Professor, University of Calabria, Italy
Libero Nigro is a distinguished Full Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Calabria (UNICAL), Italy. With a career spanning over four decades, he has contributed significantly to education, research, and software engineering. He has held various academic positions since 1979, starting as an Assistant Professor and advancing to Full Professor in 2000. Known for his expertise in object-oriented programming, concurrent programming, and simulation, he has played a key role in shaping Computer Engineering education at UNICAL. Over his career, he has supervised several PhD students and participated in multiple national research projects. His expertise extends to numerous journal and conference reviews, and he is an editorial board member for prominent journals like Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory and World Journal of Modelling and Simulation. His research focuses on distributed systems, real-time systems, agent-based modeling, and cyber-physical systems.
Profile
Orcid
Strengths for the Award
- Extensive Academic Experience:
- Libero Nigro has held significant academic positions from Assistant Professor to Full Professor at the University of Calabria (UNICAL), contributing immensely to education in computer engineering, including courses in object-oriented programming, concurrent programming, and real-time systems. His role in teaching and shaping curricula at UNICAL spans more than four decades, showing strong educational leadership.
- Research Leadership:
- He has led numerous national research projects (such as MURST60%, MURST40%, and CNR projects) and has collaborated on international projects, demonstrating his capacity for both leadership and collaboration in research.
- He is the scientific responsible for the Software Engineering Laboratory at UNICAL/DIMES, further illustrating his organizational and technical skills in research.
- Scientific Contributions:
- Nigro has co-authored several impactful publications, including journal articles and book chapters, focused on cutting-edge topics like distributed simulation, clustering algorithms, mutual exclusion algorithms, agent-based systems, and smart grids. His work has contributed to significant advancements in these fields.
- He has also mentored multiple PhD students, some of whom have gone on to make substantial contributions in related areas.
- Recognition and Peer Influence:
- Libero Nigro’s recognition as one of the best reviewers for the journal Software and System Modelling (SoSyMo) in 2020 highlights his standing in the research community. His active participation in editorial boards and international conferences further strengthens his credibility.
- His regular role in peer reviewing for several top-tier journals and conferences underscores his expert knowledge and respected opinion in the field.
- Innovation and Impact:
- His research in formal verification, distributed simulation, and the modeling of real-time and cyber-physical systems is not only innovative but also highly relevant to modern computing challenges. His publications are regularly cited, indicating significant impact within his field.
- Comprehensive and Diverse Expertise:
- Nigro has a well-rounded skill set, ranging from algorithm design and systems programming to software engineering and computational modeling. His expertise spans both theoretical foundations and practical applications, providing a holistic approach to research challenges.
Areas for Improvement
- Broader International Collaboration:
- While Nigro has been involved in national projects and collaborations, there could be further opportunities to expand his international research network, especially with institutions outside Europe, which would enhance his global impact.
- Public Outreach and Dissemination:
- Although his work has made substantial contributions to academic and research communities, there could be more engagement in public outreach or dissemination efforts aimed at a wider audience, including industry stakeholders or policy-makers, especially for real-world applications such as smart grids and energy systems.
- Diversity in Research Topics:
- While his research areas are highly specialized and impactful, branching into interdisciplinary research that combines computer engineering with areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, or environmental sustainability might open up new avenues for research and innovation.
Education
Libero Nigro earned a degree in Electrical Engineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Calabria (UNICAL) in 1978. His academic journey laid a strong foundation in Software Engineering, Computer Programming, and Simulation. His studies and professional training focused on the design, analysis, and implementation of distributed systems and real-time systems. With a strong passion for advancing knowledge in the field of Computer Engineering, he has remained actively involved in both teaching and research throughout his career. His expertise includes systems programming, concurrent programming, discrete-event simulation, real-time systems, and multi-agent systems. Over the years, he has not only contributed to the development of his discipline but also shaped future generations of engineers and researchers. His professional achievements also include the co-authorship of textbooks aimed at introducing key concepts of programming and concurrent systems. He is currently still engaged in teaching, including a course on Object-Oriented Programming.
Experience
Libero Nigro has extensive experience in academia, spanning over 40 years in the field of Computer Engineering. From 1979 to 1985, he worked as an Assistant Professor in the Electrical Department at UNICAL, where he focused on courses related to computer science and programming. He then served as an Associate Professor at UNICAL’s DEIS Department from 1986 to 1999, before becoming a Full Professor in the DIMES Department from 2000 until 2023. Throughout his career, he has taught various foundational and advanced courses in Computer Science, covering topics such as Object-Oriented Programming, Real-Time Systems, Multi-Agent Systems, and Simulation. He has been responsible for managing several key research projects funded by national institutions and contributed to academic advancements in his field. He also served as the scientific head of the Software Engineering Laboratory at UNICAL. Currently, he teaches Object-Oriented Programming as a contract professor at DIMES.
Research Focus
Libero Nigro’s research interests lie in the specification, analysis, design, and implementation of concurrent and time-dependent distributed systems. His work has focused on real-time systems, distributed simulation, and agent-based modeling of complex systems. He explores the formal modeling and exhaustive verification of such systems, often using Petri nets and model-checking techniques. A major area of his research is in the design and verification of mutual exclusion algorithms and system behaviors in concurrent systems. Nigro also investigates applications in smart grids, power management, and the modeling of cyber-physical systems. His research has practical implications in areas like energy management, the Internet of Things (IoT), and distributed simulation environments. Additionally, he has worked on clustering algorithms, particularly evolutionary techniques for improving the performance of K-means clustering. His multidisciplinary research aims to push the boundaries of distributed and real-time systems, creating robust, scalable, and efficient solutions for complex technological challenges.
Publication Top Notes
- Clustering Performance of an Evolutionary K-Means Algorithm 📚👨💻
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli, Francesco Pupo
- A K-Means Variation Based on Careful Seeding and Constrained Silhouette Coefficients 📖💻
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli, Francesco Pupo
- Verifying Mutual Exclusion Algorithms with Non-Atomic Registers 🧑💻📊
Authors: Libero Nigro
- Formal Modeling and Verification of Lycklama and Hadzilacos’s Mutual Exclusion Algorithm 📘🔍
Authors: Libero Nigro
- Correctness Verification of Mutual Exclusion Algorithms by Model Checking ✅🔐
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli
- Modeling and Analysis of Dekker-Based Mutual Exclusion Algorithms 🔬🔄
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli, Francesco Pupo
- Formal Modeling and Verification of Embedded Real-Time Systems: An Approach and Practical Tool Based on Constraint Time Petri Nets 🕰️📐
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli
- Fast and Accurate K-means Clustering Based on Density Peaks ⚡📊
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli
- Improving K-means by an Agglomerative Method and Density Peaks 🧠📈
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli
- Improving Clustering Accuracy of K-Means and Random Swap by an Evolutionary Technique Based on Careful Seeding 🧑💻🔍
Authors: Libero Nigro, Franco Cicirelli
Conclusion
Libero Nigro is highly deserving of the Research Excellence Award. His career reflects outstanding achievements in research, education, and academic leadership. His significant contributions to fields like real-time systems, distributed simulation, and system modeling, paired with his leadership in numerous research projects and mentoring roles, make him a clear candidate for this award. While there is room for greater international collaboration and outreach, his contributions to the field of computer engineering are profound and far-reaching. In conclusion, Libero Nigro is a role model in academia, with a well-rounded career in research, education, and leadership that is precisely aligned with the values celebrated by the Research Excellence Award.