Current Members
Principal Investigator
MAURIZIO PORFIRI
Institute Professor
Center for Urban Science + Progress Director, Core faculty
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Civil and Urban Engineering Associated faculty
Post-doctoral Researchers
OFEK LAUBER
B.Sc., Applied Mathematics & Chemistry, Bar Ilan University, 2016
M.Sc., School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, 2021
Ph.D., School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, 2024
Research interests: Complex systems; Network science; Animal and human behavior
FABIANA SOFIA RICCI
B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 2019
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, New York University, 2025
Research interests: Animal and human behavior, Complex systems, and Robotics
CAMILLA ANCONA
B.Sc., Management Engineering for Logistics and Production, University of Naples Federico II, 2017
M.Sc., Management Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 2020
Ph.D., Automation Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 2024
Research interests: Complex systems, Network science, Control theory, Data science, Animal and Human Behavior
Graduate Students
INÊS PACHECO FIGUEIRA
Ph.D. Candidate
B.Sc., Aerospace Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, 2023
Research interests: Animal and human behavior, Complex systems, Dynamical systems theory, and Network science
MICHAEL NAPOLI
Ph.D. Candidate
B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, 2022
M.Sc., Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Boston University, 2024
Research interests: Animal and human behavior, Dynamical system theory, Network science
RAYAN SUCCAR
Ph.D. Candidate
B.Eng., Mechanical Engineering, Lebanese American University (LAU), 2021
Research interests: Complex systems, Dynamical systems theory, and Network science
TIAN GAN
Ph.D. Candidate
B.Eng., Communications Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, 2018
M.Sc., Electrical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2022
Research interests: Animal and human behavior, Dynamical systems theory, and Network science
NICCO ULBRICHT
Ph.D. Candidate
M.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Dresden University of Technology, 2022
Research interests: Experimental and theoretical mechanics
Master Students
CAREY CORROW
M.Sc. Student
B.Sc., Interaction Design, Santa Monica College, 2025
M.Sc., Applied Urban Science and Informatics, New York University, Expected graduation date: 2027
Research interests: Animal and human behavior, Complex systems, and Robotics
Undergraduate Students
DARRYL LINARDI
B.Sc. Student
B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, New York University, Expected Graduation Date:2027
Research interests: Animal and human behavior, Dynamical systems theory, and Network science
Visiting Research Fellows
ROBERTA ROMANO
Visiting M.Sc. Student
B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Bari, 2022
M.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Bari, Expected graduation date: 2025
Research interests: Dynamical systems theory, Experimental and theoretical mechanics, Complex systems
FRANCESCA BROVIA
Visiting M.Sc. Student
B.Sc., Physical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Turin, 2023.
M.Sc.,Physics of Complex Systems, Polytechnic University of Turin, Expected graduation date: 2025
Research interests: Complex Systems, Dynamical Systems Theory, Graph Theory
K-12 Teachers
HORACE WALCOTT
B.Sc., Pre-veterinary Studies and Animal Science, Tuskegee University, 1983
D.V.M., Tuskegee University, 1984
M.Sc., Wild Animal Health, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, 1997
M.Sc., Public Health and Environmental Toxicology, Tulane University,
Research interests: Underwater Biomimetics and Biomechanics, Electrochemistry, and Neuro-endocrinology