ESM Alumnus Maurizio Porfiri (PhD EM'06) Receives prestigious NSF CAREER Award for Innovative Integrated Research and Education

ESM alumnus Maurizio Porfiri (PhD EM'06) has received the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award for promising young faculty members. Dr. Porfiri, whose ESM mentor during his doctoral studies was Clifton C. Garvin Professor Romesh C. Batra, is an assistant professor in the department of mechanical, aerospace and manufacturing engineering at Polytechnic University, New York.

The award will enable him to work on the guidance and control of fish shoals using bio-mimetic robots. His work will be based on a synergistic biological and engineering understanding of control strategies for multi-vehicle teams and mobile sensor networks. Dr. Porfiri will develop a mathematical understanding of the collective behavior of animal groups, such as schooling of fish, flocking of birds, herding of social ungulates, and patterns of traffic flow in human crowds, and thus inspire algorithms for coordinating robotic systems. He intends to integrate his research with education at a local animal aquarium through a program for elementary, middle, and high school students. The objective of this experience is to inspire young minds to pursue careers in engineering and the sciences.

ESM is very pleased to note the high accomplishments of its alumni that in innumerable ways contribute to our international reputation.

[Email to friend]

Complete list of news articles