Professional Information
I am author and co-author of more than 300 scientific articles and my Hirsch index is 95 (WOS). During my scientific activity, I visited the following research institutes:

• Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (Frascati, Italy);
• CERN (Geneva, Switzerland);
• California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, USA);
• European Gravitational Observatory (Pisa, Italy);
• Leiden University (Leiden, Holland);
• Adelaide University (Adelaide, Australia).

My research activity can be summarized as follows:

Gravitational wave detectors: activity on resonant cryogenic detectors EXPLORER (CERN), NAUTILUS (INFN Frascati National Laboratories) and MiniGrail (Leiden, Holland) and on the interferometric detector Virgo (EGO, Cascina). Responsible for R&D activities on the development of read-out superconducting electronics, adaptive optical systems, quantum optics, thermal noise and data filtering algorithms.

Cosmology: INFN Tor Vergata local coordinator for Large Scale Polarization Explorer (LSPE). It is a balloon-born experiment that aims to the measurement of the CMB polarization state. In particular, to the detection of the B-modes, that are a signature due to a stochastic background of gravitational waves generated during the period of inflation.

Adaptive Optical Systems: within the Virgo experiment, he has been responsible for the design and implementation of the thermal compensation system. Local heating, due to absorption of the optical power circulating in the interferometer, optically deforms the mirror itself, preventing the normal operation of the detector and limiting its sensitivity at frequencies above 200Hz.

Astro-particle Physics: study of the interaction of cosmic rays with GW resonant detectors. The activity concerned events recorded by NAUTILUS (EXPLORER) in coincidence with a system of streamer tubes (plastic scintillators) and the RAP experiment (Acoustic Detection of Particles, at LNF), to verify the thermo-acoustic model of the interaction between charged particles and mechanical oscillators at room and cryogenic temperatures.

Current Assignements

• Since 2024, member of the VirgoLab Executive Board
• Since 2024, Virgo Upgrade Coordinator
• Since 2023, Technical Scientific Expert for the MUR: conducts mid-term evaluations of projects funded under PNRR M4.C2 Investment Line 3.1
• Since 2023, member of the Virgo Executive Committee
• Since 2020, Co-chair of the Wavefront Sensing and Control Workpackage in the Einstein Telescope Instrument Science Board
• Since 2017, member of the LSPE Advisory Committee
• Since 2016, Co-I of the STRIP instrument of the LSPE experiment
• Since 2015, member of the Teaching Advisory Committee in the Physics Department of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
• Since 2013, member of the review panel for the research projects submitted to the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR).
• Since 2011, member of the Internal Review Project Board for some subsystems (Injection, Detection and Vacuum) of the Advanced Virgo project.
• Since 2009, is referee for Optics Express, published from the Optical Society of America.

Past Assignements

• From 2022 to 2024, Technical Coordinator of the Einstein Telescope Organisation Project Office
• From 2022 to 2024, member of the Einstein Telescope Organisation Management Team
• From 2022 to 2024, observing member of the Einstein Telescope Collaboration Executive Board
• From 2022 to 2023, Subsystem Manager of the Advanced Virgo Adaptive Optics System
• From 2019 to 2023, Co-chair of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Joint Run Planning Committee
• From 2019 to 2023, Advanced Virgo Science Run Coordinator
• From 2017 to 2023, member of the Virgo Steering Committee
• From 2017 to 2019, Advanced Virgo Commissioning Coordinator
• From 2017 to 2019, member of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Joint Run Planning Committee
• From 2014 to 2016, responsible for the Tor Vergata INFN Section of the AdCOAT experiment, funded by the INFN Commission V.
• From 2014 to 2023, responsible for the Tor Vergata INFN Section of the LSPE (Large Scale Polarization Explorer) experiment, funded by the INFN Commission II.
• In 2011, is member of the writing team of the Einstein Telescope Conceptual Design Document (https://tds.ego-gw.it/ql/?c=7954).
• From 2008 to 2012, PI of the R&D activity for the development of the Adaptive Optics System for the interferometric detector Advanced Virgo, funded by the European Gravitational Observatory (Grant n. EGO-DIR-95-2008).
• From 2008 to 2013, employee at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Section of Rome Tor Vergata as Technologist with a permanent position.
• From 2007 to 2012, responsible for the Adaptive Optics System of the interferometric detector Virgo.
• From 2005 to 2008, employee at the INFN Section of Rome Tor Vergata with a temporary position according to art. 23 DPR 171/91, as Researcher.
• From 2003 to 2005, employee at the Department of Physics of the University of Rome Tor Vergata with a post-doc position in disciplinary field FIS/05 (Astronomy and Astrophysics) and the following research program "Detection of monochromatic signals in the data of the Nautilus antenna".

Honors and Awards

• In 2019 becomes Senior Research Scientist (Primo Ricercatore) at INFN
• In 2017, awarded with the Albert Einstein Medal.
• In 2016, awarded with the 2016 Gruber Cosmology Prize, "...for not only validating a key prediction of Einstein s general theory of relativity but inaugurating a new method for studying cosmology, in particular the workings of astronomical objects exhibiting the greatest gravitational effects in the universe.".
• In 2016, awarded with the 2016 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, "For the observation of gravitational waves, opening new horizons in astronomy and physics".

Presentations to Conferences

• 2023: "Status of the Virgo detector in view of O4" to XVIII International Conference on Topics in Astoparticle and Underground Physics, Vienna (Austria);
• 2022: "Status of Einstein Telescope" invited talk to the 9th KAGRA International Workshop, Virtual conference from Japan;
• 2021: "The LIGO-Virgo third observing run: performances and science results" to the CVII Congresso Nazionale della Societ Italiana di Fisica, Virtual conference from Italy;
• 2021: "Detection of Gravitational Waves with photonics" invited talk to the 2021 International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics, Virtual conference from Italy;
• 2019: "Virgo commissioning: looking behind for lessons to the future" invited talk to the Gravitational-Wave Advanced Detectors Workshop, La Biodola, Isola d'Elba (Italy);
• 2018: "Rivelatori gravitazionali: presente e futuro prossimo" invited talk to the LXII Congress of the Italian Astronomical Society (SAIT), Teramo (Italy);
• 2017: "Advanced Virgo commissioning status" invited talk to the Gravitational-Wave Advanced Detectors Workshop, Hamilton Island Queensland (Australia);
• 2017: "Lessons learned from AdV TCS and TCS in AdV+ and ET" to the Gravitational-Wave Advanced Detectors Workshop, Hamilton Island Queensland (Australia);
• 2016: "Results from the first science run of advanced GW detectors", invited talk to the 51^st Rencontres di Moriond, La Thuile (Italy).
• 2015: "Adaptive optical systems for next generation interferometric detectors", invited talk to the Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics, Turin (Italy).
• 2015: "Techniques for thermal compensation of wavefront distortions in high power interferometers", invited talk to the Workshop on the Next Detectors for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, Beijing (P. R. China).
• 2012: "Thermal effects and other wave-front aberrations in recycling cavities", invited lecture to VESF (Virgo-EGO Scientific Forum) School on "Advanced Detectors of Gravitational Waves", Cascina (Pisa, Italy).
• 2012: "Correction of wave-front aberrations in Advanced Virgo recycling cavities" to the 13^th Marcel Grossman Meeting on General Relativity, Stockholm (Sweden).
• 2011: "Control of thermal effects in future GW interferometers" to the 9^th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, Cardiff (Great Britain);
• 2011: "Thermal effects and their compensation in Advanced Virgo" to the 46^th Rencontres de Moriond, the Thuile (Italy);
• 2010: "Compensation of thermal effects in future detectors" to the Gravitational-Wave Advanced Detectors Workshop, Kyoto (Japan);
• 2009: "Plans for IliasNext" to the 2^nd Einstein Telescope Annual Workshop, Erice (Italy);
• 2009: "Virgo+ Thermal Compensation system" to the 8^th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, New York (USA);
• 2005: "Approaching the quantum limit with a new read-out on EXPLORER and NAUTILUS" to the 6^th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, Okinawa (Japan);
• 2004: "Present status of EXPLORER and NAUTILUS" to the 17^th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation, Dublin (Ireland);
• 2003: "EXPLORER and NAUTILUS: present status" invited talk to the 10^th Marcel Grossman Meeting on General Relativity, Rio de Janeiro (Brasil);
• 2002: "The next science run of the gravitational wave detector NAUTILUS" to the LXXXVIII Congresso Nazionale della Societ Italiana di Fisica, Alghero (Italy).

Tutoring activity

Master Degree in Physics

• Matteo Cortese, "Measurement of optical aberrations in gravitational wave detectors: characterization of a high-sensitivity Hartmann wave-front sensor and design of the optical imaging system for Advanced Virgo", Academic year 2012/2013, University of Rome Tor Vergata.
• Lorenzo Aiello, "Optimization of sensors and actuators for the correction of optical aberrations in the advanced gravitational waves detectors", Academic year 2014/2015, University of Rome Tor Vergata.
• Priyanka Giri, "Modeling of High Finesse Optical Cavities for the Reduction of Scattering Losses in Advanced Virgo", Academic year 2018/2019, Astromundus Master Program, University of Rome Tor Vergata.
• Claudio Gasbarra, "Investigation on anomalous power absorptions in the Advanced Virgo core optics", Academic year 2019/2020, University of Rome Tor Vergata.
• Andrea Biot, "A new Hartmann Wavefront Sensor for the aberration control in Advanced Virgo Plus Phase II", Academic year 2022/2023, University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Ph.D. in Physics

• Dr. Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio, "Compensation of thermal effects in core optics of the gravitational wave detector Virgo", XXII Cycle, University of L'Aquila.
• Dr. Ilaria Nardecchia, "Control of optical aberrations in advanced interferometric gravitational wave detectors", XXVIII Cycle, Universities of Rome Tor Vergata and La Sapienza, joint Ph.D. School in "Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science".
• Dr. Lorenzo Aiello, "Development of new approaches for Advanced Virgo aberrations control", XXXI Cycle, Gran Sasso Science Institute (L'Aquila).
• Dr. Maria Cifaldi, "Mitigation of anomalous absorptions in the Virgo core optics", XXXV Cycle, University of Rome Tor Vergata.
• Dr. Claudia Taranto, "Upgraded optical aberration correction techniques for Advanced Virgo plus: commissioning toward O4 and mitigation of non-axisymmetric optical defects", XXXVI Cycle, Universities of Rome Tor Vergata and La Sapienza, joint Ph.D. School in "Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science".