Dr Rayanne Vitali (she/her)

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Wildfire Lab at the University of Exeter, working as part of the IDEAL UK Fire project. My research focuses on understanding interactions between wildfire, vegetation, climate, and the carbon cycle, using a combination of different models. 

I have an interdisciplinary background in mathematics and Earth system science. During my PhD at the University of Exeter, I investigated long-term feedbacks between terrestrial ecosystems, fire, and atmospheric oxygen through Earth’s history. Alongside my doctoral research, I contributed to fieldwork and research activities within the Wildfire Lab — occasionally stepping away from the computer to get involved with wildfire research out in the field!

Following my PhD, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Aarhus University, where I used Earth system models to investigate high-latitude feedback processes and their influence on the global carbon cycle. I am now applying modelling approaches to explore how different land management interventions designed to reduce wildfire risk influence carbon storage and ecosystem functioning across the UK. My current work aims to understand the balance between reducing wildfire risk, maintaining carbon stocks, and supporting biodiversity under different management strategies.