Francesco Profumo (M’88-SM’90) was born in Savona, Italy, in 1953. He

is Professor of Electrical Machines and Drives at Politecnico di Torino and

Adjunct Professor at University of Bologna.

He was Visiting Professor at University of Wisconsin – Madison (1986-

1989), at Nagasaki University (1996-1997), at Czech Technical University

(1999) and University of Cordoba (2004 and 2005).

Dr. Profumo was the Dean of the Engineering Faculty at the Politecnico di

Torino (2003 to 2005) and the Rector of the Politecnico di Torino (2005 to

2011).

He has been appointed as President of CNR (National Research Council) in

July 2011 and as Italian Minister of Education, University and Research

(MIUR) in November 2011.

Prof. Profumo is the Chairman of IREN Group (May 2013).

His fields of interest are power electronics conversion, high power devices,

applications of new power devices, integrated electronic/electromechanical

design, high response speed servo drives, new electrical machines

structures, power conditiong systems for fuel cells applications.

He published more than 250 papers in International Conferences and

Technical Journals. Dr. Profumo won the IEEE-IAS second prize paper in

1991(USA) and in 1997 (USA), the IEEE-IAS first prize paper in 1992

(USA) and the JIEE-IPEC first prize paper in 2005 (JAPAN).

He was awarded by the Signum Aureum Facultatis Mechanicae

Universitatis Miskolciensis, July 1, 2000, University of Miskolc (Hungary),

by the Honorary Professorship, University of Cordoba (Argentina), August

11, 2004, by the Honorary Doctor Degree, Technical University of Riga

(Latvia), October 12, 2006, by the Honorary Doctor Degree, Politechnica

of Bucarest (Romania), June 15, 2007, by the Honorary Doctor Degree,

University of Miskolc (Hungary), June 26, 2007, by the Honorary

Professorship, Jiao Tong University, Xi An (China), September 11, 2007,

by the Honorary Professorship, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo

(China), September 27, 2009, by the Honorary Doctor Degree,

Politechnica of Tirana (Albania), October 1, 2009, by Honorary

Professorship, Tongji University, Shanghai (Cina), June 20, 2012 and by

Honorary Professorship, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang (Cina),

November 22, 2013.

Further awards: China Awards by Italy_China Foundation (2009),

Certificate of Appreciation by Fulbright Commission (2009), Orden

Universidad Javeriana by Javeriana University (Bogotà, Colombia) (2010),

Escudo de Oro by University of Antioquia (Medellin, Colombia) (2010),

Lion d’Oro by Lion International (Torino) (2008), Award Valdo Fusi

(Torino) (2011), Award Guido Carli (Rome) (2011) and Award Pericle

(Torre di Ruggiero) (2013).

He has been the Chairman of the G8 University Summit 2009, (Torino)

(2009) and the Chairman of the Columbus Association (55 European and

Latin American Universities) (2006-2011).

He has been member of the Board of Unicredit Private Bank (2008/2010),

of the Board of Il Sole 24 Ore (2007/2009), of the Board of Fidia Spa

(2007/2011), of the Board of Telecom (2011), of the Board of Pirelli

(2011) and of the General Committee of Unicredit Private Banking (2011).

He is member of the Advisory Board of Innogest Fund and the Advisory

Board of Reply s.p.a. (2011).

Since November 2011 he was the Chairman of the Council of the

European Space Agency (ESA) (now is a member of the Board of the

Friends of ESA).

Since December 2013 he is the Chairman of the “Osservatorio Smart

Cities” of ANCI and President of Scientific Committee of the Strategic

Plan “Metropolitan Turin 2025”.

Since February 2014 he is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the

American University of Rome (AUR) and Member of the Council of the

Foundation of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT.

He is member of the Selection Committee of the ENI Awards.

He is member of Academia Europaea - Physics and Engineering Section (2010) and member of the Accademia delle Scienze (2008).