Federica Coppola

Federica Coppola is an Assistant Professor of Law at IE University Law School in Spain. She holds a JD from the University of Bologna (summa cum laude), an LL.M. and PhD in Law from the European University Institute. Her career includes roles as a Robert A. Burt Presidential Scholar at Columbia University, lecturer at Columbia Law School, and postdoc scholar at Columbia’s Social Relations Lab and Center for Justice. She has held visiting positions at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Cambridge, and others.

• Current Affiliations: IE University Law School, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security, and Law (Research Affiliate)

Education:

• PhD in Law, European University Institute (2017)
• LL.M. in Comparative, International, and European Laws, European University Institute (2014)
• J.D., University of Bologna (2010)

Research Focus: Criminal law theory, sentencing, neurolaw, and social justice. Her work bridges neuroscience and legal accountability, exploring how brain science impacts legal culpability and punishment design. She advocates for penal systems that address social exclusion and promote rehabilitation over punitive measures.

Awards:

• Robert A. Burt Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience (Columbia University, 2017–2020)

Labs/Teams: Collaborated with Columbia’s Social Relations Lab and Center for Justice, focusing on interdisciplinary research in law, psychology, and neuroscience.