Speaker：Professor Alessandro Astolfi, Imperial College London

Time：Friday, September 5, 2025   10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Venue：D1b-110, GZIC

Abstract

This talk discusses how the property of dynamic linearizability—defined as linearizability via the dynamic extension algorithm—implies the existence of static (possibly time-varying) control laws. These laws achieve asymptotic output tracking with arbitrary convergence speed and asymptotic stabilization with a computable bound on the region of attraction. Similar results hold for systems that are input/output linearizable only via dynamic state feedback, provided their inverse dynamics exhibit specific stability properties. Applications to regional stabilization and trajectory tracking for under-actuated systems are also explored. Finally, an abstract definition of fully-actuated systems is presented, with its implications discussed.

Biography

Alessandro Astolfi (IEEE Fellow) graduated in Electronic Engineering from the University of Rome in 1991. In 1992, he joined ETH-Zurich, where he obtained an M.Sc. in Information Theory (1995) and a Ph.D. with Medal of Honor (1995) for his thesis on discontinuous stabilization of nonholonomic systems. In 1996, he received a second Ph.D. from the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' for research on nonlinear robust control.

Since 1996, he has been with the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department at Imperial College London, where he is currently Professor of Nonlinear Control Theory and College Consul for the Faculty of Engineering and Business School. He served as Head of the Control and Power Group (2010–2022) and was an Associate Professor at the Politecnico di Milano (1998–2003). Since 2005, he has also been a Professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

His research focuses on mathematical control theory and applications, with emphasis on discontinuous stabilization, robust/adaptive control, observer design, and model reduction. He has authored over 180 journal papers, 30 book chapters, and 270 conference papers, as well as the monograph Nonlinear and Adaptive Control with Applications (Springer, with D. Karagiannis and R. Ortega).

Awards & Honors

• IEEE CSS A. Ruberti Young Researcher Prize (2007)

• IEEE RAS Googol Best New Application Paper Award (2009)

• IEEE CSS George S. Axelby Outstanding Paper Award (2012)

• Automatica Best Paper Award (2017)

• IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology Best Paper Award (2023)

Professional Service

• Distinguished Member of IEEE CSS, IEEE Fellow, IFAC Fellow, Member of Academia Europaea

• Associate Editor for Automatica, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, etc.

• Area Editor for International Journal of Adaptive Control and Signal Processing

• Senior Editor for IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control

• Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control (2018–present)

• Chair of IEEE CSS Conference Editorial Board (2010–2017), Vice Chair of IFAC Technical Board (2020–2023)