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Research excellence, high-quality teaching, and a natural inclination for technology transfer are the pillars upon which the Department of Information Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Applied Mathematics (DIEM), led by prof. Francesco Tortorella, is founded. A vibrant and stimulating environment dedicated to creativity and innovation has enabled DIEM to stand out nationally in the most recent research evaluations.
The Department primarily brings together faculty and researchers from the CUN Areas 09 (Industrial and Information Engineering) and 01 (Mathematical and Computer Sciences), representing a center of interdisciplinary expertise.
The quality of its scientific output is confirmed by ANVUR’s evaluation for the 2015–2019 period, in which DIEM achieved the highest score, with an ISPD indicator of 100/100, replicating the result obtained in the previous evaluation campaign. Nationally, only one other department in the field of Information Engineering has received the same recognition in both evaluations.
Further testament to DIEM’s excellence is the funding obtained from the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) within the Departments of Excellence Program for the 2023–2027 period. This prestigious recognition supports the Information Technologies for Digital Medicine (IT4DiMe) project, solidifying the Department’s role as a reference point in innovative research.
Teaching
DIEM offers a wide range of educational opportunities, spanning bachelor’s degrees to Ph.D. programs, with a strong focus on innovation and multidisciplinarity.
The Department manages the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering and the Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering, both accredited since 2013 under the EUR-ACE (European Accredited Engineer) system, coordinated by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE). In recent years, the offering has been enriched with the introduction of the Bachelor’s Degree in Information Engineering for Digital Medicine (L-8), active since the 2022/23 academic year, and the Master’s Degree in Information Engineering for Digital Medicine (LM-32), active since 2018/19. Additionally, from the 2023/24 academic year, the Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering for Digital Energy (LM-28) has been available.
The DIEM’s educational offering is complemented by advanced third-level training. The Department has established a Ph.D. in Information Engineering, accredited by ANVUR, meeting the requirements of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), and receiving a positive evaluation. Furthermore, DIEM is the lead entity of the National Ph.D. in Photovoltaics, carried out in collaboration with 23 Italian universities.
The Department also actively participates in other nationally significant doctoral programs, including the Ph.D. in Autonomous Systems, the Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence – Health and Life Sciences, and the National Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Digital Technologies.
Research
DIEM excels in research characterized by both vertical approaches, specific to individual scientific fields, and transversal approaches, addressing highly relevant multidisciplinary topics.
The Department is engaged in a wide range of research areas, including Artificial Vision, Machine Learning, Medical Image Analysis, Cognitive Robotics, Autonomous Driving, Artificial Intelligence for Decision Support Systems, Semantic Technologies, Multi-Agent Systems, Network Science, Cybersecurity, Identification and Cryptography, Natural Language Processing, Situation and Context Awareness Systems, Distributed Statistical Inference, Signal Processing, Complex Systems Reliability, Modeling and Control of Hybrid and Discrete Event Systems, Cooperative Robotics, Decentralized Control, Electromagnetic Modeling using Nanotechnologies, High-Speed Electronic Circuits, Energy Source Monitoring and Control, Optimal Control Methodologies, and Numerical Techniques for the Simulation of Complex Systems.
Among DIEM faculty, there are two Fellows of renowned international scientific societies (IEEE, IAPR). Many have received international awards and Best Paper Awards at prestigious journals and conferences. A DIEM faculty member serves as a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). DIEM also hosts the coordinator of the national Ph.D. program in “Photovoltaics” and includes scientists who hold or have held leadership roles in international associations and appear in global and national top scientist lists.
A significant portion of DIEM’s research is funded through competitive European, national, and regional grants. The Department has participated in around 20 projects funded by the European Commission (including AIROBOTS, DCODE, DESIGN, ECHORD, ENABLE-S3, EUROC, FELICE, GENIUS, GRAPHENE 3D, GRAPHENE Flagship, HEALTH CODE, INSIGHT, LABOR, LOCOMACHS, OPTEMUS, REACTT, RUBY, SMARTGYsum), either directly as a partner or through its members. An equivalent number of projects have been carried out with national funds, five of which with DIEM as the Principal Investigator. DIEM’s contribution is also significant at the regional level. Over the past ten years, the Department has secured approximately €4 million from European projects and around €22.5 million from national and regional initiatives.
DIEM is also deeply involved in PNRR research programs. Specifically, it participates in:
- The National Center for Sustainable Mobility (MOST): Spoke 6 (Connected and Autonomous Vehicles) and Spoke 7 (Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility and Intelligent Infrastructures).
- The Security and Rights in the CyberSpace Foundation (SERICS): Spoke 4 (Operating Systems and Virtualization Security) and Spoke 9 (Security in Digital Transformation).
- The Future Artificial Intelligence Research Foundation (FAIR): Spoke 3 (Resilient AI).
Thanks to its excellent research activity, DIEM not only contributes to scientific progress but also plays a central role in technological development and innovation at the national and international levels.
Third Mission
The Third Mission activities of DIEM serve as a bridge between academic research excellence and the socio-economic landscape, taking the form of concrete actions in technology transfer, patent development, and highly qualified scientific consulting.
Its strong commitment to innovation is evidenced by a robust intellectual property portfolio, comprising nearly thirty active or pending patents, including 18 U.S. patents, 5 European patents, 3 international patents, and 3 Italian patents. Furthermore, DIEM has established itself as a strategic partner for the national productive system: over the last decade, research agreements and contract research activities with external organizations have generated a total value of approximately €3.5 million.
DIEM has also actively fostered the creation of innovative entrepreneurial ventures, many of which now operate successfully at the international level, including Natural Intelligent Technologies, A.I. TECH, IPERA, AI4Health, A.I. READY, and UrbanMIS.
DIEM’s Third Mission also encompasses the cultural and social development of the community. A notable example is its founding participation in the Salerno branch of the national network of the Accademia dei Lincei through the project “The Lincei for a New Approach to School Teaching” (I Lincei per una nuova didattica nella scuola), aimed at renewing and strengthening science education in local schools.
