Maurizio Porfiri is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. He received M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Tech, in 2000 and 2006; a ‘‘Laurea’’ in Electrical Engineering (with honors) and a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the University of Rome ‘‘La Sapienza’’ and the University of Toulon (dual degree program), in 2001 and 2005, respectively. He is engaged in conducting and supervising research on dynamical systems theory, multiphysics modeling, and underwater robotics. Maurizio Porfiri is the author of more than 250 journal publications and the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER award. He has been included in the ‘‘Brilliant 10’’ list of Popular Science and his research featured in major media outlets, including CNN, NPR, Scientific American, and Discovery Channel. Other significant recognitions include invitations to the Frontiers of Engineering Symposium and the Japan-America Frontiers of Engineering Symposium organized by National Academy of Engineering; the Outstanding Young Alumnus award by the college of Engineering of Virginia Tech; the ASME Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award; the ASME DSCD Young Investigator Award; and the ASME C.D. Mote, Jr. Early Career Award.
Research Interests:
Dynamical Systems Theory and Applications
Mechanics of Advanced Materials
Multiphysics Modeling
Smart Materials and Structures
Sapienza University of Rome, 2001
Laurea (B.Sc./M.Sc.), Electrical Engineering
Sapienza University of Rome, 2005
Doctor of Philosophy, Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 2000
Master of Science, Engineering Mechanics
University of Toulon, 2005
Doctor of Philosophy, Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 2006
Doctor of Philosophy, Engineering Mechanics
NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Professor
From: September 2014 to present
NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Associate Professor
From: September 2011 to August 2014
NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Assistant Professor
From: July 2006 to September 2011
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Post-Doctoral Associate
From: July 2005 to June 2006
Journal Articles (selection from the last ten years)
- Zhang, P., Rosen, M., Peterson, S. D., Porfiri, M., 2018: "An information-theoretic approach to study fluid-structure interactions",Journal of Fluid Mechanics 848, 968-986
- Golovneva, O., Jeter, R., Belykh, I., Porfiri, M., 2017: "Windows of opportunity for synchronization in stochastically coupled maps",Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena 340, 1-13
- Zino, L., Rizzo, A., Porfiri, M., 2016: "Continuous-time discrete-distribution theory for activity-driven networks", Physical Review Letters 117(22), 228302
- Mwaffo, V., Anderson, R. P., Butail, S., Porfiri, M., 2015: "A jump persistent turning walker to model zebrafish locomotion", Journal of the Royal Society Interface 12(102), 20140884
- Cha, Y., Porfiri, M., 2014: "Mechanics and electrochemistry of ionic polymer metal composites", Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 71, 156–178
- Panciroli, R., Porfiri, M., 2013: "Evaluation of the pressure field on a rigid body entering a quiescent fluid through particle image velocimetry", Experiments in Fluids 54(12), 1630
- Marras, S., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Fish and robots swimming together: attraction towards the robot demands biomimetic locomotion", Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9(73), 1856–1868
- Abaid, N., Porfiri, M., 2011: "Consensus over numerosity-constrained random networks", IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 56(3), 649-654
- Aureli, M., Kopman, V., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Free-locomotion of underwater vehicles actuated by ionic polymer metal composites",IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 15(4), 603-614
- Aureli, M., Lin, W., Porfiri, M., 2009: "On the capacitance-boost of ionic polymer metal composites due to electroless plating: theory and experiments", Journal of Applied Physics 105(10), 104911
- ASME C.D. Mote, Jr. Early Career Award, 2015
- Invitee of Japan-America Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, National Academy of Engineering, 2014
- Jacobs Excellence in Education Award, 2014
- ASME Dynamic Systems & Control Division Young Investigator Award, 2013
- ASME Gary Anderson Early Achievement Award, 2013
- Outstanding Young Alumnus, College of Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2012
- Best student paper competition award at the 2012 ASME Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (with graduate students Youngsu Cha and Matteo Aureli)
- Invited speaker for the “lectio magistralis” at “Sapienza Ricerca”, 2011
- Best paper award at the 2011 ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (with graduate student Nicole Abaid)
- Invitee of Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, National Academy of Engineering, 2011
- Jacobs Excellence in Education Award, 2011
- Popular Science "Brilliant Ten", 2010
- Best robotics paper award at the 2009 ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (with graduate students Matteo Aureli and Vladislav Kopman)
- NSF Career award (Dynamical systems), 2008
- H2CU medal, 2008
Current Projects, Research Labs, and Groups
Research Group
Dynamical Systems Laboratory
