Dr Pappalardo is the chief scientist of the CNR-IMAA Atmospheric Observatory (CIAO) at the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis of the Italian National Research Council. She has over 20 years experience in the field of atmospheric studies with lidar techniques. She is the coordinator of the FPVII ACTRIS Project. Gelsomina is also chair of EARLINET and co-chair of GALION, the GAW Aerosol Lidar Observation Network. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Aerosols of the Global Atmosphere Watch program of WMO and of the Scientific Advisory Group on Volcanic Ash (VA-SAG) of WMO and IUGG. She is the Chair of the ESFRI Strategy Working Group for Environmental Science.