Marco Nicotra

Marco Nicotra is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. He leads the Robust and Optimal Control and Cyber-physical Systems (ROCC) research group, focusing on constrained control of nonlinear systems with applications in robotics, aerospace, quantum engineering, and energy systems. His work emphasizes developing systematic control frameworks for safety-critical systems, including Control Barrier Functions and Reference Governors.

Education: While specific academic credentials aren't detailed, his faculty role implies a PhD in a related discipline. His research spans theoretical control engineering and applied domains like autonomous systems and quantum sensing. He collaborates with institutions such as NREL and NASA, and holds funding from NSF, NASA STRI, and others.

Research Highlights:

• Control Barrier Functions (CBFs): Systematic design for safety-critical systems, including robotics and autonomous vehicles, ensuring safety guarantees with minimal input modification.
• Wind Energy: Uses UAVs for wind field estimation in farms, improving turbine efficiency through adaptive measurement strategies.
• Quantum Sensing: Advances in shaken lattice interferometry for precision gravity measurements, part of the NASA-funded Quantum Pathways Institute.

Grants & Collaborations: Leads the NSF-funded CMMI-DCSD project (Award 2411667) on CBF design and the NASA STRI Quantum Pathways Institute. Collaborates with industry partners like NAVSEA and academic institutions globally.

Labs & Teams: Directs the ROCC lab, focusing on real-time control systems. Supervises a multidisciplinary team of PhD and MS students working on robotics, quantum control, and energy systems.