Mauro Ciarniello is a planetary scientist studying the physical properties of atmoshpereless bodies in the Solar System. He applied modeling techniques to VIS-IR imaging spectroscopy observations from space payloads, to characterize the composition and the photometric properties of planetary surfaces, minor bodies and planetary rings. He participated in the scientific activity of imaging spectrometers onboard a series of space missions (Cassini, Rosetta, Dawn, Juno, BepiColombo, Juice).