Professor Antonio Carcaterra will lead the university for the six-year term from 2026 to 2032.
Professor Antonio Carcaterra has been elected Rector of Sapienza University of Rome for the 2026–2032 term. A Full Professor of Applied Mechanics and currently Director of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMA), Carcaterra will lead one of Italy’s leading universities over the next six years. His election marks an important development in the university’s academic and institutional life.
The newly elected Rector will officially take office on December 1.
Carcaterra has built a distinguished academic career, much of it at Sapienza, where he graduated with honors in Mechanical Engineering in 1991 and earned his Ph.D. in 1994. Under his leadership, DIMA was recognized by Italy’s Ministry of University and Research as a Department of Excellence, achieving strong results in national rankings.
His academic and professional career has a strong international dimension. He has been included in Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists list, which recognizes researchers whose work has achieved significant scientific impact. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States and collaborated with leading European research institutions, including the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) at the University of Southampton. In 2024, he received the PICMET Medal of Excellence in Portland, Oregon.
The author of nearly 200 scientific publications and the holder of numerous industrial patents, Carcaterra has conducted research across a range of fields, from advanced mechatronics to the dynamics of complex systems. Since 2016, he has also served as President of the Sapienza Innovazione Consortium.
Throughout his academic career, he has placed particular emphasis on interdisciplinary research, fostering connections between engineering modeling, artificial intelligence, and the legal and ethical challenges associated with emerging technologies. His work in this area has also involved collaborations with prominent scientific and cultural institutions, including the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy’s national academy of sciences.
Carcaterra’s agenda as Rector aims to further strengthen Sapienza’s position in the international higher education and research landscape, consolidating its role as a leading center for scientific research, innovation, and academic excellence. His vision for the 2026–2032 term focuses on developing talent, fostering collaboration between STEM disciplines and the university’s longstanding humanities tradition, and further enhancing institutional governance and the quality of university services.
At the heart of this approach is the university community, with the goal of guiding Sapienza through the evolving challenges of research, innovation, and higher education.
