Francesca Irene FOTI

Curriculum Vitae - Francesca Irene Foti

Current position

• Full Professor of General Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.

Education

• 2012: Ph.D in “Applied Neurological Sciences”, University of Siena, Italy.
• 2008: Ph.D in “Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology”, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
• 2005: License to practice as a psychologist, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
• 2004: Post-lauream internship, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
• 2003: Master Degree in Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Main work experiences

• 2023-present: Full Professor of General Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.

• 2020-2023: Full Professor of General Psychology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Italy.
• 2016-2020: Associate Professor of General Psychology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Italy.
• 2013-2016: Postdoc Fellow, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
• 2011-2013: Postdoc Fellow, Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
• 2010: Postdoc Fellow, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation of Rome, Italy.
• 2009: Postdoc Fellow, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Selected service positions

• Coordinator of the Master’s Degree in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Italy (2019-2023).
• Co-Head (and co-founder) of the Cognitive Processes Lab, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Italy (2017-2023).
• Member of the Editorial Board of the journal Frontiers in Psychology - section Cognitive Science (since 2022).
• Member of the Editorial Board of the journal Neural Plasticity (since 2018).
• Member of the Italian Society for Neuroscience (SINS) (since 2018).
• Member of the Associazione Italiana di Psicologia (AIP) (Sezione di Psicologia Sperimentale; since 2016).
• Coordinator of the Erasmus+ Programme agreement for the Master’s Degree in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience of the “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, with the following Universities: Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spagna); Universidad de Almeria (Spagna); Universidad de Murcia (Spagna); Universidad de Granada (Spagna) (2019-2023). 

Teaching activities

• Courses taught over the years: Foundations of psychology; Cognitive psychology and neurosciences; Psychology of cognitive processes; General psychology; Psychology of learning and memory; Applications of learning psychology; Applications of psychology of communication; Human sciences; Personality pychology and individual differences.

Board member of the phd programme

• 2021-present: Member of the Board of Professors of the Ph.D in “Psychology”, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Italy (Course: “Research methods and techniques for the study of cognitive processes”).
• 2019-2021: Member of the Board of Professors of the Ph.D in “Psychology and Cognitive Science”, Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

Board member of specialization schools

• Board Member of the following Specialization Schools at the “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, over the years: Pharmacology and Clinical Toxicology; Respiratory System Diseases; Internal Medicine; Medical Oncology; Dermatology and Venereology; Geriatrics; Radiodiagnosis; Anesthesia, Reanimation, Intensive Care and Pain Management; General Surgery.

Main research interests

• Learning and memory; observational learning; imitation; spatial orientation and navigation skills; spatial memory; executive functions; cognitive processes in neurodevelopmental disorders and genetic syndromes; prosocial behaviors in typical and atypical development.

Main research grants awarded as Principal Investigator or Unit Coordinator

• 2023: Project title: “Learning by social interactions: behavioral and cognitive mechanisms and potential trans-diagnostic applications”. Funding agency: Italian Ministry of University and Research [Bando Prin 2022]. Role: Principal Investigator.
• 2020: Project title: “Cerebellar non-invasive stimulation on food related inhibitory control: a novel intervention in anorexia nervosa”. Funding agency: Ministry of Health [Bando 2019]. Role: Unit Coordinator.
• 2017: Project title: “Specific navigational training programs for supporting independence and mobility in individuals with Williams syndrome”. Funding agency: “Autour des Williams” Association (Paris, France). Role: Principal Investigator.
• 2016: Project title: “Learning by observation and learning by doing in individuals with intellectual disabilities”. Funding agency: Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Role: Principal Investigator.
• 2013: Project title: “Learning by observation: can a cognitive process be transformed into a powerful rehabilitation tool in the presence of intellectual disabilities?”. Funding agency: Fondation Jérôme Lejeune (Paris, France). Role: Principal Investigator.

Publications

https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23666757800