PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

João Paulo Papa

Also known as J P Papa, J Papa, J. P. Papa, J. Papa, J. Paulo Papa

João Paulo Papa is an AI and computer-vision researcher whose work includes graph-based pattern recognition and classifier optimization. He earned degrees in information systems and computer science in Brazil, completed postdoctoral research at Unicamp and joined Unesp's Department of Computing in 2009. He coauthored OPFython, a 2020 Python framework for the Optimum-Path Forest classifier. He became an IAPR Fellow in 2024 and served on its Fellow Committee through 2026. As of October 2026, he is a full professor at Unesp, an invited visiting researcher at Unicamp, and coordinator of FAPESP's eScience and Data Science Program.

Now at
São Paulo State University and University of Campinas
Badges

Timeline

  1. 2002–2008

    Information systems and computer science degrees

    He earns a bachelor's degree in information systems at Unesp in 2002, a master's degree in computer science at UFSCar in 2004 and a PhD in computer science at Unicamp in 2008.

  2. 2008–2009

    Postdoctoral work at Unicamp

    At Unicamp's Institute of Computing, he completes a postdoctoral internship from 2008 to 2009.

  3. Since 2009

    Professor at Unesp

    He joins Unesp's Department of Computing in 2009 and becomes a full professor there.

  4. 2014–2015

    Postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard

    At Harvard University, he completes a postdoctoral fellowship in 2014 and 2015.

  5. 2020

    The OPFython framework

    In 2020, he coauthors OPFython, a Python framework for the Optimum-Path Forest classifier whose functions and classes build on the original C implementation.

  6. 2024–2026

    IAPR Fellow and committee service

    His interests span artificial intelligence, computer vision and optimization; in 2024, IAPR names him a Fellow for contributions to graph-based pattern recognition and metaheuristics for optimizing pattern classifiers. He serves on the IAPR Fellow Committee from 2024 to 2026 and works as a visiting researcher at MIT from 2024 to 2025. In 2025, he receives the Ibn Sina Global Scholarship from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and the International Excellence Fellowship from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

  7. September 2026

    Data Science for Smart Industry

    In September 2026, he leads FAPESP's Data Science for Smart Industry project, which offers a machine-learning postdoctoral fellowship at USP's Institute of Mathematical and Computer Sciences with Unesp Bauru as partner. The fellow compares quaternion-valued deep neural networks for general image classification.

  8. As of October 2026

    Unesp professor and FAPESP coordinator

    As of October 2026, he is a full professor in Unesp's Department of Computing at Bauru, an invited visiting researcher at Unicamp's Center for Energy and Petroleum Studies, and coordinator of FAPESP's eScience and Data Science Program.

Career

  1. Since 2009São Paulo State UniversityFull Professor
  2. Since 2008University of CampinasPostdoctoral Researcher, Invited Visiting Researcher
  3. 2024–2025Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyVisiting Researcher
  4. 2014–2015Harvard UniversityPostdoctoral Fellow

Education

  1. 2008University of CampinasPhD in Computer Science
  2. 2004Federal University of São CarlosMaster's degree in Computer Science
  3. 2002São Paulo State UniversityInformation Systems

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  3. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes University of Campinas. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  4. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes University of Campinas. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.

Colleagues

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

Sources and credits

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  1. João Paulo Papa fapesp.br. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. OPFython: A Python-Inspired Optimum-Path Forest Classifier arxiv.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Alphabetical List of IAPR Fellows – International Association for Pattern Recognition iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Committees – International Association for Pattern Recognition iapr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. JOAO PAULO PAPA | PESQUISADOR VISITANTE CONVIDADO - Unicamp portal.dados.unicamp.br. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Bolsa de PD em Aprendizado de Máquina - Fapesp Oportunidades fapesp.br. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. Portal Docentes Unesp www2.unesp.br. Checked 20 October 2026.