Francesco Monticone

Francesco Monticone is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University. He earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. (summa cum laude) from Politecnico di Torino, Italy (2009, 2011), and his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin (2016) under Prof. Andrea Alu. Joining Cornell in 2017, his research bridges electromagnetics, metamaterials, and nanophotonics with applications from microwaves to optical frequencies.

• Education:
  • B.Sc., Politecnico di Torino (2009)
  • M.Sc., Politecnico di Torino (2011)
  • Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin (2016)

His research focuses on wave interaction with engineered materials, including cloaking, non-Hermitian systems, and topological electromagnetics. He explores non-traditional paradigms like time-modulated metasurfaces and photonic time crystals to overcome physical limitations in absorption, reflection, and nonlinear optics.

Recent work spans nonlocal flat optics, multi-MHz wireless power transfer, and quantum optical metasurfaces, emphasizing cross-disciplinary innovation. His publications in journals like Physical Review Letters and Nature Nanotechnology highlight extreme wave control and causality-driven design.

Scientific Awards

• Michael Tien ’72 Sustained Excellence and Innovation in Engineering Education Award (2020)
• Leopold B. Felsen Award for Excellence in Electrodynamics (2019)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Program Award (2018)
• Margarida Jacome Dissertation Award (2017)

Dr. Monticone has authored 100+ peer-reviewed works with 5000+ citations and delivered 40+ invited talks. He serves as a reviewer for journals/conferences and has been on the organizing committee of the Metamaterials Congress since 2015. His research group combines theoretical, numerical, and experimental approaches to push boundaries in applied electromagnetics.