Fabio Pellacini

Full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Previously held faculty positions at Sapienza Università di Roma (Associate and Full Professor), Dartmouth College (Assistant and Associate Professor), and Cornell University (Visiting Assistant Professor). Also worked in the R&D division of Pixar Animation Studios.

Dr. Pellacini received an MS and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University and a Laurea degree in Physics from the University of Parma.

His research focuses on using Computer Graphics methods to solve design problems, with emphasis on the design, creative and entertainment industries. His group combines algorithms and efficient systems to allow professional designers as well as novices to create 3D scenes with significantly less effort. They investigate algorithms based on numerical methods and machine learning to enable intuitive and interactive editing of complex environments. Key research areas include appearance design (patterns, materials, and lights), appearance fabrication, evaluation and visualization of designers' workflows, and cloud-based collaborative design.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on procedural modeling, appearance design, and collaborative 3D content creation. His work bridges the gap between theoretical computer graphics research and practical applications for designers and artists, with significant contributions to node-based editing systems, boolean operations on surfaces, and differentiable rendering techniques for appearance design.

• NSF CAREER Award
• Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship
• Nominated as Junior Faculty Fellow for Sapienza's Scuola Superiore di Studi Avanzi

Dr. Pellacini has supervised numerous students and has been actively involved in research grants related to computer graphics and design systems. He teaches Computer Graphics, Introduction to Scientific Python, and Programming courses at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, continuing a long teaching career that spans multiple institutions including Sapienza University of Rome and Dartmouth College.

He leads a research group focused on developing innovative tools for 3D design and content creation, with applications spanning from entertainment to industrial design. His work on collaborative design systems, appearance editing interfaces, and procedural modeling techniques continues to shape how designers interact with 3D content creation tools.