Fabio Pasqualetti
Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science · UC Irvine
Director, UCI Robotarium
I'm a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Irvine, where I direct the UCI Robotarium. My research sits at the intersection of dynamical systems, machine learning, and computational neuroscience. I build theory and physical platforms for networks of agents that compute, coordinate, and learn. My background is in engineering and dynamical systems: a BS in computer engineering and MS in automation engineering from the University of Pisa, and a PhD in mechanical engineering from UC Santa Barbara. Before joining UCI in 2025, I spent thirteen years on the faculty at UC Riverside.
Education
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
2008 – 2012
University of California, Santa Barbara
Laurea Magistrale (M.Sc. equivalent) in Automation Engineering
2004 – 2007
University of Pisa, Italy
Laurea (B.Sc. equivalent) in Computer Engineering
2000 – 2004
University of Pisa, Italy
Appointments
Professor
2026 – Present
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of California, Irvine
Director
2026 – Present
UCI Robotarium, University of California, Irvine
Professor
2021 – 2025
Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside
Associate Professor
2019 – 2021
Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside
Assistant Professor
2013 – 2019
Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside
Postdoctoral Scholar
2012 – 2013
Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara
Selected honors
Antonio Ruberti Young Researcher Prize
Dec 2023
"For his foundational contributions to the theories of cyber-physical security, complex networks, and data-driven control." IEEE Control Systems Society.
O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award
May 2021
"Accuracy Prevents Robustness in Perception-based Control," American Control Conference, 1838–1844, Denver, CO, July 2020.
Control Systems Letters Outstanding Paper Award
Dec 2020
"Data-driven Minimum-Energy Controls for Linear Systems," IEEE LCSS 3(3), 589–594, 2019.
Roberto Tempo Best CDC Paper Award
Dec 2020
"A Framework to Control Functional Connectivity in the Human Brain," IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 4697–4704, Nice, France, December 2019.
AFOSR Young Investigator Research Award
Oct 2019
"Data-Driven Control of Dynamical Networks."
ARO Young Investigator Program Award
Sep 2017
"Design and Operation of Secure Multi-Agent Networks."
Full list in the CV.
Invited talks
Data-driven and Brain-Inspired Autonomous Systems
2024
1 invited talk · Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Irvine
Analysis and Control of Functional Brain Networks
2022 – 2023
7 invited talks · Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa; Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova; School for Advanced Studies, SSM; and 4 more
Controllability Metrics, Limitations and Algorithms for Complex Networks
2015 – 2019
3 invited talks · NetSci2019: Controlling Complex Networks, Burlington, Vermont; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC San Diego; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UC Irvine
Analysis and Design of Secure Cyber-Physical Systems
2018
1 invited talk · Department of Electrical Engineering, USC
Synchronization Patterns in Networks of Kuramoto Oscillators
2017 – 2018
4 invited talks · Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UC San Diego; Center for Systems and Control, USC; International Conference for Technology and AnaLysis of Seizures (ICTALS); and 1 more
A Control-Theoretic and Data-Driven Approach to Securing Cyber-Physical Systems and Networks
2017
1 invited talk · CROSS Symposium, UC Santa Cruz
A Systems and Control Perspective on Privacy, Safety, and Security in large-scale Cyber-Physical Systems
2017
1 invited talk · DISC Summer School, The Netherlands
Full list of talks in the CV.
Editorial service
Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control
2019 – Present
Handling papers in the areas of networks, learning, distributed control and estimation
Guest Editor, IEEE Open Journal of Control Systems
2022 – Present
Special issue on "Synchronization in Natural and Engineering Systems"
Guest Editor, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control
2018 – 2019
Special issue on "Security and Privacy of Distributed Algorithms and Network Systems"
Full editorial roles in the CV.
Full CV ↗ Complete record of publications, teaching, talks, and service.