Trustworthy Autonomous and Adaptive Systems
Methods and tools for engineering autonomous and AI-enabled systems that must operate safely, ethically, and reliably in dynamic environments.
Professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering in L'Aquila, Abruzzo
Software Engineering Research with Real-World Impact
I lead research and academic-industry collaboration on trustworthy systems, trustworthy AI, robotic software engineering, software architecture, and next-generation space software platforms for critical and intelligent systems at the Gran Sasso Science Institute in L'Aquila, Abruzzo.
Positioning
Research grounded in reality, designed for high-impact systems
My work combines software engineering theory, empirical studies, and engineering methods to support organizations building systems that must be intelligent, adaptive, trustworthy, and safe. Across research and collaboration, the aim is to connect scientific excellence with operational reality.
This includes software-intensive systems in robotics, manufacturing, automotive, and space, where architectural decisions, AI adoption, and system evolution have direct technical and strategic consequences.
I am also an Associate Member of Gran Sasso Tech, a non-profit research organization where academia and industry collaborate in developing advanced technologies and education, and I work at the Gran Sasso Science Institute in L'Aquila, Abruzzo.
Career & affiliations
Academic leadership shaped by an international career
In addition to my current role at GSSI in L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy, I am Adjunct Professor at the University of Bergen, Norway. My previous academic positions include Associate Professor at the University of L’Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy, and at Chalmers University of Technology | University of Gothenburg in Sweden, Visiting Professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and Assistant Professor at the University of L’Aquila in Abruzzo, Italy.
Earlier positions include Senior Researcher at the University of Luxembourg, Research Associate roles at University of Paris Diderot-Paris, Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, ISTI-CNR in Pisa, Italy, and INRIA in France, as well as Research Scholar at Kansas State University in the USA.
Research themes
Four flagship areas
Robotic Software Engineering
Software engineering approaches for robots and multi-robot systems operating in real settings and collaborating with people.
Software Architecture for Complex and AI-Enabled Systems
Architectural methods, reference architectures, and engineering practices for complex systems and AI-enabled systems.
Space Software, Trustworthy Satellite Systems, and Digital Platforms
Software architectures, continuous compliance, digital twins, and integrated engineering platforms for the next generation of space systems.
Impact
Where software engineering meets strategic and operational impact
Safer intelligent systems
Engineering methods for systems that must remain safe, explainable, and dependable in changing environments.
Stronger architectural foundations
Reference architectures and design approaches for long-term evolution in complex software-intensive systems.
Trustworthy AI adoption
Evidence-based approaches for introducing AI into high-stakes domains with clear boundaries and assurance constraints.
Research connected to practice
Projects and collaborations that address real industrial, societal, and mission-critical challenges.
Industry & collaboration
Research-informed collaboration for high-stakes systems
I collaborate with companies, institutions, and innovation programs on software architecture, trustworthy AI, robotics, critical systems, and space software. These collaborations range from strategic assessment to funded research and long-term innovation initiatives. Learn more on the academic-industry collaboration page.
- Technical advisory
- Joint research
- Innovation partnerships
- Industrial PhD supervision
Students
Building the next generation of researchers and engineers
Supervising doctoral and early-stage researchers is a core part of my work. Current projects span continuous compliance, trustworthy AI, digital twins, anomaly detection, robotics, and software engineering for emerging critical domains.
Meet current and past studentsSelected projects
Current initiatives and high-impact collaborations
Current
Dipartimento di Eccellenza 2023-2027
A strategic development program at GSSI focused on pattern analysis and engineering across mathematics and computer science, including software-intensive systems and intelligent technologies.
Current
EDIHAMO
European Digital Innovation Hub Abruzzo e Molise supporting companies and public organizations with digital transformation services, with particular attention to AI and HPC.
Current
MATISSE
Model-based engineering of digital twins for early verification and validation of industrial systems.
Publications
Selected contributions, updated automatically
Humanitarian work
Software engineering in support of emergency response
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I participated in the Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM) initiative, a project created to mass-produce low-cost, easy-to-use, open-source mechanical ventilators for emergency contexts.
Within the project, I contributed to software certification activities, with particular attention to architecture, design, and unit and integration testing. The work connected software engineering directly to an urgent humanitarian need, in collaboration with an international team that included leaders from GSSI, Princeton University, and Nobel Laureate Arthur B. McDonald.
This experience remains an important example of how rigorous engineering can contribute under extreme constraints when societal impact is immediate.