Alba P. Santo graduated in Geology at the University of Florence (Italy) in 1985. In 1990 she received her Ph.D. in Mineralogy and Petrology. She spent one year at Harvard University (USA) working on isotopic and geochronological analyses of magmatic rocks. Dr. Santo is presently employed as a senior researcher at the University of Florence. She is the author or co-author of more than 60 publications and two books.  Since 1991, she has taught courses in Geochemistry and Petrography. Her research activity focused on the petrogenesis and evolution of magmatic rocks, as well as the development of innovative analytical methodologies for trace element analysis in minerals and rocks. She has carried out field and laboratory studies on magmatic products from the Aeolian Islands (Italy), Sicily Channel, Elba Island, Barren Volcano (Indian Ocean), Nyiragongo Volcano (DR Congo), and Triassic–Cretaceous magmatic complexes of the Moroccan High Atlas. She has also developed an extensive research line in Applied Petrography, with projects in the field of Cultural Heritage. These include the characterization of stone materials and artifacts from Tuscany and Elba Island, as well as ongoing studies on the stones used in the Baptistery of San Giovanni and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, and on Etruscan statues in collaboration with the Archaeological Museum of Florence.