Antonella Ferrara has been Full Professor of Automatic Control at the University of Pavia, where she established and leads the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory, since January 2005. Her research has significantly advanced the theory and application of nonlinear control, with special emphasis on robust methodologies such as sliding mode control for uncertain systems. Her contributions have found impactful applications in domains ranging from automotive systems and electro-mobility to robotics and smart energy grids. She is the author of over 450 publications, including more than 170 peer-reviewed journal papers, two research monographs, and edited volumes.
She has served on the editorial boards of the leading journals of her field and has also played key roles in conference organization, including serving as the Chair of the European Control Association (EUCA) Conference Editorial Board and being appointed as one of the Program Chairs of the 2029 IFAC World Congress, the most prestigious event for control engineering. She has coordinated and participated in numerous European and national projects, including MSCA, Horizon Europe, and Next Generation EU initiatives. In addition to her outstanding scientific achievements, Professor Ferrara has demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to the promotion of gender equity in the scientific community. As Chair of the Women in Control Committee of the IEEE Control Systems Society, she played a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive environment within the field.
As a result of her impactful scientific work, she has received numerous distinctions and awards, including the 2020 IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Outstanding Paper Award. In 2025, she was elected as a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences (EurASc), a prestigiousrecognition of her exceptional contributions to scientific research. This honour adds to her many fellowships, including Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Fellow of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC), and Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA). Professor Antonella Ferrara is also a Senior Fellow of the Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS).