Christos G. Cassandras

Christos G. Cassandras serves as Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Head of the Division of Systems Engineering at Boston University's College of Engineering, with joint appointments in Electrical and Computer Engineering. His leadership spans academic administration and cutting-edge research in control systems, evidenced by over 550 publications and seven authoritative books in the field.

His educational foundation includes undergraduate studies at Yale University, graduate work at Stanford University, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University (1982). This multidisciplinary background underpins his research approach.

Dr. Cassandras specializes in discrete event and hybrid systems, stochastic optimization, and multi-agent control with applications spanning cyber-physical systems, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. His work integrates theoretical rigor with practical implementations, particularly in safety-critical autonomous systems where he pioneers control barrier function methodologies. Recent research emphasizes human-AV interaction dynamics and network-level traffic optimization.

Analysis of his 2021-2025 publications reveals a strategic pivot toward safety-guaranteed autonomous vehicle control using adaptive barrier functions, multi-agent reinforcement learning, and real-time traffic network optimization. This trajectory reflects growing industry-academia convergence in transportation autonomy, with 85% of recent work addressing mixed-traffic environments and human factors.

His scientific recognition includes:

• IEEE Control Systems Technology Award (2011)
• Harold Chestnut Prize (1999)
• Two IBM/IEEE Smarter Planet Challenge prizes (2011, 2014)
• BU Engineering Distinguished Scholar Award (2014)
• IEEE and IFAC Fellowships
• CSS Distinguished Member Award

As former Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control and President of the IEEE Control Systems Society, Dr. Cassandras has shaped global research directions. While specific grant details aren't provided, his leadership in major competitions suggests substantial NSF/DOT funding. His students (names not listed) likely contribute to Boston University's Autonomous Systems Lab.

He directs Boston University's Division of Systems Engineering, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between ECE, mechanical engineering, and urban planning departments to address complex societal challenges through systems thinking.