Vittorio Solina is a Researcher at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG) of the University of Calabria, specializing in industrial systems simulation and digital twin technologies. His work spans Industry 4.0/5.0 applications, supply chain optimization, and human-robot collaboration. Affiliation: University of Calabria Academic Role: Researcher (Legge 240/10) Research Focus: Digital twins, simulation modeling, sustainable manufacturing His research emphasizes advanced simulation tools for decision support, including applications in Industry 4.0 , Smart Manufacturing , and Agri-Food Supply Chains . Recent work explores adaptive simulation optimization for Industry 5.0 and 5G-enabled robotics. Key publication trends include: (1) Digital twin integration for supply chain resilience (2024-2025), (2) Simulation automation methodologies (2025), and (3) Human-robot collaboration frameworks (2024).
Abhijit Banerjee is the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT and Director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). A 2019 Nobel laureate in Economic Sciences, his research focuses on development economics, political economy, and poverty alleviation. He co-authored influential books like Poor Economics and Good Economics for Hard Times , emphasizing evidence-based policies and randomized controlled trials. Banerjee’s work addresses global challenges such as education, health, and social welfare, with notable contributions to microfinance, public health interventions, and anti-poverty programs. He holds leadership roles in global initiatives like the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel and has advised governments worldwide. His research spans topics from police resource allocation in India to the impact of information during crises like demonetization and the pandemic. Education: Bachelor’s in Statistics, Presidency College, Kolkata M.A. in Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University PhD in Economics, Harvard University Key Contributions: Co-founder of J-PAL, promoting evidence-based poverty reduction strategies. Pioneer in using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for policy evaluation. Research on microfinance, education reforms, and health interventions in developing countries. Awards: Nobel Prize in Economics (2019), Infosys Prize in Social Sciences (2009), Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). Grants/Advisory Roles: Collaborations with institutions like the World Bank, UN, and governments on poverty, health, and education policies. Labs/Teams: J-PAL global network, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab.
Federico ZANETTIN is a Full Professor in the Department of Comparative Linguistic and Cultural Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. His research focuses on translation studies with particular emphasis on corpus linguistics, graphic narrative translation, and journalistic translation. He maintains an active presence in the academic community through editorial work and research collaborations. Professor ZANETTIN's research interests span multiple areas of translation studies. He is particularly known for his work on corpus linguistics and its applications to translation analysis, with a focus on creating and using linguistic databases. His research on the translation of graphic narratives examines the verbal and visual aspects of translating comics and graphic novels across cultures. Additionally, he investigates journalistic translation , analyzing how information is translated and disseminated across media platforms. His scholarly work demonstrates consistent productivity, with numerous publications that explore the intersection of translation, culture, and media. Professor ZANETTIN's research shows particular strength in analyzing adaptation processes across linguistic, cultural, and modal boundaries, both synchronically and diachronically. Professor ZANETTIN serves on several important editorial boards: Co-editor of inTRAlinea Member of the international advisory board for The Translator Member of the international advisory board for Translang Member of the international advisory board for Entreculturas Member of the publications committee for Transletters. International Journal of Translators and Interpreters Member of the scientific committee for the Book series Interactio He is also frequently called upon as a referee for prestigious research projects, including those funded by The British Academy (UK), MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research), Italy, CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), Spain, NRC (National Research Council), Canada, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, and SNSF (Swiss National Science Foundation). Professor ZANETTIN teaches courses in English language and translation at both undergraduate and graduate levels, focusing on European, American, and postcolonial languages and literatures. His teaching reflects his research expertise in translation studies and cross-cultural communication.
Dr. Silvia VESCO is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, where she specializes in Japanese art history, particularly Edo-period visual culture, ukiyo-e prints, illustrated books, and the works of Katsushika Hokusai. She is actively involved in research, teaching, and cultural curation, with a strong focus on Italian collections of Japanese art and cross-cultural artistic dialogues between Japan and the West. Education: PhD in History of Indian and East Asian Art, Ca' Foscari University of Venice (1999) Master in Art & Archaeology, SOAS, University of London (1995) Degree in Oriental Languages and Literatures, University of Venice (1993, with honors) Her research interests encompass Japanese aesthetics, museum studies, and the global reception of Japanese art. She has led major digitization projects for the Museum of Oriental Art in Venice and contributed to the development of its new museological framework. Her scholarly work reveals a consistent focus on Hokusai, Edo-period print culture, and the philosophical dimensions of Japanese visual forms. The recent publications highlight a deep engagement with Hokusai’s pedagogical works, the aesthetics of emptiness, and contemporary reflections on nature in post-Fukushima Japan. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges art history, cultural studies, and museum practice. Scientific Recognition: Finalist, Premio Nazionale per la divulgazione scientifica 'Giancarlo Dosi' (2020) Japan Foundation Fellowship (1997) Postgraduate scholarship from the University of Venice (1994) She has supervised numerous MA theses, served on PhD committees, and mentored students in Japanese art history. Her research has been supported by grants from the Japan Foundation and institutional collaborations with museums and cultural centers. She is a referee for VQR, Edizioni Ca' Foscari, and international journals, and serves on the scientific committees of several academic and museum publications. Labs and Teams: Scientific Committee, Museum of Oriental Art, Ca' Pesaro, Venice Scientific Committee, Edizioni Ca' Foscari Coordinator, Scientific Committee for Ca' Foscari Japanese Studies, Arts and Literature Member of the editorial board of 'Venezia Arti' and 'Quaderni del Polo museale del Veneto'
Daniela Iorio is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Bologna, and holds a part-time professorship at the European University Institute’s School of Transnational Governance. She specializes in Political Economy, Health Economics, and Public Economics. Her work addresses topics like voting behavior, eating disorders, reproductive health, and parental investments. She earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and has held positions at institutions including USC, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. Her research focuses on health policy, behavioral economics, and political institutions. Notable contributions include analyzing the link between eating disorders and addictive behaviors, evaluating IVF success disparities, and developing parenting measurement tools through digital interventions. She has been awarded the 2016 Oliver E. Williamson Prize and the Rita Levi Montalcini grant. Iorio teaches advanced courses on political economy and health economics at the PhD and master’s levels. She directs the Health Economics, Management and Policy master’s program at Bologna and has advised over a dozen graduate students. Her grants include a €758k MIUR project on child development and parental engagement. She serves as an Associate Editor for the European Economic Review and referees for top journals like the American Economic Review .
Michaela Bürger-Koftis serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Genoa's School of Humanities. Her teaching portfolio includes advanced courses such as German Literature and Culture III , German Linguistics (LM) , and Cultures of German-speaking Countries across undergraduate and master's programs focused on teaching, publishing, and intercultural communication. Her research investigates polyphonic structures in multilingual literature, with emphasis on German-Russian linguistic intersections and autobiographical narratives. Key projects explore lyrical diary forms and creative writing through the lens of polyphony, examining how multilingual expression shapes narrative identity and literary innovation in contemporary works. Recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on the Polyphony research initiative, revealing evolving methodologies in multilingual creativity and writing. This work establishes frameworks for analyzing cross-linguistic literary production while documenting the project's development from 2018-2023. No scientific awards are documented in available sources. While specific student advisees remain unlisted, Bürger-Koftis contributes to academic governance as a member of the School of Humanities Library Board. Her collaborative research with institutions like Catania University demonstrates institutional partnership development within multilingual literary studies. The Polyphony project functions as an interdisciplinary research hub with dedicated web infrastructure, facilitating scholarly exchange on multilingual writing practices and serving as a model for digital humanities collaboration in literary studies.
Francesco Pilati is an Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, where he serves as local coordinator for the scientific field ING-IND/17 (Industrial Plants and Logistic Systems). He chairs the research group on Industrial Plants, Production Systems, and Logistics, and teaches courses in Industrial Plants and Design of Digital Production and Assembly Systems. As coordinator of the Master's program in Management and Industrial Systems Engineering and University Coordinator for the EIT double degree in Zero-Defect Manufacture, Pilati bridges academic leadership with advanced manufacturing research. He has also served as Invited Lecturer at universities in Vienna and Göttingen. His research focuses on integrating environmental sustainability with technical-economic criteria through multi-objective optimization and impact assessment. Key areas include: Distribution networks and warehousing systems Manufacturing and assembly line design Hybrid energy production systems Digitization of manual production processes using depth cameras Recent publications highlight applications of Industry 4.0 technologies to pandemic safety, logistics optimization, and smart manufacturing. Pilati has received significant recognition including the Philip Morris Italia Empowering Research Award (2016) and Autostrade per l'Italia academic recognition. His editorial contributions include guest editing special issues on Digital Twins and Smart Factories in Q1 journals.
Rita Cucchiara is a Full Professor at the Department of Engineering 'Enzo Ferrari' of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. She leads the AImageLab research laboratory, part of the Artificial Intelligence Research and Innovation Center (AIRI) in Modena. Her research focuses on Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition, Machine Learning, and Multimedia, with applications in video surveillance, medical imaging, human-centered AI, and generative models. She is actively involved in interdisciplinary projects like ELIAS (European Lighthouse for AI Sustainability) and ELSA (European Lighthouse on Secure AI). Her recent roles include being elected Rector of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in 2025. She has organized and participated in major AI events, including workshops at NeurIPS, CVPR, and ECCV, and has contributed to advancements in multimodal models, deepfake detection, and trustworthy AI. Education details are not explicitly provided, but her extensive academic and research experience at the University of Modena underscores her expertise. She collaborates with institutions like NVIDIA, CINECA, and industry partners such as Digital Design and NVIDIA's AI Technology Center. AImageLab's projects include developing systems for medical imaging, ethical AI, and generative adversarial networks (GANs) for design surfaces. She co-organizes initiatives like the ELLIS Summer School on Large-Scale AI and contributes to policy discussions on AI ethics and societal impact. Her work spans from foundational research (e.g., vision transformers, continual learning) to applied projects (e.g., DDGan system for surface printing). Key grants and collaborations include the FAIR project and PNRR-M4C2 initiatives. She advises students and researchers in AI, with 7 PhD positions funded under national programs. Her leadership roles in AIRI and AImageLab highlight her commitment to bridging academia and industry, fostering innovation in AI-driven solutions for sustainability and healthcare.
Oswald Lanz is a tenured full professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano , leading the Visual Computing Lab . He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and a Mathematics degree from the University of Trento. Prior to his current role, he was a researcher and head of research at FBK Trento. He is an endowed professor collaborating with Covision Lab , an AI hub in Bressanone, and coordinates the board of professors for the PhD in Computer Science program since 2025. His research focuses on Computer Vision, Deep Learning, and Video Analytics , with applications in sports technology, medical imaging, and industrial automation. Key achievements include the Amazon AWS Machine Learning Research Award (2020) , ACM Multimedia Best Paper (2015) , and Best Student Paper at ICIAP (2007) . He co-organized the ELLIS-VISMAC Winter School (2025) and chaired ICIAP 2019 . His work spans novel view synthesis, action recognition, and anomaly detection, supported by patents in video tracking and detection. He teaches courses like Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence in undergraduate and graduate programs. Recent projects such as 5VREAL integrate 5G, edge computing, and AI for sports analysis. His collaborations bridge academia and industry, exemplified by his role in Covision Lab and multidisciplinary initiatives like DSS4LCO for food supply chains. Lanz’s publications emphasize spatiotemporal modeling, neural architecture search, and hybrid machine vision systems.
Cristina Dondi serves as a Full Professor in the Department of Modern Literature and Culture at Sapienza University of Rome's Faculty of Arts and Philosophy. Her academic work centers on the history of the book with specialized expertise in incunabula (15th-century printed books), early book trade networks, and digital humanities methodologies. She teaches the "History of the Book" course for Global Humanities students, delivering lectures in person at Rome's Faculty of Arts and Philosophy during the 2024-2025 academic year. Her research spans material evidence of early printed books, Venetian printing practices, Dante's textual circulation, and library transformations during religious secularization. She pioneers digital approaches through projects like 15cBOOKTRADE and CERL, developing visualization tools for historical book movement data and collaborative digital infrastructures. Her work bridges traditional book history with computational analysis, emphasizing how physical artifacts reveal cultural and commercial networks. Analysis of her 2021-2023 publications shows consistent integration of digital tools with historical scholarship, particularly regarding Italian incunabula circulation and MEI database applications. She frequently examines Venetian commercial practices, Dante's reception, and collaborative digital resource creation, demonstrating how visual analytics transforms understanding of pre-modern book economies. Scientific Awards: No specific awards were documented in the provided sources. Professor Dondi leads significant research initiatives including the 15cBOOKTRADE project and Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL) collaborations, which involve multi-institutional teams developing digital ecosystems for book historical research. These projects generate scholarly publications, digital tools, and educational resources while securing substantial research funding for infrastructure development and international conferences. She actively shapes the CERL digital ecosystem and 15cBOOKTRADE project framework, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between historians, librarians, and computer scientists. Her current work focuses on expanding Material Evidence in Incunabula (MEI) applications and creating open-access platforms for analyzing early print culture across European collections.
Caterina Stefania Romeo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Literature and Culture at Sapienza University of Rome's Faculty of Letters and Philosophy. She teaches courses including Introduction to Literary Criticism, Gender, Race, and Mobilities: Narratives and Counternarratives, and Literature, Migration, Inequality. Her office is located on the 4th floor of the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy in Studio B. Dr. Romeo specializes in Postcolonial Studies, Gender Studies, Migration Studies, and Race and Ethnicity Studies, with particular focus on Italian literature and transnational perspectives. Her research explores the intersections of race, gender, and postcoloniality in contemporary Italian contexts, examining how these dynamics shape national identity, urban spaces, and literary production. She has made significant contributions to understanding postcolonial Italian literature, Black Italian experiences, and intersectional approaches to cultural studies. Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent engagement with contemporary issues in Italian society, particularly regarding migration, race relations, and gender dynamics. She has developed innovative frameworks for analyzing how postcolonial perspectives reshape understandings of Italian national identity and cultural production. Premio nazionale di divulgazione scientifica (2014) - finalista John Fante Prize (2009) for La pelle che separa di Kym Ragusa Acerbi Special Prize for Women's Writing (2008) for Vertigo di Louise DeSalvo American Italian Historical Association Award for best doctoral thesis in Italian American Studies (2000) Dr. Romeo has supervised numerous doctoral students including Christina Maraboutaki, Giulia Fabbri, Valentina Quaresima, Barbara De Vivo, Emily Marogi, and Karisma Wilson. She has received multiple research grants including Transliteratures Fellowship, Princeton-Pettoranello Foundation Dissertation Grants, and various post-doctoral fellowships. Her work demonstrates sustained engagement with both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in postcolonial, gender, and migration studies. She is actively involved in organizing academic events, conferences, and seminars focused on postcolonial studies, gender studies, and migration. Dr. Romeo has collaborated extensively with international scholars and institutions, reflecting her transnational approach to research and teaching.
Hans-Wolfgang Micklitz is a Part-Time Professor of Economic Law at the Department of Law of the European University Institute (EUI). He previously held roles such as Finland Distinguished Professor at the University of Helsinki (2016–2021), Head of the Department of Law at EUI (2012–2014), and Full-Time Professor at EUI (2007–2019). His academic career includes visiting professorships at institutions like the University of Columbia, University of Helsinki, and University of Bologna. Education : Studied law and sociology at universities in Mainz, Lausanne, Giessen, and Hamburg (LL.M. 1973). Earned a PhD in 1983 (on Repair Contracts) and Habilitation in International Product Safety Law (1991) from the University of Bremen. Research Focus : Specializes in European Regulatory Private Law, Digital Law, Consumer Protection, and the societal impact of technological change. Current projects include "Digital Transformations and Society" and collaborations on AI-driven legal compliance frameworks. His work bridges legal theory with practical regulatory challenges in digital markets and cross-border governance. Awards and Grants : Recipient of the prestigious ERC Grant (2011–2016), Finland Distinguished Professorship, and Doctor honoris causa from the University of Helsinki (2017). His research has generated over 2 million euros in funding, including the ERC CompuLaw project under Giovanni Sartor. Consultancy and Advisory Roles : Advised the European Commission, German/Austrian Ministries, and NGOs on consumer policy, EU law reforms, and digital governance. Involved in projects across Southeast Europe, Asia, and Africa through partnerships like GIZ. Editorial Contributions : Co-editor of Yearbook of European Law , Revue Internationale de Droit Économique , and Journal of Consumer Policy . Founded the Institute of European and Consumer Law (VIEW) in 1994.
Aldo Gangemi is a Full Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bologna, specializing in Informatics (INFO-01/A). His research integrates Semantic Technologies, Natural Language Processing, Data Science, and Cognitive Science to address challenges in knowledge representation, ontology engineering, and cultural heritage informatics. He co-founded the STLab at ISTC-CNR and DHARC at the University of Bologna, and is on leave from Sorbonne Paris Nord University (Computer Science Lab - LIPN). Scientific roles include serving as area chair for Web Semantics , editorial board member for Semantic Web and Applied Ontology , and conference chairs for major events like WWW2015 and ESWC2018. He has led European projects such as GALEN, WonderWeb, NeOn, and MARIO, and developed software tools like FRED, Aemoo, and Framester. Research interests focus on semantic technologies, knowledge patterns, and applications in humanities, medicine, law, and fisheries. Over 250 peer-reviewed publications span these areas, with emphasis on ontology-based knowledge integration, multimodal reasoning, and ethical AI. His work bridges cognitive science and technological innovation, particularly in virtual reality's societal applications and cultural heritage preservation. Notable contributions include the PRIVAFRAME knowledge graph for sensitive data, the ImageSchemaNet ontology for embodied cognition, and the Sandra neuro-symbolic reasoner. His interdisciplinary approach addresses challenges in AI ethics, creative systems, and citizen-driven data curation.
Stéphanie Novak is a Full Professor at the Department of Comparative Linguistic and Cultural Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Her research focuses on European institutions, transparency, accountability, collective decision-making, and international negotiations. She has published extensively in journals like the Journal of Common Market Studies and Global Policy, and co-edited a volume with Jon Elster on majority decisions. Current Assignments: Member of the Steering Committee of the Ca' Foscari International College; Delegate for Internationalization Research Interests include: EU institutional transparency and accountability Collective decision-making and consensus Intergovernmental relations and crises Legislative process conflict-resolution International negotiation dynamics Democratic compromise in supranational contexts Her 2023-2024 publications analyze transparency dilemmas, consensus fragility, and digital policy interoperability. Earlier works (2005-2020) examine voting norms, institutional hypocrisy, and EU global representation. Scientific Awards: Dalloz-Bibliothèque de thèses prize (doctoral thesis) Editorial Involvement: Associate Editor, Journal of European Policies (since 2017) Editorial Board, La Fabrique du Politique (since 2018) Former Board Member, La Vie des Idées (2009-2021) Grants & Projects: POLiN Project (2023-2025): Interoperability in EU digital health policies Universalism and Right of Man Project (2023-2026): Late Enlightenment political conditions Observatoire des Institutions Européennes (2014-2021): EU institutions and transparency
Eleonora Vacca is a PhD student and Research Fellow in the Department of Automatic Control and Computer Science (DAUIN) at the Polytechnic University of Turin. She holds a B.S. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Palermo (2018) and an M.S. in Electronic Engineering-Embedded Systems from Politecnico di Torino (2021). Her research focuses on digital hardware design, reliability engineering, reconfigurable devices, and AI applications in aerospace and safety-critical systems. She is a member of the Aerospace and Safety Computing Lab and the CAD - Electronic CAD & Reliability Group (DAUIN). Her work addresses challenges such as radiation effects mitigation in space missions, fault-tolerant AI accelerators, and real-time anomaly detection in satellite telemetry. She has contributed to projects like the RAMSES CubeSat-1 Development (2025-2026), funded by commercial contracts. In 2024, she won the Best Student Paper Award at the NEWCAS Conference for her research on radiation effects in space missions. Vacca collaborates on teaching, including assisting in the course 'Electronic Calculators' for Computer Engineering students. Her recent publications explore AI resilience in RISC-V ecosystems, radiation environment analysis for space missions, and gesture recognition systems for smart cities. She actively contributes to conferences such as the ACM International Conference on Computing Frontiers and the IEEE International Smart Cities Conference.
