoral candidates to act as a bridge between the student body and the PhD Programme Committee. They ensure that the voices and needs of PhD students are integrated into the Programme’s governance.

The representatives attend meetings of the PhD Programme Committee to provide input on:

• the general progress and strategic direction of the PhD Programme;
• the design and organization of educational and training activities.

• duration: Representatives serve a two-year term;
• vacancies: In the event of a resignation or withdrawal, the position is filled by the next candidate from the election results;
• by-elections: If no substitutes are available, a new election will be held. The Committee remains fully operational and authorized to act during election periods.

PAGANO Annachiara
annachiara.pagano@unitn.it
Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies - Pisa

Annachiara Pagano is a PhD Candidate in Space, Science and Technology at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (Pisa). She holds a degree in Law and conducts research on the legal and regulatory aspects of space activities, with a particular focus on international commercial contracts, risk management, Earth observation policies, and their impact on the space economy.
She currently serves as the doctoral student representative for the PhD Programme and actively contributes to academic governance and quality assurance processes.

RICCI Luca
luca.ricci@unitn.it
Sapienza University of Rome

Luca Ricci is a PhD candidate and a qualified lawyer, specialising in new technologies law, data protection, and public procurement. He currently serves as a legal officer at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, where he has gained extensive experience in managing highly complex procurement procedures and is involved in drafting internal regulations related to ICT and data protection.
In parallel, he is pursuing a National PhD (Dottorato di Interesse Nazionale) jointly offered by the University of Trento and the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in Space Science and Technology (SST), conducting research focused on the intersections between privacy, artificial intelligence, and space law.
Luca has also acquired significant international experience through collaborations with leading organisations, including the European Space Agency (ESA) and SGAC, working in the fields of space cooperation governance and international contracting. Most recently, he was elected as the PhD student representative within the Academic Board for the 2025–2027 term.