PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Amedeo Cesta

Amedeo Cesta is an AI researcher at CNR whose work centers on planning and scheduling. He earned degrees in electronic engineering and computer science at Sapienza University of Rome in 1983 and 1992, then co-authored MEXAR2, an AI scheduler used on Mars Express. From 2013 to 2017, he led AIxIA, and from 2014 to 2017 he served as ISTC contact for 4x3, a project on safe human-robot collaboration in manufacturing. EurAI named him a Fellow in 2019, and CNR appointed him acting director of its Department of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Cultural Heritage in 2021. As of October 2026, he is a research director at CNR, coordinates ISTC's Planning and Scheduling Technology Laboratory, and leads a CNR AI project on future factories and social challenges.

Now at
National Research Council of Italy and National Research Council
Works
414
Citations
4,444
h-index
37
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 18 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1983–1992

    Studying at Sapienza

    He earns a degree in electronic engineering in 1983 and completes a doctorate in computer science in 1992 at Sapienza University of Rome.

  2. 2005–2007

    The MEXAR2 scheduler

    He co-authors a 2007 account of MEXAR2, an AI-based scheduling architecture in daily use on Mars Express from February 2005.

  3. December 2013–December 2017

    AIxIA president

    He serves as president of AIxIA, the Italian Association for Artificial Intelligence, from December 2013 to December 2017.

  4. 2014–2017

    Safe factory robotics

    From 2014 to 2017, he serves as ISTC contact for 4x3, a project on customizable robotic solutions for safe human-robot collaboration in manufacturing.

  5. 2019

    A EurAI Fellowship

    EurAI includes him among its Fellows in 2019, recognizing his AI work on space missions, assistive robotics for older adults, and collaborative industrial robotics.

  6. 2021

    Acting department director

    CNR appoints him acting director of the Department of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Cultural Heritage in 2021.

  7. As of October 2026

    CNR research director

    As of October 2026, he is a research director in AI at CNR and coordinates ISTC's Planning and Scheduling Technology Laboratory. He leads CNR's AI project on future factories and social challenges, which began in 2016.

A language model matched the links in this timeline to people, organizations and papers (provisional, model-judged).

Career

  1. Since 2021National Research Council of ItalyActing Director
  2. Since 1989National Research CouncilCoordinator
  3. 2013–2017Italian Association for Artificial IntelligencePresident

Education

  1. 1992Sapienza University of RomePhD
  2. 1983Sapienza University of RomeElectronic Engineering degree

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. A Constraint-Based Method for Project Scheduling with Time Windows2002 · Journal of Heuristics · 206 citationsWith Stephen F. Smith
  2. GiraffPlus: Combining social interaction and long term monitoring for promoting independent living2013 · Conference on Human System Interactions · 136 citations
  3. Long-Term Evaluation of a Telepresence Robot for the Elderly: Methodology and Ecological Case Study2016 · International Journal of Social Robotics · 114 citations
  4. Generating robust schedules through temporal flexibility2004 · 90 citationsWith Stephen F. Smith
  5. GiraffPlus: A System for Monitoring Activities and Physiological Parameters and Promoting Social Interaction for Elderly2014 · Advances in intelligent systems and computing · 89 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 18 October 2026.

  1. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers rose from 2% to 32%Includes National Research Council. We estimate where leading AI researchers worked when their most-cited papers appeared. The company share rose from 2% in 1975–1979 to 32% in 2020–2024.
  2. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes National Research Council. Our estimates of combined and median h-index at AI organizations, using current affiliations and OpenAlex records.
  3. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Sapienza University of Rome. Our estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.
  4. Stanford University trained or employed 27 of the 112 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Sapienza University of Rome. Stanford University trained or employed 27 of the 112 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and employment links for major-prize and best-paper winners.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Amedeo Cesta yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Amedeo Cesta istc.cnr.it. Checked 18 October 2026.
  2. MEXAR2: AI Solves Mission Planner Problems istc.cnr.it. Checked 18 October 2026.
  3. Aixia | Download aixia.it. Checked 18 October 2026.
  4. Intelligenza artificiale: Amedeo Cesta incluso nella lista degli EurAI Fellows istc.cnr.it. Checked 18 October 2026.
  5. EurAI Fellows eurai.org. Checked 18 October 2026.
  6. Amedeo Cesta nominato Direttore facente funzioni del Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Patrimonio Culturale - DSU istc.cnr.it. Checked 18 October 2026.
  7. Intelligenza Artificiale per la Fabbrica del Futuro e le Sfide Sociali (DIT.AD008.027) cnr.it. Checked 18 October 2026.