Vittorio Solina is a Researcher at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG) of the University of Calabria, specializing in industrial systems simulation and digital twin technologies. His work spans Industry 4.0/5.0 applications, supply chain optimization, and human-robot collaboration. Affiliation: University of Calabria Academic Role: Researcher (Legge 240/10) Research Focus: Digital twins, simulation modeling, sustainable manufacturing His research emphasizes advanced simulation tools for decision support, including applications in Industry 4.0 , Smart Manufacturing , and Agri-Food Supply Chains . Recent work explores adaptive simulation optimization for Industry 5.0 and 5G-enabled robotics. Key publication trends include: (1) Digital twin integration for supply chain resilience (2024-2025), (2) Simulation automation methodologies (2025), and (3) Human-robot collaboration frameworks (2024).
Michele Zorzi is a Professor of Telecommunications at the School of Engineering, University of Padova, Italy, where he has held a faculty position since 2003. He leads the SIGNET (Signal processing and Networking) Research Group, focusing on cutting-edge wireless networking challenges including mmWave communications and underwater networks. His extensive publication record exceeds 600 papers in top-tier journals and conferences, reflecting significant contributions to the field through both theoretical and experimental work. He received his Laurea Degree (1990) and Ph.D. (1994) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Padova. Prior academic appointments include Politecnico di Milano (1993-1996), University of California San Diego (1995-1998), and University of Ferrara (1998-2003), where he progressed from Associate Professor to full Professor. His educational trajectory demonstrates deep roots in Italian academia with international exposure. Professor Zorzi's research spans wireless communications and networking, with current emphases on mmWave networking for vehicular systems, underwater acoustic/optical communications, non-terrestrial networks, and AI-driven networking solutions. His group conducts experimental validations including at-sea trials for underwater systems and testbeds for vehicular networks. Key projects include PRATA for predictive QoS in autonomous driving and IoT-based environmental monitoring of the Venice Lagoon, demonstrating practical applications of theoretical work. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals strong trends in applying artificial intelligence to networking challenges across diverse environments. There is significant emphasis on vehicular networks (predictive QoS, teleoperated driving), underwater systems (acoustic/optical communications, AUV swarms), and satellite networks (Starlink integration, NTN security). Experimental validation in real-world scenarios like the Venice Lagoon monitoring project and underwater sea trials characterizes his applied research approach. His scientific accolades include: IEEE Fellow (2007) IEEE Communications Society Best Tutorial Paper Award (2008, 2019) Stephen O. Rice Best Paper Award (2018) Multiple best paper awards at IEEE conferences (2005-2020) As principal investigator for numerous European and US research projects plus 20+ industry-funded initiatives, Professor Zorzi has mentored over 35 PhD students and post-docs. Graduates now hold prominent positions at institutions including Stanford, UCSD, CTTC, and Huawei. His SIGNET group maintains active international collaborations and contributes to open-source networking tools via GitHub, demonstrating commitment to community engagement. The SIGNET Research Group, housed within the Department of Information Engineering, operates specialized experimental facilities for mmWave and underwater communications. Current initiatives include AI-based predictive QoS frameworks for vehicular networks, underwater optical communication systems using ultraviolet light, and large-scale IoT deployments for environmental monitoring. The group's GitHub presence indicates strong open-science practices, while recent sea trials confirm hands-on experimental capabilities beyond theoretical work.
Francesco Pilati is an Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, where he serves as local coordinator for the scientific field ING-IND/17 (Industrial Plants and Logistic Systems). He chairs the research group on Industrial Plants, Production Systems, and Logistics, and teaches courses in Industrial Plants and Design of Digital Production and Assembly Systems. As coordinator of the Master's program in Management and Industrial Systems Engineering and University Coordinator for the EIT double degree in Zero-Defect Manufacture, Pilati bridges academic leadership with advanced manufacturing research. He has also served as Invited Lecturer at universities in Vienna and Göttingen. His research focuses on integrating environmental sustainability with technical-economic criteria through multi-objective optimization and impact assessment. Key areas include: Distribution networks and warehousing systems Manufacturing and assembly line design Hybrid energy production systems Digitization of manual production processes using depth cameras Recent publications highlight applications of Industry 4.0 technologies to pandemic safety, logistics optimization, and smart manufacturing. Pilati has received significant recognition including the Philip Morris Italia Empowering Research Award (2016) and Autostrade per l'Italia academic recognition. His editorial contributions include guest editing special issues on Digital Twins and Smart Factories in Q1 journals.
Luca Iocchi is a Full Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, where he teaches in the Master in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics program. He is affiliated with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering and the Faculty of Engineering of Information, Computer Science and Statistics. Iocchi serves as an Associate Editor for Artificial Intelligence Journal and has been the scientific coordinator of Spoke of PNRR project FAIR (Future AI Research). His educational background includes: Master in Engineering in Computer Science (Laurea in Ingegneria Informatica) cum Laude, Sapienza Università di Roma, 1995 PhD in Engineering in Computer Science (Dottorato in Ingegneria Informatica), Sapienza Università di Roma, 1999 Professor Iocchi's research focuses on cognitive robotics, task planning, multi-robot coordination, robot perception, robot learning, human-robot interaction, and social robotics. His work has significant applications in security, surveillance, and environmental monitoring. He has published over 200 referred papers with an h-index of 46 (Google Scholar). His research bridges theoretical AI with practical robotic systems operating in real-world environments, with a particular emphasis on developing intelligent systems that can interact effectively with humans. His recent publications show a strong trend toward multi-agent reinforcement learning, trust modeling in human-AI teams, UAV coordination, and planning systems. There's a clear focus on making robotic systems more reliable, efficient, and capable of operating in complex real-world scenarios like healthcare facilities and smart cities. His work increasingly integrates formal planning approaches with machine learning techniques. Professor Iocchi has received numerous scientific awards: 1999 Top Paper Award WebNet'99 2006 Best Paper Award RoboCup 2006 2008 Best Robotics Demo Award AAMAS 2008 2014 Best Paper Award For Engineering Contribution RoboCup 2014 2017 RoboCup@Home SSPL 2017 - 3rd place 2018 Canada-Italy Innovation Award 2019 Best Paper Award For Engineering Contribution RoboCup 2019 As an academic advisor, Iocchi has directed the PhD Program in Engineering in Computer Science from 2020 to 2023. He has been Principal Investigator for numerous research projects including SciRoc (European Robotics League), AI4EU (European AI project), BUBBLES, AIPlan4EU, ROSITA, Trust Your Agents, and FAIR. His research has been supported by EU H2020 programs, national grants, and industry collaborations, demonstrating strong connections between academia and practical applications. Professor Iocchi is actively involved with the Cognitive Cooperating Robots Lab (LabRoCoCo) and is a key member of the RoboCup Federation, having served as Vice-President from 2019 to 2024. He has played a significant role in benchmarking domestic service robots through RoboCup@Home and the European Robotics League Service Robots (ERL-SR), which he helped establish. His leadership in organizing international scientific robot competitions has been instrumental in advancing the field of service robotics.
Armando Rungi is a Professor of Economics at IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy. He teaches econometrics, international economics, and macroeconomics to PhD students. In addition to his academic role, he serves as a research fellow at the Observatory on Foreign Firms in Italy and has consulted for the European Commission, OECD, and UNCTAD on international trade and investment issues. His research focuses on international economics, industrial organization, applied econometrics, and statistical learning. Recent work emphasizes the organization of multinational enterprises, global value chains, labor markets, cyber-resilience of supply chains, and the integration of econometric and machine learning tools for policy evaluation and predictive analysis. His recent publications explore topics such as the impact of trade agreements, multinational enterprises' strategies, and the application of machine learning in predicting firm behaviors and evaluating economic policies. A common theme is the analysis of supply chain resilience, corporate ownership structures, and the effects of globalization on firms' competitiveness and productivity. No scientific awards are mentioned in the provided information. No advisees or grant details are listed in the text. His professional activities include consulting roles and research collaborations. He is affiliated with the Observatory on Foreign Firms in Italy, which evaluates the impact of multinational companies and strategies to attract foreign investment in Italy.
Federico Miretti is an Assistant Professor at the Polytechnic University of Turin, affiliated with the Department of Energy and the interdepartmental center Cars@PoliTo. His research focuses on hybrid and electric vehicles, with emphasis on energy management strategies, battery state estimation, and sustainable transport solutions. PhD in Energetics from Polytechnic University of Turin Research areas include: Optimization-based Energy Management Strategies for hybrid propulsion systems Simulation and digital twinning of hybrid systems Thermal management for electrified vehicles Techno-economic assessment of mobility solutions Recent publications highlight advancements in battery temperature anomaly detection, wireless power transfer feasibility, and control algorithms for energy efficiency. His work aligns with SDGs 7 (Clean Energy) and 9 (Innovation). Teaching roles include: Fluid Machinery (2019-2025) Energy Management in Hybrid/Electric Vehicles (2021-2025) Projects: PRoSIT (2025): Predictive thermal management demonstrator Consulting contract with MIDAC SpA (2025): Battery Digital Twin development EBOAT project (2025-2026): Technical support for Vulkan
Sandra Paterlini is a Full Professor in the Department of Economics and Management at the University of Trento, Italy. She holds academic roles including Co-Chair of the ERCIM Working Group on Optimization Heuristics and Vice-Chair of the IEEE Task Force on Portfolio Optimization. Her career includes visiting positions at institutions such as the University of Minnesota and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. She earned a PhD in Computational Methods for Financial and Economic Decisions from the University of Bergamo, an MSc in Financial Mathematics from the University of Warwick, and a Laurea in Economics from the University of Modena and Reggio E. Her research focuses on quantitative finance, risk management, portfolio optimization, and network analysis, with applications to ESG, systemic risk, and financial stability. Key research contributions include methodologies for sparse graphical modeling, systemic risk analysis, and ESG scoring frameworks. She has received multiple awards for research excellence and serves on editorial boards of journals like Computational Statistics & Data Analysis and Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics . Her work bridges academia and policy, with contributions to the European Central Bank’s Financial Stability Directorate and involvement in global conferences on computational finance and econometrics.
Alberto Dell'Acqua serves as Director of the Milan Hub at Luiss Business School and Associate Professor of Corporate Finance at Mercatorum University in Rome since 2024, with over 20 years of academic experience spanning SDA Bocconi School of Management, Bocconi University, and international institutions in Lebanon, Bulgaria, Libya, and Australia. He holds a degree in Business Economics with full marks from Bocconi University and a PhD in Corporate Finance from the University of Trieste. His research focuses on corporate finance , private equity and venture capital , and corporate governance , examining board structures, investment strategies, and cross-border value creation through rigorous empirical analysis. Recent publications reveal consistent contributions to financial literature, particularly in venture capital diversification, emerging market M&As, and governance mechanisms, published in high-impact journals including Eurasian Business Review and Journal of International Financial Management and Accounting. His research earned the Highly Commended on Emerald Literati Awards 2018 for groundbreaking work on board independence and M&A performance. Professionally, Dell'Acqua founded and leads a corporate financial advisory firm while serving as Vice President of an investment firm specializing in high-growth SMEs. He sits on boards of public/private companies and mentors international startups, with research funded by Confindustria, the Chamber of Commerce, and major trade associations. As Director of the Milan Hub, he drives strategic initiatives for Luiss Business School's Milan operations, integrating academic excellence with professional development in Italy's financial capital.
Stefano Leonardi is a Full Professor in the Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering Antonio Ruberti at Sapienza Università di Roma. His research focuses on Algorithm Theory, Algorithms and Data Science, and Economics and Computation. He leads the ERC Advanced Grant project AMDROMA, exploring algorithmic mechanisms for online markets. He has held roles as Conference Chair for STOC 2021, WWW 2015, and FUN 2018, and coordinates the Sapienza School of Advanced Studies (2016-2018). His work spans approximation algorithms, online algorithms, and mechanism design. Awards include the ERC Advanced Grant and EATCS Fellowship. His research interests emphasize foundational algorithmic problems in web-based markets, leveraging rigorous design and large-scale data analysis. Recent projects include ALGADIMAR (PRIN 2019-2022) for digital market algorithms. He chairs the Highlights of Algorithms conference series and serves on program committees for top venues like EC, ICALP, and SODA. His lab focuses on web algorithmics and data mining, addressing challenges in online labor markets and fair division. Leonardi's academic contributions include over 100 publications, with recent work on fair algorithms, prophet inequalities, and mechanism design in auctions. He has pioneered methods for submodular optimization, online learning, and multi-agent systems. Grants and awards reflect his leadership in bridging theory with real-world applications, particularly in digital economies. Grants: ERC Advanced Grant (2018-2023), PRIN ALGADIMAR (2019-2022) Leadership: Chair of ACM STOC 2021, WWW 2015, and 9th FUN Conference Labs/Teams: Laboratory on Web Algorithmics and Data Mining Key Projects: AMDROMA (algorithmic mechanisms), ALGADIMAR (digital markets)
Paolo Landoni is a Full Professor at the Department of Management and Production Engineering (DIGEP) within the College of Management and Production Engineering at Politecnico di Torino. His research focuses on entrepreneurship, business model innovation, business incubators/accelerators, sustainability, and social impact startups. He serves as Scientific Director/Responsible for numerous EU-funded and commercial research projects including SEED2SCALE, ESSENTIAL, and Open Sustainable Innovation. Key research areas: Entrepreneurship, Business Model Innovation, Incubators, Sustainability Supervises PhD students in topics spanning sustainable procurement, social startups, and innovation ecosystems Recipient of EU Horizon 2020 and MSCA funding Active in teaching courses on Entrepreneurship since 2019/20 His recent publications analyze sustainable public procurement, financial sustainability in microfinance, blockchain for social good, and incubator effectiveness. He collaborates with institutions like the LINKS Foundation and consults for corporate innovation projects.
Gianfranco Chicco is a Full Professor at the Politecnico di Torino , Italy, within the Department of Energy (DENERG). He serves as Scientific Director of the Electrical Power Systems research group and the Turin unit of the ENSIEL Consortium. A Fellow of IEEE (since 2018), he has held editorial leadership roles as Editor-in-Chief of Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks and Subject Editor of Energy , while chairing major conferences like IEEE ISGT Europe 2017 and UPEC 2020. Education : Laurea (cum laude) in Electrical Engineering (1987), Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (1992), Doctor Honoris Causa (2017, Polytechnic University of Bucharest; 2018, Technical University 'Gheorghe Asachi' of Iasi). Research Interests : Focus on power transmission and distribution systems , distributed energy resources , and multi-energy smart grids , with applications in artificial intelligence , load management , and power quality . His work addresses technical, economic, and environmental aspects of distributed generation and smart grid sustainability . Publications Trends : Recent articles emphasize photovoltaic power optimization , dynamic grid modeling , and multi-energy system coordination , reflecting expertise in renewable integration , clustering algorithms , and adaptive control . Key subfields include voltage stability , load forecasting , and blockchain for energy trading . Awards : IEEE Fellow (2018-) Best Paper Awards at SEST (2018, 2020) Doctor Honoris Causa (2017, 2018) 'Giancarlo Vallauri' Degree Prize (1988) Advising and Grants : Supervises PhD students in power converters , renewable integration , and high-voltage measurement methodologies . Leads European projects like H2020 MIGRATE and OSMOSE, focusing on grid resilience , clustering-based network planning , and multi-energy sustainability .
DE BONIS MICHELE is a Professor at San Raffaele Vita-Salute University , where he serves as the Director of the Cardiothoracic Surgery School. He is also the Chief of the Advanced and Research Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit at Ospedale San Raffaele , actively contributing to clinical and academic advancements in cardiovascular surgery since 2017. Research Interests : His work focuses on complex cardiac surgical techniques, including mitral and tricuspid valve repair, transcatheter interventions, and management of complications like pseudoaneurysms and thrombotic events. His recent publications highlight innovations in cardioplegia delivery, CT imaging for endocarditis, and outcomes of surgical and transcatheter approaches. Scientific Awards and Leadership : He has received notable awards such as the Premio "Eccellenze Lucane" (2018), Premio Nazionale Ciociaria (2005), and Premio di Medicina "Prof. Potito Petrone" (1995). He has held key roles in international societies, including President of the European Society of Cardiology's Cardiovascular Surgery Working Group (2014-2016) and Scientific Director of ESC/EACTS guidelines task forces. Teaching and Editorial Contributions : He supervises internships in surgery and cardiovascular diseases for the 6-year Master's Degree in Medicine and Surgery. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief and editorial board member for the International Journal of Cardiology .
Matteo Brunelli is Associate Professor of “Mathematical Methods of Economics and Actuarial and Financial Sciences” at the University of Trento , Department of Industrial Engineering, and Adjunct Professor (docent) at Lappeenranta University of Technology , Finland. He is nationally habilitated as Full Professor in Italy and has held long-term visiting positions at Berkeley, Turku, Auckland, JAIST and Binghamton. Education: Ph.D. (Doctor of Science) in Information Technologies, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, 2011 – graded Eximia cum laude approbatur M.Sc. in Economics, University of Trento, 2007 – grade 110/110 cum laude B.Sc. in Economics, University of Trento, 2005 Research focus: Brunelli’s work sits at the intersection of multi-criteria decision analysis , operations research and computational optimisation . He develops axiomatic foundations and algorithms for pairwise comparison matrices , consistency indices , the best-worst method and fuzzy preference relations , and applies them to energy planning, sustainable inventory, maintenance scheduling, 3-D printer selection, and blockchain governance. His 2023-2025 articles reveal intensified interest in uncertainty modelling (Dempster-Shafer theory), bi-objective optimisation of inventory and maintenance, and group decision protocols that integrate probabilistic or active-learning components, demonstrating both methodological depth and practical relevance. Scientific awards & grants: Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Researcher grant (€254 670, 2014-2017) Claudio Dematté Research Grant (€19 000, 2008) Teacher of the Year Award, Aalto University (2013 – both Spring & Autumn semesters) Bernard Roy Award 2021 for outstanding contribution to Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding (under-40 category) Supervision & funding: While specific doctoral students are not listed, Brunelli currently supervises graduate theses at Trento and has continuously held competitive national grants. His Academy of Finland project “Consistency of valued preference relations for decision analytics methods” financed three years of full-time research and international collaboration. Editorial & community roles: He serves on the editorial boards of International Journal of General Systems and Mathematical and Computational Applications , and acts as area editor for Journal of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis , positioning him among the key gatekeepers of the MCDA community.
Alexia Delfino serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bocconi University, with affiliations spanning CEPR DEV & OE, J-PAL, IZA, IGIER, LEAP, CESIfo, and BAFFI. She maintains a dual research presence as Visiting Research Fellow at STICERD. Her academic foundation includes a PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics (2020). Delfino operates at the intersection of Development, Organizational, and Behavioral Economics, employing experimental and survey methodologies to investigate how social norms, institutions, and identity shape labor market disparities and organizational productivity. Her fieldwork spans both developed and developing economies, with particular emphasis on gender dynamics in entrepreneurship and workplace culture. Recent projects examine trauma's impact on economic decision-making and value alignment in corporate environments. Her publication trajectory reveals a consistent focus on gender economics and institutional analysis, with increasing methodological sophistication in field experiments and cross-national comparisons. The 2024-2025 publications demonstrate expansion into historical data analysis and team dynamics while maintaining core themes of gender barriers and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Recognition includes: UniCredit Foundation Best Paper Award on Gender Economics (2021) Research funding reflects policy relevance through partnerships with major development institutions: J-PAL Global Economic Affairs and Policy & Performance Evaluation Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Exploratory and Research Grants LEAP and Weiss Fund support for gender-focused field experiments IGA-Rockefeller Research and Impact Fund for trauma economics research She leads international collaborations examining reskilling interventions in Italy, lactation infrastructure in Kenya, and teenage job experimentation in Switzerland, demonstrating strong cross-institutional research networks with Harvard, LSE, and World Bank affiliates.
Massimo Canale is a Tenured Associate Professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET) of Politecnico di Torino , and a member of the CARS@PoliTO Interdepartmental Center for Automotive Research and Sustainable Mobility. His academic career spans over two decades, focusing on control systems engineering with applications in automotive technology. Scientific Branch: Systems and Control Engineering (IINF-04/A) ERC Sectors: Automotive Engineering, Control Engineering, Control Theory Dr. Canale's research bridges theoretical advancements in Model Predictive Control (MPC) with practical applications in autonomous vehicles , hybrid/electric propulsion , and active suspension systems . His work integrates reinforcement learning and dynamic programming for optimizing vehicle performance and energy efficiency. Recent publications demonstrate trends in autonomous driving architectures (2024), sliding mode control for highway scenarios (2024), and energy management for sustainable mobility (2023-2024). He has developed patented solutions for semi-active suspension control and autonomous vehicle guidance. Award: IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Outstanding Paper Award (2011) Editorial Roles: Associate Editor, IEEE Open Journal of Control Systems (2022–present) Dr. Canale supervises PhD students like Francesco Cerrito and teaches courses on digital control technologies , automatic control , and reinforcement learning at Politecnico di Torino. His research is funded through competitive grants (e.g., MPC4AVP 2021-2022) and commercial contracts (AD Shuttle 2024).
