Maria Domenica Di Benedetto is a full Professor of Control Theory at the University of L'Aquila, Italy, leading the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering. She holds a Dr. Ing. (summa cum laude) from Sapienza University of Rome (1976), a Docteur-Ingenieur (1981), and a Doctorat d'Etat Sciences (1987) from Université de Paris-Sud. Her academic journey includes roles as Assistant Professor at Sapienza (1983–1987), Associate Professor at Istituto Universitario Navale (1987–1990) and Sapienza (1990–1993), and Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley (1995–2002). She has held visiting roles at MIT, University of Michigan, and others. Her research focuses on nonlinear control, hybrid systems, and networked embedded systems, with applications in automotive and air traffic control. She pioneered the DEWS Center of Excellence, addressing embedded controllers and wireless systems, and co-founded WEST Aquila S.r.L. for industrial collaboration. Key roles include IEEE Fellow (2002), editorships for major journals (e.g., IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control), and leadership in global research initiatives like HYCON and iFly projects. Notable contributions include fault-tolerant control of wireless networks, symbolic control for nonlinear systems, and safety-critical analysis of air traffic systems. Her work bridges theory and practice, addressing real-world challenges in control engineering and cybersecurity. Over 150 peer-reviewed publications and 10+ patents reflect her prolific output. Awards: IEEE Fellow (2002), multiple editorial roles, and leadership in international research consortia. Labs/Teams: Director of DEWS Center, Scientific Committee member of CETEMPS, and collaborator with industry partners like Volvo Technology and BlueCrest Capital.
