Matteo Cagnoni is a Researcher at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (DET) of Politecnico di Torino . His research focuses on Density Functional Theory , Quantum Chemistry , and Thermoelectric Materials for Solar Cells . He is actively involved in the European Union’s MIRACLE project , developing photonic meta-concrete for radiative cooling solutions. Research Interests: Development of cement-based radiative coolers for solar cell thermal management Computational discovery of intermediate-band solar cell materials Electronic properties of semiconductors and insulators Teaching: Electronic transport in crystalline and organic semiconductors Advanced experimental physics Scientific Contributions: Matteo has published extensively on radiative cooling, perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, and thermoelectric materials. His work spans journals like Nature Communications , Advanced Functional Materials , and Progress in Photovoltaics , with a focus on simulation engineering , photonic devices , and energy-efficient materials . Labs & Collaborations: He works within the Microwave and Optoelectronics Group (MOG) at DET, collaborating with international institutions on EU-funded projects.
Michele Zorzi is a Professor of Telecommunications at the School of Engineering, University of Padova, Italy, where he has held a faculty position since 2003. He leads the SIGNET (Signal processing and Networking) Research Group, focusing on cutting-edge wireless networking challenges including mmWave communications and underwater networks. His extensive publication record exceeds 600 papers in top-tier journals and conferences, reflecting significant contributions to the field through both theoretical and experimental work. He received his Laurea Degree (1990) and Ph.D. (1994) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Padova. Prior academic appointments include Politecnico di Milano (1993-1996), University of California San Diego (1995-1998), and University of Ferrara (1998-2003), where he progressed from Associate Professor to full Professor. His educational trajectory demonstrates deep roots in Italian academia with international exposure. Professor Zorzi's research spans wireless communications and networking, with current emphases on mmWave networking for vehicular systems, underwater acoustic/optical communications, non-terrestrial networks, and AI-driven networking solutions. His group conducts experimental validations including at-sea trials for underwater systems and testbeds for vehicular networks. Key projects include PRATA for predictive QoS in autonomous driving and IoT-based environmental monitoring of the Venice Lagoon, demonstrating practical applications of theoretical work. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals strong trends in applying artificial intelligence to networking challenges across diverse environments. There is significant emphasis on vehicular networks (predictive QoS, teleoperated driving), underwater systems (acoustic/optical communications, AUV swarms), and satellite networks (Starlink integration, NTN security). Experimental validation in real-world scenarios like the Venice Lagoon monitoring project and underwater sea trials characterizes his applied research approach. His scientific accolades include: IEEE Fellow (2007) IEEE Communications Society Best Tutorial Paper Award (2008, 2019) Stephen O. Rice Best Paper Award (2018) Multiple best paper awards at IEEE conferences (2005-2020) As principal investigator for numerous European and US research projects plus 20+ industry-funded initiatives, Professor Zorzi has mentored over 35 PhD students and post-docs. Graduates now hold prominent positions at institutions including Stanford, UCSD, CTTC, and Huawei. His SIGNET group maintains active international collaborations and contributes to open-source networking tools via GitHub, demonstrating commitment to community engagement. The SIGNET Research Group, housed within the Department of Information Engineering, operates specialized experimental facilities for mmWave and underwater communications. Current initiatives include AI-based predictive QoS frameworks for vehicular networks, underwater optical communication systems using ultraviolet light, and large-scale IoT deployments for environmental monitoring. The group's GitHub presence indicates strong open-science practices, while recent sea trials confirm hands-on experimental capabilities beyond theoretical work.
Anna Gottard is an Associate Professor of Statistics at the University of Florence, where she leads the Department of Statistics, Computer Science, and Applications. She directs the Florence Center for Data Science (FDS) and participates in the Technical Scientific Committee of the Tuscan Center for Big Data, Data Science, and AI (CBDAI). Her research focuses on multivariate statistical models, particularly graphical models, and extends to statistical machine learning, fair models, and directional data analysis. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A (JRSSA) and Statistical Methods & Applications (SMA). Her recent work includes Bayesian approaches for mixed graphical models, uncertainty-aware classification trees, and methodological advancements in latent uncertainty models. Her contributions span theoretical developments and applied research in interdisciplinary areas like biostatistics and sustainability. Her research interests emphasize bridging statistical theory with practical applications, including fairness in machine learning, interpretable models, and tree-based methodologies. She has actively contributed to open-source software, notably the Mix3Trees R package for mixed-effect tree models. Her work addresses challenges in variable selection, graphical model inference, and ethical AI practices. Current projects explore Bayesian frameworks for complex data structures and methodological improvements in graphical model interpretability. Anna has advised on interdisciplinary collaborations, such as studies on GDPR compliance in biobanking and epidemiological modeling of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Tuscany. She collaborates with institutions like the CBDAI to advance data science applications in regional policy and healthcare. Her research trajectory reflects a commitment to both foundational statistical theory and real-world problem-solving across diverse domains.
Giorgio Grisetti is a Full Professor at Sapienza University of Rome within the Department of Systems and Computer Science, maintaining active research roles in the RoCoCo lab at Sapienza since November 2010 and the Autonomous Intelligent Systems Lab at Freiburg University where he previously served as a Post Doc under Wolfram Burgard starting in 2006. His educational background includes a M.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of Rome (2001) and a Ph.D. from Sapienza University of Rome's Intelligent Systems Lab (2006), supervised by Daniele Nardi. His doctoral thesis focused on SLAM using Rao-Blackwellized particle filters. Dr. Grisetti's research centers on mobile robotics with emphasis on robust solutions for autonomous navigation systems. His work spans theoretical and practical advancements in Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), robot localization, path planning, and sensor fusion, particularly leveraging LiDAR and multi-sensor configurations. Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on optimization techniques, sensor calibration, and real-time performance for autonomous systems operating in complex environments. His publication trends reveal deep specialization in LiDAR-based SLAM (7 of 15 recent articles), bundle adjustment methods (4 articles), and sensor calibration/perception (3 articles), with consistent contributions to top robotics venues like IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters and ICRA. Key recognitions include: Nomination for the best IROS paper award (2010) Open Source achievement award from Willow Garage (2010) Best paper award at the International Conference and Exhibition on Unmanned Areal Vehicles (2010) Best Paper award at ICRA 2009 (2009) His research is conducted through the RoCoCo lab at Sapienza University of Rome and the Autonomous Intelligent Systems Lab at Freiburg University, focusing on developing foundational algorithms for mobile robot autonomy. Current projects emphasize robust perception systems, optimization frameworks for sensor fusion, and practical implementations for real-world navigation challenges.
Maria Rita Casali is a Full Professor at the Department of Physical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Her research focuses on geometry, topology, and mathematical structures, particularly in relation to PL-manifolds and colored tensor models. Teaching: Courses in Geometry, Discrete Mathematics, and Linear Algebra for Engineering and Strategic Sciences degrees. Research: Investigates combinatorial invariants (regular genus, G-degree, gem-complexity) for compact 4-manifolds, linking them to quantum gravity and tensor models. Publications: Recent works include studies on trisections of 4-manifolds, classifications via colored graphs, and combinatorial properties of the G-degree. Her contributions to crystallization theory and PL-manifold representation have advanced the understanding of geometric topology and its applications in theoretical physics.
Luca Iocchi is a Full Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, where he teaches in the Master in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics program. He is affiliated with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering and the Faculty of Engineering of Information, Computer Science and Statistics. Iocchi serves as an Associate Editor for Artificial Intelligence Journal and has been the scientific coordinator of Spoke of PNRR project FAIR (Future AI Research). His educational background includes: Master in Engineering in Computer Science (Laurea in Ingegneria Informatica) cum Laude, Sapienza Università di Roma, 1995 PhD in Engineering in Computer Science (Dottorato in Ingegneria Informatica), Sapienza Università di Roma, 1999 Professor Iocchi's research focuses on cognitive robotics, task planning, multi-robot coordination, robot perception, robot learning, human-robot interaction, and social robotics. His work has significant applications in security, surveillance, and environmental monitoring. He has published over 200 referred papers with an h-index of 46 (Google Scholar). His research bridges theoretical AI with practical robotic systems operating in real-world environments, with a particular emphasis on developing intelligent systems that can interact effectively with humans. His recent publications show a strong trend toward multi-agent reinforcement learning, trust modeling in human-AI teams, UAV coordination, and planning systems. There's a clear focus on making robotic systems more reliable, efficient, and capable of operating in complex real-world scenarios like healthcare facilities and smart cities. His work increasingly integrates formal planning approaches with machine learning techniques. Professor Iocchi has received numerous scientific awards: 1999 Top Paper Award WebNet'99 2006 Best Paper Award RoboCup 2006 2008 Best Robotics Demo Award AAMAS 2008 2014 Best Paper Award For Engineering Contribution RoboCup 2014 2017 RoboCup@Home SSPL 2017 - 3rd place 2018 Canada-Italy Innovation Award 2019 Best Paper Award For Engineering Contribution RoboCup 2019 As an academic advisor, Iocchi has directed the PhD Program in Engineering in Computer Science from 2020 to 2023. He has been Principal Investigator for numerous research projects including SciRoc (European Robotics League), AI4EU (European AI project), BUBBLES, AIPlan4EU, ROSITA, Trust Your Agents, and FAIR. His research has been supported by EU H2020 programs, national grants, and industry collaborations, demonstrating strong connections between academia and practical applications. Professor Iocchi is actively involved with the Cognitive Cooperating Robots Lab (LabRoCoCo) and is a key member of the RoboCup Federation, having served as Vice-President from 2019 to 2024. He has played a significant role in benchmarking domestic service robots through RoboCup@Home and the European Robotics League Service Robots (ERL-SR), which he helped establish. His leadership in organizing international scientific robot competitions has been instrumental in advancing the field of service robotics.
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.
Giulia Giordano is a Full Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Trento, Italy, where she leads the Dynamical Networks and Systems Biology research group. She also holds a dual appointment as Visiting Professor and Delft Technology Fellow at the Delft Center for Systems and Control, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. Her career includes previous positions as Assistant Professor at Delft University of Technology (2017-2019), Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Lund University, Sweden (2016-2017), and Research Fellow at the University of Udine, Italy (2016). Giulia earned her Ph.D. in Industrial and Information Engineering: Automation (Excellent) from the University of Udine with a thesis titled "Structural Analysis and Control of Dynamical Networks." She completed her M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (both Summa cum laude) at the same institution. She also undertook research visits at Caltech (2012) as a SURF Fellow and at the University of Stuttgart (2015) as a DAAD Research Scholar. Her primary research focuses on the analysis and control of dynamical networks with applications in systems biology, mathematical ecology, and mathematical epidemiology. She develops mathematical frameworks that bridge control theory, network theory, and dynamical systems to address complex problems in biological systems. Her recent work spans epidemic modeling, opinion dynamics, biochemical networks, and neurological disorders, with a particular emphasis on structural analysis of networked systems. She employs both theoretical and computational approaches to understand system behavior under uncertainty. Giulia's publications reveal a strong interdisciplinary focus, spanning from theoretical control systems to practical applications in epidemiology and biology. Her recent work shows increasing emphasis on epidemic modeling (particularly related to mpox and SARS-CoV-2), network synchronization, and the application of control theory to biological phenomena like fibromyalgia pathogenesis and opinion formation. Many of her papers appear in top-tier control journals including Automatica and IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control. 2024: Outstanding Service as Associate Editor of IEEE Control Systems Letters 2021: SIAM Activity Group on Control and Systems Theory Prize 2020: Outstanding Reviewer, Annals of Internal Medicine 2017: NAHS Best Paper Prize and EECI PhD Award 2016: Outstanding TAC Reviewer, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control Giulia actively mentors students and postdoctoral researchers, currently supervising five postdoctoral researchers and two Ph.D. students at the University of Trento. She has advised numerous M.Sc. and B.Sc. students on topics ranging from bio-inspired modeling to optimal control of epidemic systems. Her research is supported by competitive grants including the ERC Starting Grant INSPIRE (Integrated Structural and Probabilistic Approaches for Biological and Epidemiological Systems). She serves as Associate Editor for IEEE Control Systems Letters and Automatica, and is a Senior Member of IEEE and the Control Systems Society. Giulia leads the Dynamical Networks and Systems Biology research group at the University of Trento, which maintains strong international collaborations across Europe and North America. The group's work combines theoretical advances in control theory with practical applications to pressing problems in public health and biological systems, demonstrating the power of mathematical approaches to understanding complex phenomena in the life sciences.
Roberto Navigli serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Sapienza University of Rome, conducting pioneering research in Natural Language Processing. He holds editorial leadership positions including Associate Editor of the Artificial Intelligence Journal and membership on the Journal of Natural Language Engineering editorial board. His research program centers on multilingual semantic technologies, with foundational contributions to word sense disambiguation, ontology learning from unstructured text, and large-scale knowledge acquisition systems. Navigli's work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications in relation extraction and open information extraction, emphasizing cross-lingual capabilities and resource scalability. Publication analysis reveals a sustained focus on semantic resource development, evolving from early WordNet extensions (2003) to contemporary open knowledge extraction frameworks (2015). This trajectory demonstrates consistent innovation in transforming unstructured text into structured knowledge representations for multilingual applications. Major scientific recognition includes: Marco Cadoli 2007 AI*IA Prize for best doctoral thesis in AI Marco Somalvico 2013 AI*IA Prize for best young AI researcher ERC Starting Grant (2011-2016) for multilingual word sense disambiguation Google Focused Research Award on Natural Language Understanding Navigli directs significant research initiatives funded by competitive grants, including his ERC project and Google collaboration, while providing academic leadership through area chair roles at ACL, WWW, and *SEM conferences. His service as senior program committee member for IJCAI and editorial board positions underscores substantial community impact.
Michele Ciavarella is a Full Professor at the Polytechnic University of Bari (Politecnico di Bari) in the Department of Mechanics, Mathematics & Management (DMMM). His research focuses on contact mechanics, adhesion, friction, and viscoelastic materials, with applications in mechanical design, wear analysis, and surface topography. His work includes theoretical modeling, experimental testing, and computational approaches to understanding interactions between materials under mechanical stress. He can be contacted at michele.ciavarella@poliba.it.
Paola Cristofori is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Her research focuses on Algebraic Topology, Differential Geometry, and Manifold Theory, with contributions to PL topology, 4-manifolds, and combinatorial structures like crystallization theory. She teaches courses in Geometry, Linear Algebra, and Algebraic Topology for undergraduate and graduate programs in Mathematics, Civil Engineering, and Strategic Sciences. Her work emphasizes topological invariants, combinatorial methods in manifold classification, and applications of colored graphs. Key areas include trisections of 4-manifolds, Kirby diagrams, and G-degree theory. She collaborates extensively on projects involving geometric topology and computational topology tools. Dr. Cristofori’s teaching spans foundational topics in linear algebra, Euclidean geometry, and advanced algebraic topology, emphasizing rigorous proofs and practical applications. Her research is published in top journals and includes over 40 articles, reflecting her deep engagement with low-dimensional topology and geometric structures.
Sara Vinco is an Associate Professor at the Department of Control and Computer Engineering (DAUIN), Politecnico di Torino, Italy. She specializes in battery simulation, digital twins, and energy-efficient design automation for heterogeneous embedded systems, aligning with Industrial and Information Engineering (Area 0009) and ERC sectors including Computer Architecture and Machine Learning . Her research focuses on advancing cyber-physical systems through simulation frameworks like SystemC-AMS, enabling holistic modeling of analog, digital, and thermal domains. Key projects include data-driven digital twins for EV batteries and low-area digital circuits in industrial/medical applications, supported by commercial contracts such as C-based virtual prototyping. Her recent publications (2022-2023) emphasize machine learning for battery SOH/SOC estimation , energy monitoring in production lines , and multi-domain fault modeling . These works span journals like IEEE Transactions and conferences including DATE and ISLPED. Awarded the FFABR 2017 grant and IEEE FDL Best Paper Award 2011 , she also chairs editorial boards for IEEE Transactions on CAD and DATE Conference. She supervises PhD students Giovanni Pollo (Digital Circuits) and Khaled Alamin (EV Battery Twins), reflecting her leadership in smart systems design.
Alessia Ferrari is a fixed-term researcher in the Department of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Parma, Italy. She lectures on Hydrology within the Bachelor’s degree programme in Civil and Environmental Engineering and serves as the reference teacher for the same programme across multiple academic years (2020/2021 – 2025/2026). Research Focus Ferrari’s research integrates advanced numerical modelling with real-world flood-risk management. Key themes include: High-resolution 2-D shallow-water simulations using GPU-parallel codes. Porosity-based approaches for large-scale urban flood modelling. Levee-breach hydraulics and emergency-action planning. Calibration of hydraulic models using tools such as PEST. Integration of machine-learning techniques with physics-based flood forecasting. Publication Trends Across more than 25 peer-reviewed works (2015-2025), Ferrari has concentrated on computational hydraulics applied to extreme flood events in Northern Italy (e.g., Parma 2014, Lamone 2024). Her papers consistently advance numerical schemes (ADER, HLLEM Riemann solvers) and GPU acceleration while validating models against field data, thereby bridging theoretical development and practical flood-mitigation strategies. Contact & Office E-mail: alessia.ferrari@unipr.it Office: Science and Technology Campus – Pavilion 10, Engineering Scientific Headquarters, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
Stefano Leonardi is a Full Professor in the Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering Antonio Ruberti at Sapienza Università di Roma. His research focuses on Algorithm Theory, Algorithms and Data Science, and Economics and Computation. He leads the ERC Advanced Grant project AMDROMA, exploring algorithmic mechanisms for online markets. He has held roles as Conference Chair for STOC 2021, WWW 2015, and FUN 2018, and coordinates the Sapienza School of Advanced Studies (2016-2018). His work spans approximation algorithms, online algorithms, and mechanism design. Awards include the ERC Advanced Grant and EATCS Fellowship. His research interests emphasize foundational algorithmic problems in web-based markets, leveraging rigorous design and large-scale data analysis. Recent projects include ALGADIMAR (PRIN 2019-2022) for digital market algorithms. He chairs the Highlights of Algorithms conference series and serves on program committees for top venues like EC, ICALP, and SODA. His lab focuses on web algorithmics and data mining, addressing challenges in online labor markets and fair division. Leonardi's academic contributions include over 100 publications, with recent work on fair algorithms, prophet inequalities, and mechanism design in auctions. He has pioneered methods for submodular optimization, online learning, and multi-agent systems. Grants and awards reflect his leadership in bridging theory with real-world applications, particularly in digital economies. Grants: ERC Advanced Grant (2018-2023), PRIN ALGADIMAR (2019-2022) Leadership: Chair of ACM STOC 2021, WWW 2015, and 9th FUN Conference Labs/Teams: Laboratory on Web Algorithmics and Data Mining Key Projects: AMDROMA (algorithmic mechanisms), ALGADIMAR (digital markets)
Seth Frey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Davis, with affiliate status at Indiana University's Ostrom Workshop and as Research Director at Metagov. His research focuses on computational social science approaches to understanding self-governance in complex social systems, particularly through the lens of online communities as model institutions. Education: Ph.D. in Cognitive Science and Informatics (complex systems), Indiana University, 2013 B.A. in Cognitive Science, UC Berkeley, 2004 Research Interests: Frey specializes in computational approaches to institutional analysis and the cognitive science of strategic behavior . His work examines how communities design governance systems to overcome collective action problems, with emphasis on: Emergent institutional structures in digital commons Policy-as-data through NLP and institutional grammar frameworks Cognitive mechanisms underlying cooperative behavior Design principles for participatory change in online platforms His methodology integrates large-scale data analysis, web-based experiments, and computational modeling across diverse contexts including Minecraft, Reddit, and professional sports ecosystems. Publication Trends: Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a cohesive trajectory toward computational institutional analysis, with increasing focus on NLP-driven policy analysis (e.g., NLP4Gov), decentralized governance architectures (DAOs, multi-level platform governance), and the cognitive foundations of collective action. His work consistently bridges theoretical institutional analysis with practical applications in digital community design, showing particular growth in translating Ostrom's design principles into computational frameworks. Awards: Honorable Mention Award for Best Paper at ACM CSCW 2019 Advising and Grants: Frey mentors students interested in data science applications at the intersection of communication, cognition, and complex systems, emphasizing resourcefulness and intellectual curiosity. His research has secured substantial funding from: National Science Foundation (NSF) NASA Ford Foundation Google Open Source Foundation He actively encourages aspiring graduate students with strong self-directed research skills to explore computational approaches to social phenomena. Labs and Teams: He leads the Computational Communication Lab at UC Davis and co-directs the Institutional Grammar Research Initiative. Through Metagov, he develops the 'Governance API' framework for modular community governance. His past affiliations include Disney Research (Walt Disney Imagineering) where he applied complexity science to theme park systems, and the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI). Current collaborations span Ethereum governance, Minecraft server ecosystems, and Colorado's cannabis monitoring infrastructure.
