Dr. Paola Piccinini serves as the Head of the Emerging Security Challenges Unit at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), located in Ispra, Italy. Her unit falls under the Societal Resilience and Security Directorate. Dr. Piccinini holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry and a degree in Chemistry from the University of Turin. Additionally, she completed an executive leadership program at the Harvard Kennedy School.

With a decade of academic experience, primarily focused on photo catalysis and the dyeing and printing technologies of man-made fibres, Dr. Piccinini joined the JRC's Institute for Health and Consumer Protection in 2002. Initially, her work at the Commission centred on ensuring the safety of consumer products and characterizing new textile fibres. In 2016, she transitioned to the Directorate on Space, Security, and Migration, expanding her expertise to security and migration. In 2020, Dr. Piccinini was appointed Head of the Knowledge for Security and Migration Unit, further solidifying her leadership role in the field.