Neil Shah is a Lead Research Scientist at Snap Inc., leading initiatives in user modeling, personalization, and trust and safety across Snapchat. His research focuses on advancing machine learning algorithms for large-scale structured data, including graph and sequential representations, with applications to recommendation systems and social platform security. PhD in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (2017), advised by Christos Faloutsos B.S. in Computer Science, North Carolina State University Current research interests span: Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) for real-time inference and scalable training Cross-domain recommendation systems and generative modeling Test-time augmentation and hyperbolic geometry in representation learning Explainability methods for GNNs and fairness-aware outlier detection Recent publications highlight productionized GNN frameworks (GiGL), multimodal graph benchmarks, and novel approaches to link prediction and collaborative filtering. His work has appeared at top venues like KDD, ICLR, NeurIPS, and WWW. Scientific recognition includes: Outstanding Service Award at WSDM 2022 Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI 2019
Begüm Demir is a Professor and Head of the Remote Sensing Image Analysis (RSiM) Group at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Technische Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on scalable machine learning methods for remote sensing and Earth observation data analysis. Previously, she held positions at the University of Trento, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017 and received an ERC Starting Grant for her BigEarth project. Key research interests include: Deep learning for satellite image analysis Big data processing in geosciences Earth observation data democratization Noise-robust machine learning models Recent projects highlight collaboration with Huawei in wireless communication-EO integration and leadership in initiatives like Agora-EO and TreeSatAI . Awards include the 2018 IEEE GRSS Early Career Award. Grants include funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Active in editorial roles for IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, and guest editorships in leading journals. Publicly accessible datasets like BigEarthNet and code repositories enhance her contributions to open science.
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.
Carlo Baldassi is an Associate Professor at Bocconi University, where he has served as Director of the BSc in Mathematical and Computing Sciences for Artificial Intelligence (BAI) since 2023/24. He holds a background in Theoretical Physics from the University of Trieste and a PhD in Computational Neuroscience from the University of Turin. His research focuses on applying Statistical Mechanics to Machine Learning and Neural Networks, particularly studying loss landscapes, optimization problems, and the role of quantum annealing in nonconvex learning. He teaches courses in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Science, emphasizing Python and Julia programming. His work bridges theoretical physics and AI, exploring topics like synaptic stochasticity in low-precision neural networks and the efficiency of quantum vs. classical annealing. He has published extensively in top journals such as Physical Review Letters and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , contributing to foundational understanding of neural network dynamics and optimization techniques. Teaching includes Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Computer Science I Machine Learning II Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lab Research emphasizes large-scale inference problems, with a focus on the interplay between statistical mechanics and modern AI architectures.
Gaetano Miraglia is a Fixed-term Assistant Professor in the Department of Structural, Building and Geotechnical Engineering (DISEG) at Politecnico di Torino, where he conducts research in structural health monitoring, seismic analysis, and computational modeling. He is a member of the Interdepartmental Center R3C – Responsible Risk Resilience Centre, contributing to interdisciplinary efforts in risk mitigation and infrastructure resilience. His work spans both theoretical and applied domains, with strong emphasis on heritage preservation and sustainable urban development. His research interests include Bayesian calibration of nonlinear models, hybrid simulation, peridynamics, masonry structures, and the integration of satellite interferometric (InSAR) data with in-situ measurements for structural monitoring. He applies advanced computational and machine learning techniques to improve the accuracy and reliability of structural assessments, particularly in historical and monumental buildings. His work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 9, 11, and 13. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on data fusion, digital twinning, domain adaptation, and real-time damage detection. He frequently collaborates with researchers such as Rosario Ceravolo and Erica Lenticchia, publishing in high-impact journals like Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering , Structures , and Scientific Reports , as well as at major conferences including EWSHM, SAHC, and EVACES. His research is applied in projects such as the monitoring of the Vicoforte Sanctuary and the development of the CAMELOT and HY-LEARN toolboxes. Research Projects: MONITORAGGIO VICOFORTE (2024–2026) – Member of Research Group CAMELOT – PoC Transition (2023–2024) – Member of Research Group HY-LEARN – Model Calibration via Hybrid Simulation and ML (2022–2024) – Scientific Manager (PNRR Mission 4) He teaches in various programs, including as a course collaborator in PhD, Master’s, and Bachelor’s level courses such as Earthquake Engineering , Structural Consolidation , and Seismic Risk of Cultural Heritage . He is also an inventor on national and international patents and software related to the CAMELOT toolbox, highlighting the translational impact of his research. He has no listed scientific awards or formal advisees in the provided text.
Vincenzo Sciacca is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Palermo, Italy. His academic position is listed under classification code MATH-04/A, which typically refers to Mathematical Analysis in the Italian academic system. He maintains regular office hours on Thursdays from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Via Archirafi 34, Office No. 216 (2nd floor). Professor Sciacca's research spans several areas of mathematical physics and fluid dynamics. His primary interests include: Fluid dynamics and vortex theory Partial differential equations, particularly Navier-Stokes and Euler equations Singularity formation in boundary layer theory Numerical analysis of complex fluid systems Mathematical modeling in geophysical fluid dynamics Complex singularity analysis for nonlinear systems Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on the mathematical aspects of fluid dynamics, with particular attention to singularity formation, vortex dynamics, and the behavior of solutions to fundamental equations in fluid mechanics. His work combines rigorous mathematical analysis with computational approaches to understand complex phenomena in fluid systems. Over the years, his research has evolved from fundamental studies of singularity formation to more applied problems in geophysical fluid dynamics and mathematical biology as evidenced by his 2024 paper on Multiple Sclerosis. Professor Sciacca maintains an active research profile with publications spanning from 1994 to the present, demonstrating sustained scholarly contribution to his fields of expertise. His work shows interdisciplinary reach, connecting pure mathematical analysis with applications in physics, geophysics, and biomedical modeling. He can be contacted at vincenzo.sciacca@unipa.it and maintains a personal web page at http://math.unipa.it/~sciacca/ where additional information about his teaching and research is available.
Guido Perboli is a Full Professor in the Department of Management and Production Engineering (DIGEP) at the Polytechnic University of Turin, where he also serves as Logistics Coordinator and Project Coordinator for activities supporting relationships with government bodies. He is a member of the Interdepartmental Center CARS@PoliTO (Center for Automotive Research and Sustainable Mobility) and serves as Director of the ICT for City Logistics and Enterprises (ICElab@Polito) research center, which he founded in 2016. His research interests span a broad range of topics including Operations Research, Logistics, Last-mile Delivery, Sustainable Logistics, Combinatorial Optimization, Stochastic Programming, Business Development, and Lean Business methodologies. His work particularly focuses on City Logistics, Green Logistics, and the application of emerging technologies like Blockchain and AI in supply chain management. He has developed GUEST, a Lean Business methodology for innovation processes from early idea definition to implementation. Professor Perboli's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on urban logistics, last-mile delivery optimization, blockchain applications in supply chains, and the integration of AI techniques in transportation systems. His work shows an increasing trend toward interdisciplinary research that combines optimization methods with emerging technologies to address sustainable urban mobility challenges. Professional Recognition: CASE Best Paper award from IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (2011) Effective member of INFORMS (2019-present) Effective member of EURO (1995-present) Effective member of AIRO (1995-present) Associate Editor for Journal of Applied Research and Technology (2020-present) Associate Editor for Sustainability (2018-present) Professor Perboli actively advises PhD students and has supervised numerous research projects, including EU-funded initiatives like SINFONICA, HESTER, and 5G-LOGINNOV. He serves as Scientific Director for multiple commercial research projects focused on blockchain, IoT, and AI applications in logistics. Beyond academia, he is Chief Scientific Officer of Arisk S.p.A., a fintech company specializing in business crisis prediction using AI and machine learning. His research group, ICElab@Polito, focuses on two main areas supporting urban growth: logistics and enterprises. The center collaborates with numerous companies including Amazon, DHL, and FCA, addressing real-world challenges in urban logistics and supply chain management through innovative research approaches.
Maurizio MUZZUPAPPA is a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (University of Calabria) since 2018. His roles include Rector's Delegate for Technology Transfer, Academic Delegate for Education at DIMEG, and Head of the Physical Prototyping Laboratory at the MaTeRiA Center (UNICAL-CNISM collaboration). He supervises the Unical Racing Team in Formula SAE competitions and co-founded three university spin-offs: 3DResearch, Tech4Sea, and Q-BOT. As Scientific Director of projects like TECH4YOU (climate change adaptation technologies) and GROWN IN THE BLUE (Mediterranean reef conservation), he integrates research in industrial design, augmented reality, and underwater cultural heritage. He has authored over 200 publications (h-index 27) and holds 10 patents. His teaching includes Tools and Methods for Industrial Design and Formula SAE LAB . His research focuses on: Industrial design methodologies with parametric and sustainable approaches 3D prototyping and additive manufacturing User-Centered Design for product ergonomics Virtual/Augmented Reality applications in engineering and cultural heritage Underwater robotics and artifact restoration Recent publications highlight trends in AR for industrial maintenance, generative design tools, and mechatronic solutions for underwater heritage. He has supervised over 300 theses and 10 Ph.D. students while leading technology transfer initiatives.
Cristiana De Filippis serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences at the University of Parma. Her academic journey includes a Bachelor's degree from the University of Torino (2014), Master's from University of Milano-Bicocca (2016), and PhD from the University of Oxford (2020), followed by a tenure-track position at Parma since 2021 and habilitation to full professorship in 2023. Her research focuses on Mathematical Analysis , particularly Regularity Theory for elliptic and parabolic partial differential equations and the Calculus of Variations . She investigates fundamental properties of solutions to nonlinear PDEs, including sharp growth conditions, nonuniform ellipticity, and double-phase functionals. Her work bridges abstract mathematical theory with applications in physics and engineering through rigorous analysis of solution behavior. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a concentrated research program in nonuniformly elliptic systems (2022-2025), double-phase variational problems (2023-2024), and gradient regularity under irregular coefficients (2020-2024). Key contributions include establishing sharp growth rates in Schauder theory and developing novel techniques for nearly linear growth conditions. European Mathematical Society Prize 2024 Bartolozzi Prize 2023 (Italian Mathematical Union) Iapichino Prize 2020 (Accademia dei Lincei) Premio per la Cultura Mediterranea 2023 G-Research Prize 2019 Forbes 100 Most Successful Italian Women 2023 European Mathematical Society Young Academy (inaugural cohort) Professor De Filippis has delivered invited lectures at prestigious institutions including Erwin Schrödinger Institute (2025), Charles University Prague (2024), and Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (2022). She teaches Mathematical Analysis courses for Computer Science, Geological Sciences, and Management Engineering programs at undergraduate level. Her research is supported through multiple international collaborations, particularly with Giuseppe Mingione at Parma and researchers at European institutions.
Diego Calvanese is a Full Professor in Computer Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy. He serves as Spokesperson of the Institute of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence and Director of the Smart Data Factory technology transfer lab at NOI Techpark. As Coordinator of the Intelligent Integration and Access to Data (In2Data) research group, part of the Research Centre for Knowledge and Data (KRDB), he leads significant research initiatives in knowledge representation and data management. Calvanese's research focuses on virtual knowledge graphs for data access and integration, ontology-based data access, description logics, semantic web technologies, graph data management, and verification of data-aware processes. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications through the Ontop framework, which enables SPARQL query answering over OWL 2 QL ontologies connected to external data sources. His research has substantial practical impact, powering the South Tyrol Open Data Hub Knowledge Graph and supporting numerous European and national research projects. With more than 400 refereed publications and over 39,000 citations (h-index 80), Calvanese's recent work demonstrates continued leadership in virtual knowledge graphs, ontology-based data federation, explainable AI through knowledge representation, and integration of complex data types including 3D city models and raster data. His publications show a clear trajectory from theoretical foundations toward increasingly practical and applied research addressing real-world data integration challenges across multiple domains. ACM Fellow (2019) EurAI Fellow (2015) AAIA Fellow Program Chair of PODS 2015 and KR 2020 General Chair of ESSLLI 2016 Calvanese has secured significant research funding through numerous competitive projects including EU H2020 INFRAEOS Project (INODE), Italian PRIN Project (HOPE), FESR Project (IDEE), and EU FP7 IP Project (Optique), totaling close to 6.4M Euro. As an originator and co-founder of Ontopic, the first spin-off of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, he has successfully translated research into commercial applications. He serves as Associate Editor of Artificial Intelligence (AIJ) and has participated in over 200 program committee roles for international conferences. As Director of the Smart Data Factory technology transfer lab and coordinator of the In2Data research group, Calvanese bridges academic research with industry applications, focusing on practical implementations of knowledge graph technologies. His work with the KRDB Research Center has established Bozen-Bolzano as a significant hub for knowledge representation and data management research in Europe.
Marco Pirola is a Full Professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET) of the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy. He is a member of the Interdepartmental Center 'CleanWaterCenter@PoliTo' and actively contributes to research in high-frequency electronics and microwave engineering. His work focuses on power amplifiers, device characterization, and advanced microwave circuit design. Research Interests: Microwave power devices, GaN technology, 5G/mm-Wave applications, space communications, and smart pipeline monitoring systems. Awards: IEEE Fellow (since 2019), IEEE Senior Member. Recent Publications address topics like Ka-band MMIC amplifiers for SAR systems, broadband Doherty amplifiers using GaN, and harmonic analysis of current-mode power stages. His projects include STARGATE (European GaAs power architectures) and Millimetre-Wave GaN Radar for UAV detection. Teaching: He leads courses on 'Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits' and 'Advanced Devices for High Frequency Applications' at the Polytechnic University of Turin. Supervised PhD students include Wenjun Zhang and Abbas Nasri, who worked on III-V HEMT circuits and GaN power amplifiers.
Montorfano Matteo is an Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan since March 2023. He serves as Director of the Second-Level Master's Degree in Interventional Cardiology and has been Head of the Interventional Cardiology Unit and Hemodynamics at San Raffaele Hospital since 2018. His academic career spans roles as Director of the Percutaneous Cardiac Treatment Unit and Head of the Interventional Cardiology Laboratory. He holds an H-index of 59 with over 450 publications and 15,000 citations, focusing on structural heart disease and percutaneous valve interventions . Education: Specialization in Cardiology, La Sapienza University of Rome (2000) Degree in Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan (1991) Research Interests: Pioneering transcatheter structural heart interventions including TAVI , MitraClip , and left atrial appendage closure . Developed the LIRA sizing method for bicuspid aortic valve interventions and founded start-ups like Cephea Valve Technologies and Viv-Heart . Major contributions to valvular heart device innovation , with numerous international patents. Publications: Over 450 works in Circulation , JAMA , and JACC Cardiovascular Intervention , emphasizing transcatheter valve therapies , complex coronary interventions , and device development . Industry Collaborations: Faculty member at major conferences: TCT , PCR , GISE Consultant/Advisory Board member for Edwards Lifesciences , Medtronic , and Boston Scientific
Angelo Castaldo is an Associate Professor in Public Finance at the Faculty of Law, Sapienza University of Rome, with a Ph.D. in Law and Economics from the University of Siena and an M.Sc. in Economics from the University of York. He serves as Chair of the Graduate Program in European Studies (LM-90) and the Master in Competition and Regulation of Markets (CORE), while also holding roles at international institutions like Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in China. Education: Ph.D. in Law and Economics, University of Siena M.Sc. in Economics, University of York, UK Master in Law and Economics, University of Siena Research Focus: Public Finance Law and Economics Environmental Crime Analysis Occupational Safety and Health Competition Policy Technological Innovation Impact His recent publications analyze workplace accident determinants, environmental crime drivers, and taxation policies for sin goods, employing empirical methods across European and Italian contexts. Current research projects focus on technology's impact on occupational safety and public investment incentives for workplace health improvements. He actively participates in academic conferences and serves as co-managing editor for public finance working papers at Sapienza University of Rome.
Claudio Minero is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Turin, Italy. His research focuses on Analytical, Environmental, and Cultural Heritage Chemistry, with a strong emphasis on photocatalytic materials and environmental pollutant degradation. He leads the GSD 03/CHEM-01 research group, specializing in advanced oxidation processes and sustainable water decontamination technologies. His work integrates experimental and theoretical approaches to address challenges in environmental chemistry, including the phototransformation of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and emerging contaminants. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles and holds an ORCID identifier (orcid.org/0000-0001-9484-130X). His teaching spans undergraduate and graduate programs in Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, and Materials Science. Key research themes include the development of novel photocatalytic systems (e.g., g-C₃N₄, TiO₂-based composites), the environmental fate of pollutants in sunlit waters, and the optimization of Fenton-like processes for wastewater treatment. His lab collaborates extensively with industry and academic partners on projects funded by national and international grants.
Andrea Santilli is a Research Scientist at Nous Research and holds a PhD in Computer Science from GLADIA at Sapienza University of Rome. His research focuses on large language models (LLMs), robustness, reliability, and multimodal learning. He previously worked at Apple MLR, Hugging Face’s BigScience, and Pi School. He earned his MSc and BSc in Computer Science from Tor Vergata University and Sapienza. Education: PhD in Computer Science, Sapienza University of Rome (2024) MSc in Computer Science, University of Roma Tor Vergata (2020) BSc in Computer Science, University of Roma Tor Vergata (2018) Research Interests: Santilli’s work spans LLM robustness , mechanistic interpretability , multimodal neural databases , and instruction-tuning . He introduced Parallel Jacobi Decoding and contributed to projects like BLOOM, Camoscio, and Fauno. His research bridges syntax-aware NLP, privacy-preserving LLMs, and cross-modal alignment. Publications: His work includes advancements in 3D-text latent space alignment (CVPR 2025), evolutionary merging (ICML 2025), and efficient decoding (ACL 2023). Over 15+ peer-reviewed papers span venues like ACL, CVPR, and ICLR. Awards: Received the Emanuele Pianta Award for his MSc thesis on continual language learning with syntax-based episodic memory. Grants & Projects: Winner of ‘Machine Learning Algorithms for Translation’ grant (2022), developing Parallel Decoding Co-PI for ‘Multimodal AI for 3D Analysis’ (2021) with Ecole Polytechnique Labs & Teams: Active in GLADIA (Sapienza), Apple MLR, and Hugging Face’s BigScience initiative. Core contributor to open-source projects like PromptSource and BLOOM.
