31 July 2026
Prof. Francesca Santoro, Director of the Jülich Institute for Information Processing, has been appointed a junior member of the Italian Academy of Engineering and Technology (ITATEC).
Santoro is also a full professor of neuroelectronics at RWTH Aachen University. Her research focuses on neuroelectronics, bioelectronic interfaces, and organic and neuromorphic materials. She develops bio-inspired technologies that seamlessly integrate living tissue with electronic systems. To this end, she combines expertise from materials science, electrical engineering, and neuroscience to advance novel neurohybrid systems for sensing, stimulation, and data processing.
Santoro has led several internationally funded research initiatives, including an ERC Starting Grant. She has secured additional funding from the European Union, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Helmholtz Association, and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Her awards include "MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35," "Falling Walls Breakthrough of the Year in Engineering & Technology," and the "Leopoldina Early Career Award." She is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, has given over 90 guest lectures worldwide, and is actively involved in international professional societies and conferences.
Advice on Technology-Related Issues
Founded in 2022 with the support of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, ITATEC is an independent, multidisciplinary, and nonprofit association. It promotes technical and scientific culture and advises government and policymakers on technology-related issues. To this end, it brings together experts from research, academia, and industry.
A distinctive feature of the academy is the category of junior members: they are under 40 years of age at the time of their appointment and remain members of ITATEC for five years. During this time, they have the same rights and obligations as regular members and may also be elected to the Executive Board.
Internationally, ITATEC is active in the European Council of Academies of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering (Euro-CASE) and thus contributes to providing scientific advice to the European Commission.
