Dr. Rossella Arcucci is a distinguished leader in data science and machine learning with a focus on environmental applications and AI for social good. She currently serves as Associate Professor in Data Science and Machine Learning at Imperial College London, where she leads the Data Assimilation and Machine Learning (Data Learning) Group within the Department of Earth Science and Engineering. With a strong foundation from her mathematics degrees, she completed her PhD in Computational and Computer Science in 2012, establishing herself as an expert at the intersection of computational methods and environmental science. Her career trajectory includes significant recognition as a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellow from the European Commission Research Executive Agency in 2017, which further solidified her expertise in developing innovative data-driven approaches to complex environmental challenges.
Dr. Arcucci's pioneering work in Data Learning models has catalyzed transformative approaches to environmental prediction systems through the integration of machine learning with traditional data assimilation frameworks. Her research focuses on developing sophisticated predictive models for complex environmental phenomena, with particular application to real-time wildfire prediction and mitigation strategies as evidenced by her work with the Leverhulme Wildfires Centre. She has secured substantial research funding as Principal Investigator of EU and EPSRC grants totaling over £15.2 million, demonstrating the scientific community's confidence in her innovative methodologies. Her specific contributions include advancing the theoretical foundations of data assimilation techniques while ensuring their practical implementation in operational meteorological systems through her influential role in the World Meteorological Organization's working group on Data Assimilation and Observing systems.
Beyond her research contributions, Dr. Arcucci plays a pivotal role in shaping the global AI landscape through multiple leadership positions including Director of Research at the Data Science Institute at Imperial College London and Head of the AI4Good & Data Learning group. She serves as the elected AI Speaker for the AI Network of Excellences at Imperial College London, representing approximately 270 academics working across various AI domains, and represents the Imperial AI community at the World Economic Forum's Global AI Action Alliance and the Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe. Through her collaboration with the Leonardo Centre at Imperial College Business School, she contributes to developing integrative, just, and sustainable models of economic and social development by translating technical innovations into practical frameworks for societal benefit. Dr. Arcucci continues to advance the frontier of AI for environmental applications through her integrative 'Data Learning' framework, with particular focus on how these approaches can serve as tools for addressing global sustainability challenges.
