Alessandro Astolfi
Biography
Alessandro Astolfi is professor of applied mathematics and computational science at KAUST and a leading scholar and pioneer in nonlinear systems and control. His research focuses on the analysis and design of advanced control strategies for complex, large-scale, and interconnected systems, with applications spanning robotics, power systems, aerospace, and social and biological systems.
Before joining KAUST, he was professor of nonlinear control theory at Imperial College London and also held professorial appointments at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Politecnico di Milano.
Astolfi’s work delivers mathematically rigorous methods and algorithms that address engineering challenges. He collaborates closely with academic institutions and industry leaders worldwide, advancing technologies that support infrastructure, energy, and intelligent automation.
An accomplished educator and mentor, Astolfi is committed to developing the next generation of engineers and researchers. At KAUST, he leads interdisciplinary research initiatives and provides master’s and Ph.D. students with opportunities to engage in high-impact projects at the forefront of systems and control theory.
Research Interests
Alessandro Astolfi’s research is focused on the analysis and design of nonlinear control systems and on the development of mathematically rigorous methods that deliver quantifiable and reliable performance in the presence of uncertainty and changing operating conditions.
He has introduced general analytical frameworks and methodologies, including the Immersion and Invariance approach, homogeneous approximation techniques, discontinuous coordinate transformation–based designs, and the notion of nonlinear moment. These tools provide strong theoretical foundations for control design and system analysis.
His work enables the design of scalable, high-performance solutions across a wide range of applications.
Professional Profile
Awards and Distinctions
- Outstanding Paper Award for the paper "Nonlinear Energy-Maximizing Optimal Control of Wave Energy Systems: A Moment-Based Approach" by N. Faedo, A. Astolfi and J. Ringwood, IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 2023
- Outstanding Service Award, International Federation of Automatic Control, 2017
- Best Paper Award for the paper "Conditions for stability of droop-controlled inverter-based microgrids" by J. Schiffer, R. Ortega, A. Astolfi, J. Raisch and T. Sezi, Automatica, 2017
- Sir Harold Hartley Medal for outstanding contributions to the technology of measurement and control, Institute of Measurement and Control, 2016
- George S. Axelby Outstanding Paper Award for the paper "Model Reduction by Moment Matching for Linear and Nonlinear Systems", IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 2012
- IEEE CSS Distinguished Member Award, IEEE Control Systems Society, 2012
- Googol Best New Application Paper Award for the paper "Activation of Immune Response in Disease Dynamics via Controlled Drug Scheduling" by H. Chang and A. Astolfi, Googol Technology (HK) Ltd, 2009
- Antonio Ruberti Young Researcher Prize, IEEE Control Systems Society, 2007
- Philip Leverhulme Prize, Leverhulme Trust, 2003
Professional Memberships
- Member, Italian Academy of Engineering and Technology (ITATEC), 2024
- Fellow, International Federation of Automatic Control, 2017
- Member, Academia Europaea, Physics and Engineering Science Section, 2016
- Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2009
- Fellow, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), 2005
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Systems and Control Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome (UNIROMA1), Italy, 1996
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Switzerland, 1995
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Information Theory, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Switzerland, 1995
- Diploma (Dipl.-Ing.-M.Eng.)
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome (UNIROMA1), Italy, 1991