PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
- Visiting Professor of Physics, IIT Mumbai, India, 10/4/2023-11/27/2023
- Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (11/01/2022-)
- Associate Professor (tenured) of Physics and Astronomy and Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (08/15/2020-10/31/2022)
- Associate Professor (tenure track) of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (01/11/2018-).
- Visiting Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (08/16/2017-12/31/2017).
- Associate Professor (Research) of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (10/1/2016-5/31/2017).
- Adjunct Associate Professor (Research) of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (9/1/2015-9/30/2016)
- Associate Professor (Research) of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (9/1/2013-8/31/2015).
- Senior CNR research staff member at the Center S3, CNR-NANO Institute, Modena, Italy (04/2009-).
- Member of the research staff of INFM-CNR at the National Center S3 in Modena, Italy (06/2006-04/2009).
- Tenure Track INFM Researcher, INFM National Center S3, Modena, Italy (01/2003-05/2006).
- Fixed-term INFM Researcher, Unit of Modena, Italy (12/1999-12/2002).
- INFM Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Physics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy (12/1997-11/1999).
- DARPA Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Xerox Palo Alto Research Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA, USA (01/1996-01/1998).
- 1992-1995: PhD in Physics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy. Defense 17/10/1996, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- 1986-1992: BSc & MSc in Physics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Summa cum Laude. Defense 10/04/1992, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy.
EDUCATION HISTORY
- 1992-1995: PhD in Physics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy. Defense 17/10/1996, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- 1986-1992: BSc & MSc in Physics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Summa cum Laude. Defense 10/04/1992, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy.
RESEARCH SUPPORT
- “Distributed Bridge Collaboration via Multiple Videowalls”. USC Bridge Catalyst award – 100 k$ for three faculty, with Richard Weinberg (Cinematic Arts) and Art Toga (Neuroscience).
- “Classical and Quantum Computation in Nanoscience”. USC WiSE major support – 25 k$. 06/2014-05/2015.
- MOPROSURF – “Modeling protein-surface interactions”, co-PI. 590 k€ by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). 04/2010-09/2013.
- “Multi-scale modeling of chemically modified DNA sequences for nanotechnology and molecular biology”, PI. 70 k€ by the Foundation CRMO, Modena, Italy. 09/2010-08/2012. International partner: CNMS at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN, USA.
- “Controlling the structure and function of metal supported organometallic nanostructures”, co-PI. 40 k€ by the Italian Ministry for Research, 09/10-08/12.
- EC NANOSCI-ERA “Single Nano-Hybrid”, PI. 04/2007-12/2010. 160 k€.
- EU IST-FET Open Project “DNA-based Nanodevices” (FP6, contract FP6-029192), PI. 05/2006-09/2010. 150 k€.
- EU IST-FET Open Project “DNA-based nanowires” (FP5, contract IST-2001-38951), PI. 01/2003-07/2006. 200 k€
- CNR-CNPq bilateral agreement (Italy-Brazil) “Electronic Properties of Biomolecules with Potential Applications in Electronic Devices” (2003-2004). Funding for visiting stays, 10 k€.
- Several supercomputing projects on a yearly basis from 2000 on.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
- Committees at USC: CBB Faculty evaluation 2017 (Dept. of Biological Sciences); CBB Faculty promotion 2016 (Dept. of Biological Sciences).
- Graduate committees at USC: Van Ngo (PhD defense, Physics, 10/2013); Atanu Acharya (qualifying, Chemistry, 01/2014; PhD defense, Chemistry, 10/18/2016); Roelof Groenewald (qualifying, Physics, 11/2015); Gaurav Kumar (qualifying, Chemistry, 01/2016).
- CNR: Member of the Executive Board at S3 Modena (03/2004-12/2012); Member of the CNR editorial board (03/2010-12/2012); Member of search committees (Appendix IX).
- Associate Editor: European Physical Journal B, Springer (06/2008-); Scientific Reports, Nature (04/2013-).
- European Science Foundation: Member of the Steering Committee of the Psi-K network.
- Referee for international journals (Nature Nanotech., Nature Comm., Phys. Rev. Lett., Nano Lett., Phys. Rev. B, Appl. Phys. Lett., J. Appl. Phys., J. Am. Chem. Soc., J. Phys. Chem., Solid State Comm., Surf. Sci., J. Comput. Electronics, Nanotechnology, Eur. Phys. J. B, Biochimie).
- Referee for international funding bodies: National Science Foundation (NSF, USA), Austrian Science Fund (FWF, Austria), European Commission FP6 and FP7.
- Referee of Habilitation Thesis: Robert Stadler, University of Vienna, January 2011.
- Referee of external PhD thesis: Audrius Alkauskas (Basel, Switzerland, January 2006); Daniele Varsano (San Sebastian, Spain, March 2006).
- Conference organization: (1) Co-organizer of CECAM Workshop “Synergies between quantum computing and high-performance computing”. Venue: ETH Zürich, Switzerland. August 22-24, 2017. (2) Co-Chair of the workshop “Hybrid excitations in nano-materials”. Venue: Center S3 CNR-NANO, Modena, Italy. December 18-20, 2011. (3) Chair of the ESF (European Science Foundation) Conference on “Charge Transfer in Biosystems”. Venue: Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Obergurgl, Austria. July 17-22, 2011. (4) Chair of the EC-IST-FET-38951 Workshop “DNA-based Nanowires: on the Way from Biomolecules to Nanodevices”. Venue: National Center S3 of INFM-CNR, Modena, Italy. October 7-8, 2005.
TEACHING
- Undergraduate. Exercise classes on General Physics I (mechanics and thermodynamics) and II (electromagnetism and optics). University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. A total of 130 h 1998-2002. PHYS 162 (Honors class “Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism), Spring 2016, 4 units, USC [evaluation 5.00/5.00]. PHYS 408a (advanced electrostatics and magnetostatics), Fall 2016, 4 units, USC [evaluation 4.56/5.00].
- Topical lectures. Tips to write successful proposals within the FP7-ICT-FET initiative of the European Commission (CNR course on research management for staff members – Genova, Palermo, Roma 2009 & 2010).
- Guest lecturer in BISC 481 at USC (taught by Remo Rohs, Biology Department). Lecture on “The basics of Molecular Dynamics” (30 min in October 2012, 80 min in October 2013).
SUPERVISION & HOSTING
- 7 PhD students
- 12 post-doctoral scientists
- 5 undergraduate students
- 9 undergraduate students for short training (~2-3 months)
- 1 collaborator for 3 weeks, plus several short visits by collaborators.
PUBLICATIONS AND TALKS
- 119 papers in international peer-reviewed journals: 1 Nature Mater., 2 Nature Nanotech., 1 Nano Lett., 4 Phys. Rev. Lett., 2 J. Am. Chem. Soc., 4 ACS Nano, 3 Adv. Mater., 30 J. Phys. Chem. B&C&Lett, 15 Phys. Rev. B, 5 Appl. Phys. Lett. Full list of publications in Appendix VI. H-index = 32 (ISI); 37 (GS). Citations = 3261 (ISI); 4506 (GS).
- 6 book chapters and 12 proceedings/newsletters.
- 57 invited lectures at various conferences, annual meetings of physical societies, tutorial and technical lectures at the leading universities and research centers in Europe, North America and Asia.
FULL CV
DiFelice_CV_20180321_whole_signed_new.pdf