Maurizio Porfiri
Associate Professor
Mechanical Engineering
- Phone: (718) 260-3681
- Email: mporfiri@poly.edu
- Location: 507 Rogers Hall, Six MetroTech Center
- Website:

Education
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Class of 2006
Doctor of Philosophy, Engineering Mechanics
University of Toulon, Class of 2005
Doctor of Philosophy, Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
University of Rome "La Sapienza", Class of 2005
Doctor of Philosophy, Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
University of Rome "La Sapienza", Class of 2001
Laurea, Electrical Engineering
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Class of 2000
Master of Science, Engineering Mechanics
Experience
Polytechnic Institute of New York University
Associate Professor
From: September 2011 to present
Polytechnic Institute of New York University
Assistant Professor
From: July 2006 to September 2011
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Post-Doctoral Associate
From: July 2005 to June 2006
Courses Taught
ME 7443: Advanced Vibrations
ME 6703: Linear Control Theory and Design I
ME 5653: Microelectromechanical Systems
ME 4913: Interdisciplinary Engineering Thinking
ME 4223: Vibrations
ME 3513: Measurement Systems
ME 3511: Measurement Systems Laboratory
Research Interests
- Dynamical systems
- Smart materials and structures
- Solid mechanics
- Cooperative and Distributed Control
- Mechatronics
- Micro/Nanoelectromechanical Systems
- Numerical Methods for Differential Equations
- Robotics
Awards + Distinctions
- Outstanding Young Alumnus, College of Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University, 2012 - Invited speaker for the “lectio magistralis” at “Sapienza Ricerca”, 2011
- Best paper award at the 2011 ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference
- Invited to the Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, National Academy of Engineering, 2011
- Jacobs Excellence in Education Award at NYU-Poly, 2011
- Popular Science "Brilliant Ten", 2010
- NSF Career award (Dynamical systems), 2008
- H2CU medal, 2008
Hometown
Rome, Italy
Journal Articles
- Polverino, G., Liao, J. C., Porfiri, M.: "Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) preference and behavioral response to animated images of conspecifics altered in their color, aspect ratio, and swimming depth", Plos ONE, accepted for publication
- Facci, A. L., Porfiri, M.: "Analysis of three-dimensional effects in oscillating cantilevers immersed in viscous fluids", Journal of Fluids and Structures, accepted for publication
- Kopman, V., Porfiri, M.: "Design, modeling, and characterization of a miniature robotic-fish for research and education in biomimetics and bioinspiration", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, in press
- Kopman, V., Laut, J., Polverino, G., Porfiri, M.: "Closed-loop control of zebrafish response using a bioinspired robotic-fish in a preference test", Journal of the Royal Society Interface, in press
- Abaid, N., Kopman, V., Porfiri, M.: "The story of a Brooklyn outreach program on biomimetics, underwater robotics, and marine science for K-12 students", IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, in press
- Aureli, M., Porfiri, M.: "Nonlinear sensing of ionic polymer metal composites", Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics, in press (special issue: Beyond Cauchy Mechanics)
- Colloca, M., Gupta, N., Porfiri, M., 2013: "Tensile properties of carbon nanofiber reinforced multiscale syntactic foams", Composites Part B: Engineering, 44(1), 584–591
- Facci, A. L., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Nonlinear hydrodynamic damping of sharp-edged cantilevers in viscous fluids undergoing multi-harmonic base excitation", Journal of Applied Physics 112(12), 124908
- Grimaldi, E., Porfiri, M., Soria, L., 2012: "Finite amplitude vibrations of a sharp-edged beam immersed in a viscous fluid near a solid surface", Journal of Applied Physics 112(10), 104907
- Tauro, F., Mocio, G., Rapiti, E., Grimaldi, S., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Assessment of fluorescent particles for surface flow analysis", Sensors 12(11), 15827-15840 (special issue on State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in Italy 2012)
- Abdelnour, K., Stinchcombe, A., Porfiri, M., Zhang, J., Childress, S., 2012: "Wireless powering of ionic polymer metal composites towards hovering micro-swimmers", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 17(5), 924-935
- Tauro, F., Grimaldi, S., Petroselli, A., Rulli, M. C., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Fluorescent particle tracers for surface flow measurements: a proof of concept in a semi-natural hillslope", Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 16(8), 2973-2983
- Cha, Y., Phan, C. N., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Energy exchange during slamming impact of an ionic polymer metal composite", Applied Physics Letters 101(9), 094103
- Aureli, M., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Effect of electrode surface roughness on the electrical impedance of ionic polymer metal composites", Smart Materials and Structures 21(10), 105030
- Peterson, S. D., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Interaction of a vortex pair with a flexible plate in an ideal quiescent fluid", Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 23(13), 1485-1504 (special issue on Nonlinear Energy Harvesting)
- Abaid, N., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Leader-follower consensus over numerosity-constrained random networks", Automatica 48(8), 1845–185
- Aureli, M., Pagano, C., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Nonlinear finite amplitude torsional vibrations of cantilevers in viscous fluids", Journal of Applied Physics 111(12), 124915
- Abaid, N., Bartolini, T., Macri, S., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Zebrafish responds differentially to a robotic fish of varying aspect ratio, tail beat frequency, noise, and color", Behavioural Brain Research 224(2), 545–553
- Tauro, F., Grimaldi, S., Petroselli, A., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Fluorescent particle tracers for surface flow measurements: a proof of concept in a natural stream", Water Resources Research 48(6), W06528
- Tauro, F., Pagano, C., Porfiri, M., Grimaldi, S., 2012: "Tracing of shallow water flows through buoyant fluorescent particles", Flow Measurement and Instrumentation 26, 93-101
- Marras, S., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Fish and robots swimming together: attraction towards the robot demands biomimetic locomotion", Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9(73), 1856–1868 (Cover page of the journal)
- Cha, Y., Aureli, M., Porfiri, M., 2012: "A physics-based model of the electrical impedance of ionic polymer metal composites", Journal of Applied Physics 111(2), 124901
- Polverino, G., Abaid, N., Kopman, V., Macri, S., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Zebrafish response to robotic fish: Preference experiments on isolated individuals and small shoals", Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 7(3), 036019
- Abaid, N., Spinello, C., Laut, J., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Zebrafish (Danio rerio) responds to images animated by mathematical models of animal grouping", Behavioural Brain Research 232(2), 406–410
- Kopman, V., Cavaliere, N., Porfiri, M.:, 2012 "MASUV-1: a miniature underwater vehicle with multidirectional thrust-vectoring for safe animal interactions", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 17(3), 563-571
- Porfiri, M., 2012: "Stochastic synchronization in blinking networks of chaotic maps", Physical Review E 85(5), 056114
- Bardella, L., Sfreddo, A., Ventura, C., Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2012: "A critical evaluation of micromechanical models for syntactic foams", Mechanics of Materials 50, 53-69
- Colloca, M., Dorogokupets, G., Gupta, N., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of closed-cell PVC foams", International Jourmal of Crashworthiness 17(3), 327-336
- Abaid, N., Bollt, E., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Topological analysis of complexity in multi-agent systems", Physical Review E 85(4), 041907
- Abaid, N., Igel, I., Porfiri, M., 2012: "On the consensus protocol of conspecific agents", Linear Algebra and its Applications 437(1), 221-235
- Aureli, M., Fiorilli, F., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Portraits of self-organization in fish schools interacting with robots", Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena 241(9), 908-920
- Peterson, S. D., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Energy exchange between a vortex ring and an ionic polymer metal composite", Applied Physics Letters 100(11), 114102
- Grimaldi, S., Petroselli, A., Tauro, F., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Time of concentration: a paradox in modern hydrology", Hydrological Sciences Journal 57(2), 217-228
- Aureli, M., Basaran, M. E., Porfiri, M., 2012: "Nonlinear finite amplitude vibrations of sharp-edged beams in viscous fluids", Journal of Sound and Vibration 331(7), 1624-1654
- Tagliavia, G., Porfiri, M.,Gupta, N., 2012: "Influence of moisture absorption on flexural properties of syntactic foams", Composite Part B: Engineering 43(2), 115-123
- Porfiri, M., 2011: "A master stability function for stochastically coupled chaotic maps", Europhysics Letters 96(4), 40014
- Tagliavia, G., Porfiri, M.,Gupta, N., 2011: "Analysis of particle-to-particle elastic interactions in syntactic foams", Mechanics of Materials 43(12), 952–968
- De Lellis, P., di Bernardo, M., Porfiri, M., 2011: "Pinning control of complex networks via edge snapping", Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science 21(3), 033119
- Falcucci, G., Aureli, M., Ubertini, S., Porfiri, M., 2011: "Transverse harmonic oscillations of laminae in viscous fluids: a Lattice Boltzmann study", Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences 369(1945), 2456-2466
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Giacomello, A., Porfiri, M., 2011: "Underwater energy harvesting from a heavy flag hosting ionic polymer metal composites", Journal of Applied Physics, 109(8), 084903
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Abaid, N., Porfiri, M., 2011: "Consensus over numerosity-constrained random networks", IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 56(4), 649-654
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Sorrentino, F., Porfiri, M., 2011: "Analysis of parameter mismatches in the master stability function for network synchronization", Europhysics Letters, 93(5), 50002
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Tagliavia, G., Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2011: "Elastic interaction of interfacial spherical-cap cracks in hollow particle filled composites", International Journal of Solids and Structures, 48(7-8), 1141-1153
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Tauro, F., Aureli, M., Porfiri, M., Grimaldi, S., 2010: "Characterization of buoyant fluorescent particles for field observations of water flows", Sensors, 10(12), 11512-11529 (special issue on Sensors in Agriculture and Forestry)
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Aureli, M., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Coordination of self-propelled particles through external leadership", Europhysics Letters, 92(4), 40004
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Abaid, N., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Fish in a ring: spatiotemporal pattern formation in one-dimensional animal groups", Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 7(51), 1441-1453
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De Lellis, P., di Bernardo, M., Garofalo, F., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Evolution of complex networks via edge snapping", IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I, 57(8), 2132-2143
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Poveda, R., Gupta, N., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Poisson's ratio of hollow particle filled composites", Materials Letters, 64(21), 2360-2362
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Aureli, M., Kopman, V., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Free-locomotion of underwater vehicles actuated by ionic polymer metal composites", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 15(4), 603-614
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Aureli, M., Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2010: "Effect of polydispersivity and porosity on the elastic properties of hollow particle filled composites", Mechanics of Materials, 42(7), 726-739
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Lee, S. H, Kapila, V., Porfiri, M., Panda, A., 2010: "Master-slave synchronization of continuously and intermittently coupled sampled-data chaotic oscillators", Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 15(12), 4100-4113
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Tagliavia, G., Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2010: "Analysis of hollow inclusion-matrix debonding in particulate composites", International Journal of Solids and Structures, 47(16), 2164-2177
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Prince, C., Lin, W., Lin, J., Peterson, S. D., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Temporally-resolved hydrodynamics in the vicinity of a vibrating ionic polymer metal composite", Journal of Applied Physics, 107(9), 094908
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Aureli, M., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Low frequency and large amplitude oscillations of cantilevers in viscous fluids", Applied Physics Letters, 96(16), 164102
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Gupta, N., Ye, R., Porfiri, M., 2010: "Comparison of tensile and compressive characteristics of vinyl ester/glass microballoon syntactic foams", Composites Part B: Engineering, 41(3), 236-245
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Porfiri, M., Fiorilli, F., 2010: "Experiments on node-to-node pinning control of Chua's circuits", Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, 239(8), 454-464
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Tagliavia, G., Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2010: "Analysis of flexural properties of hollow-particle filled composites", Composites Part B: Engineering, 41(1), 86-93
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Aureli, M., Prince, C., Porfiri, M., Peterson, S. D., 2010: "Energy harvesting from base excitation of ionic polymer metal composites in fluid environments", Smart Materials and Structures, 19(1), 015003
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Khapli, S., Kim, J. R., Montclare, J. K., Levicky, R., Porfiri, M., Sofou, S., 2009: "Frozen cyclohexane-in-water emulsion as a sacrificial template for the synthesis of multilayered polyelectrolyte microcapsules", Langmuir, 25(17), 9728-9733
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Peterson, S. D., Porfiri, M., Rovardi, A., 2009: "A particle image velocimetry study of vibrating ionic polymer metal composites in aqueous environments", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 14(4), 474-483
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Caeti, R., Gupta, N., Porfiri, M., 2009: "Processing and compressive response of functionally graded composites", Materials Letters, 63(22), 1964-1967
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Abdelnour, K., Mancia, E., Peterson, S. D., Porfiri, M., 2009: "Hydrodynamics of underwater propulsors based on ionic polymer metal composites: a numerical study", Smart Materials and Structures, 18(8), 085006
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Aureli, M., Lin, W., Porfiri, M., 2009: "On the capacitance-boost of ionic polymer metal composites due to electroless plating: theory and experiments", Journal of Applied Physics, 105(10), 104911
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Porfiri, M., Fiorilli, F., 2009: "Global pulse synchronization of chaotic oscillators through fast-switching: theory and experiments", Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 41(1), 245-262
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Porfiri, M., 2009: "Influence of electrode surface roughness and steric effects on the nonlinear electromechanical behavior of ionic polymer metal composites", Physical Review E, 79(4), 041503
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Porfiri, M., Nguyen, N. W., Gupta, N., 2009: "Thermal conductivity of multi-phase particulate composite materials", Journal of Materials Science, 44(6), 1540-1550
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Tagliavia, G., Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2009: "Vinyl ester-glass hollow particle composites: dynamic mechanical properties at high inclusion volume fraction", Journal of Composite Materials, 43(5), 561-582
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Porfiri, M., Fiorilli, F., 2009: "Node-to-node pinning-control of complex networks", Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science, 19(1), 013122
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Porfiri, M., Gupta, N., 2009: "Effect of volume fraction and wall-thickness on the elastic properties of hollow-particle filled composites", Composites Part B: Engineering, 40(2), 166-173
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Porfiri, M., 2009: "An electromechanical model for sensing and actuation of ionic polymer metal composites", Smart Materials and Structures, 18(1), 015016
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Porfiri, M., di Bernardo, M., 2008: "Criteria for global pinning-controllability of complex networks", Automatica, 44(12), 3100-3106
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Porfiri, M., Stilwell, D. J., Bollt, E. M., 2008: "Synchronization in random weighted directed networks", IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I, 55(10), 3170-3177
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Porfiri, M., 2008: "Charge dynamics in ionic polymer metal composites", Journal of Applied Physics, 104(10), 104915
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., 2008: "Analysis of rubber-like materials using Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method", Communications in Numerical Methods in Engineering, 24(12), 1781-1804
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Porfiri, M., Roberson, D. G., Stilwell, D. J., 2008: "Fast switching analysis of linear switched systems using exponential splitting", SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, 47(5), 2582-2597
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Porfiri, M., Pigliacampo, R., 2008: "Master-slave global stochastic synchronization of chaotic oscillators", SIAM Journal on Applied Dynamical Systems, 7(3), 825-842
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Del Bufalo, G., Placidi, L., Porfiri, M., 2008: "A mixture theory framework for modeling mechanical actuation of ionic polymer metal composites", Smart Materials and Structures, 17(4), 045010
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Porfiri, M., 2008: "Vibrations of parallel arrays of electrostatically actuated microplates", Journal of Sound and Vibration, 315(4-5), 1071-1085
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2008: "Vibrations and pull-in instabilities of microelectromechanical von Karman elliptic plates incorporating the Casimir force", Journal of Sound and Vibration, 315(4-5), 939-960
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2008: "Reduced-order models for microelectromechanical rectangular and circular plates incorporating the Casimir force", International Journal of Solids and Structures, 45(11-12), 3558-3583
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2008: "Effects of van der Waals force and thermal stress on pull-in instability of microplates", Sensors, 8(2), 1048-1069
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2008: "Vibrations of narrow microbeams predeformed by an electric field", Journal of Sound and Vibration, 309(3), 600-612
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2008: "Free and forced vibrations of a segmented bar by a Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) formulation", Computational Mechanics, 41(4), 473-491
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2007: "Review of modeling electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical systems", Smart Materials and Structures, 16(6), R23-R31
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Porfiri, M., Stilwell, D. J., 2007: "Consensus seeking over random weighted directed graphs", IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 52(9), 1767-1773
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Porfiri, M., Bollt, E. M., Stilwell, D. J., 2007: "Decline of minorities in stubborn societies", The European Physical Journal B, 57(4), 481-486
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Porfiri, M., Roberson, D. G., Stilwell, D. J., 2007: "Tracking and formation control of multiple autonomous agents: a two-level consensus approach", Automatica, 43(8), 1318-1328
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Andreaus, U., Porfiri, M., 2007: "Effect of electrical uncertainties on resonant piezoelectric shunting ", Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 18(5), 477-485
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2007: "Effects of Casimir force on pull-in instability in micromembranes", Europhysics Letters, 77(2), 20010
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Porfiri, M., Maurini, C., Pouget, J., 2007: "Identification of electromechanical modal parameters of linear piezoelectric structures", Smart Materials and Structures, 16(2), 323-331
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2006: "Capacitance estimate for electrostatically actuated narrow microbeams", Micro & Nano Letters, 1(2), 71-73
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2006: "Electromechanical model of electrically actuated narrow microbeams", IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 15(5), 1175-1189
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2006: "Analysis of electrostatic MEMS using Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method", Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements, 30(11), 949-962
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Maurini, C., Porfiri, M., Pouget, J., 2006: "Numerical methods for modal analysis of stepped piezoelectric beams", Journal of Sound and Vibration, 298(4-5), 918-933
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Porfiri, M., Stilwell, D. J., Bollt, E. M., Skufca, J. D., 2006: "Random talk: random walk and synchronizability in a moving neighborhood network", Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, 224(1-2), 102-113 (special issue on Complex Networks)
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Andreaus, U., Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., 2005: "Vibrations of cracked Euler-Bernoulli beams using Meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method", Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences (CMES) 9(2), 111-132
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Porfiri, M., dell'Isola, F., Santini, E., 2005: "Modeling and design of passive electric networks interconnecting piezoelectric transducers for distributed vibration control", International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics 21(2), 69-87
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Alessandroni, S., Andreaus, U., dell'Isola, F., Porfiri, M., 2005: "A passive electric controller for multimodal vibrations of thin plates", Computers and Structures 83(15-16), 1236-1250 (special issue on Modelling of Smart Structures)
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Andreaus, U., dell'Isola, F., Porfiri, M., 2004: "Piezoelectric passive distributed controllers for beam flexural vibrations", Journal of Vibration and Control 10(5), 625-661
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dell'Isola, F., Maurini, C., Porfiri, M., 2004: "Passive damping of beam vibrations through distributed electric networks and piezoelectric transducers: prototype design and experimental validation", Smart Materials and Structures 13(2), 299-308
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Batra, R. C., Porfiri, M., Spinello, D., 2004: "Treatment of material discontinuity in two Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) formulations of axisymmetric transient heat conduction", International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 61(14), 2461-2479
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Alessandroni, S., Andreaus, U., dell'Isola, F., Porfiri, M., 2004: "Piezo-ElectroMechanical (PEM) Kirchhoff-Love plates", European Journal of Mechanics A/Solids 23(4), 689-702
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Porfiri, M., dell'Isola, F., Frattale Mascioli, F. M., 2004: "Circuit analog of a beam and its application to multimodal vibration damping, using piezoelectric transducers", International Journal of Circuit Theory and Applications 32(4), 167-198
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Porfiri M., dell'Isola F., 2004: "Multimodal beam vibration damping exploiting PZT transducers and passive distributed circuits", Journal de Physique IV 115, 323-332
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dell'Isola, F., Porfiri, M., Vidoli, S., 2003: "Piezo-ElectroMechanical (PEM) structures: passive vibration control using distributed piezoelectric transducers", Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences - Series IIB - Mechanics 331(1), 69-76
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Alessandroni, S., dell'Isola, F., Porfiri, M., 2002: "A revival of electric analogs for vibrating mechanical systems aimed to their efficient control by PZT actuators", International Journal of Solids and Structures 39(20), 5295-5324
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dell'Isola, F., Henneke, E. G., Porfiri, M., 2001: "Synthesis of electrical networks interconnecting PZT actuators to damp mechanical vibrations", International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics 14(1-4/2001/2002), 417-424
Favorite Books + Authors
- Paul Auster
- John Fante
- John Kennedy Toole
- Boris Vian
Favorite Musicians
- The Cure
- Death Cab for Cutie
- Depeche Mode
- The National
- The Smiths
Favorite Movies
- American Splendor
- Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
- Heat
- Land and Freedom
- Reservoir Dogs
- Smoke
- Taxi Driver
Favorite Activities
- To produce (in general...)
Biography
A 2008 recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Maurizio Porfiri, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, specializes in dynamical systems theory and mechanics of advanced materials with applications to underwater systems.
Prior to joining the NYU-Poly faculty in 2006, Porfiri was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Currently, he is conducting and supervising research in the areas of dynamical systems theory, mathematical control theory, mechanics of advanced materials, and underwater robotics.
Porfiri received his Master of Science and PhD degrees in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2000 and 2006, respectively. He also holds the Laurea degree in Electrical Engineering (with honors) from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” (2001) and a PhD (dual degree program) in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and the University of Toulon, Toulon, France (2005).
He has coauthored over 100 journal articles, 80 conference papers and presentations, as well as numerous invited lectures.
He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Honors Center of Italian Universities, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
In 2010, Porfiri was included in the "Brilliant Ten" List by Populat Science as the "Water Wizard".