Manuel Pita

Manuel Pita is an Assistant Professor in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Complex Systems at CICANT, Universidade Lusófona, Portugal, and an Associate Researcher in the Complex Systems group at ISTAR, ISCTE-IUL, Portugal. His research focuses on the interplay between individual and collective behaviors in complex networks, aiming to understand how these dynamics shape each other.

• Education: PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science (2007) from the University of Edinburgh, UK.
• Postdoctoral Training: Indiana University (Prof. Luís Rocha) and Portland State University (Prof. Melanie Mitchell).

His work spans theoretical studies of complex systems and practical applications in ambient intelligence/IoT for human well-being. He leads a project analyzing driver factors of collective states in online social conversations among Portuguese secondary school students, with applications in ethical educational interventions to combat hate speech, polarization, and fake news.

Publication Trends emphasize computational modeling of complex networks, multi-agent systems, and interdisciplinary applications in education, biology, and artistic performance. Key areas include critical dynamics, social network analysis, IoT, and intelligent tutoring systems.

Labs & Collaborations: Works with the Complex Systems group at ISTAR and CICANT, integrating computational theory with real-world challenges in public health, education, and cultural technology.