Radu-Emil Precup (M IEEE '03 - SM IEEE '07) was born in Lugoj, Romania, in 1963. He received the Dipl.Ing. (Hons.) degree in automation and computers from the "Traian Vuia" Polytechnic Institute of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania, in 1987, the Diploma in mathematics from the West University of Timisoara, Timisoara, in 1993, and the Ph.D. degree in automatic systems from the "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Timisoara, in 1996.
From 1987 to 1991, he was with Infoservice S.A., Timisoara. He is currently with the Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania, where he became a Professor in the Department of Automation and Applied Informatics, in 2000, and he is currently a Doctoral Supervisor of automation and systems engineering. From 2022, he is also a senior researcher (CS I) and the head of the Data Science and Engineering Laboratory of the Center for Fundamental and Advanced Technical Research, Romanian Academy – Timisoara Branch, Romania. From 2016 to 2022, he was an Adjunct Professor within the School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia. He is currently the Director of the Automatic Systems Engineering Research Centre with the Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania. From 1999 to 2009, he held research and teaching positions with the Université de Savoie, Chambéry and Annecy, France, Budapest Tech Polytechnical Institution, Budapest, Hungary, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria, and Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary. He has been an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems (2018-2022), is an Executive Co-Editor-in-Chief of Information Sciences (Elsevier), the Editor-in-Chief of Romanian Journal of Information Science and Technology, and is an editorial board member of several prestigious journals including IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence (Elsevier), Applied Soft Computing (Elsevier), Expert Systems with Applications (Elsevier), Evolving Systems (Springer), Applied Artificial Intelligence (Taylor & Francis), Healthcare Analytics (Elsevier), and Communications in Transportation Research (Elsevier).
He is the author or coauthor of more than 300 papers published in various scientific journals, refereed conference proceedings, and contributions to books. His research interests include mainly development and analysis of new control structures and algorithms (conventional control, fuzzy control, data-driven control, sliding mode control, neuro-fuzzy control, etc.), theory and applications of soft computing, computer-aided design of control systems, modelling, optimization (including nature-inspired algorithms), and applications to mechatronic systems (including automotive systems and mobile robots), embedded systems, control of power plants, servo systems, electrical driving systems.
Prof. Precup is a corresponding member of The Romanian Academy, a Doctor Honoris Causa of the Óbuda University, Budapest, Hungary, a Doctor Honoris Causa of the Széchenyi István University, Győr, Hungary, a member of the Task Force on Autonomous Learning Systems within the Neural Networks Technical Committee (TC) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computational Intelligence Society, the TCs on Computational Cybernetics, and Cyber-Medical Systems of the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society, the Task Force on Adaptive and Evolving Fuzzy Systems within the Fuzzy Systems TC of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, the TCs on Data-Driven Control and Monitoring, and Control, Robotics and Mechatronics of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) TC on Computational Intelligence in Control (previously named Cognition and Control), the IFAC TC on Linear Control Systems, the Working Group WG 12.9 on Computational Intelligence of the Technical Committee TC12 on Artificial Intelligence of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), the European Society for Fuzzy Logic and Technology (EUSFLAT), the Hungarian Fuzzy Association, and the Romanian Society of Control Engineering and Technical Informatics. He founded in 2015 and is the chair of the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Romania Chapter. He has been the chair of the Timisoara Branch of the Robotics Society of Romania since 2020.
He was the recipient of the Elsevier Scopus Award for Excellence in Global Contribution (2017), the "Henri Coandă" prize in the Engineering Sciences category, awarded at the Romanian Research Gala 2024, the "Tudor Tănăsescu" Prize from the Romanian Academy for data-driven controller tuning techniques (2020), the "Grigore Moisil" Prize from the Romanian Academy, two times, in 2005 and 2016, for his contribution on fuzzy control and the optimization of fuzzy systems, the Spiru Haret Award from the National Grand Lodge of Romania in partnership with the Romanian Academy in 2016 for education, environment and IT, the Excellency Diploma of the International Conference on Automation, Quality & Testing, Robotics AQTR 2004 (THETA 14, Cluj-Napoca, Romania), two Best Paper Awards in the Intelligent Control Area of the 2008 Conference on Human System Interaction HSI 2008, Krakow (Poland), the Best Paper Award of 16th Online World Conference on Soft Computing in Industrial Applications WSC16 (Loughborough University, UK) in 2011, the Certificate of Appreciation for the Best Paper in the Session TT07 1 Control Theory of 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society IECON 2013 (Vienna, Austria), a Best Paper Nomination at 12th International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics ICINCO 2015 (Colmar, France), a Best Paper Award at 7th International Conference on Information Technology and Quantitative Management ITQM 2019 (Granada, Spain), a Best Paper Award at 8th International Conference on Information Technology and Quantitative Management ITQM 2020 & 2021 (Chengu, China), was named a 2022 academic data leader by Chief Data Officer (CDO) Magazine, and was listed as one of the top 10 researchers in Artificial Intelligence and Automation (according to IIoT World as of July 2017).
Name: Radu-Emil Precup
Born on: 22.03.1963 in Lugoj, Romania
Civil status: Married with Adriana-Carmen
Email: a1@b1, where a1 is radu.precup and b1 is aut.upt.ro
Official Address:
Politehnica University of Timisoara
Faculty of Automation and Computers
Department of Automation and Applied Informatics
Bd. V. Parvan no. 2
RO-300223 Timisoara
Romania
Phone: +40-256-403226 (office), -403229, -403230, -403240 (lab.)
Fax: +40-256-403214 (Dean's office)
Home Address:
Str. Dr. Ioan Muresan no. 12
RO-300756 Timisoara
Romania
Phone: +40-256-495271
Education:
- 1992-1996: Ph.D. in Automatic Systems, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania, Faculty of Automation and Computers (supervisor: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Preitl, thesis entitled "Contributions Concerning Fuzzy Control of Nonminimum-phased Systems with Applications to Hydrogenerators Control").
- 1988-1993: graduated The Faculty of Mathematics, West University of Timisoara, Romania, Mathematics area of specialization, final grade after five years of study of 9.05 and license grade of 10 on the 1-10 scale with 1 the minimum and 10 the maximum.
- 1982-1987: Dipl.-Ing. Degree, graduated with honours The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, "Traian Vuia" Polytechnical Institute of Timisoara, Romania, Automation and Computers area of specialization, Computerized Process Control stream, final grade after five years of study of 9.98 and diploma grade of 10 on the 1-10 scale.
- 1977-1981: Baccalaureate in Mathematics-Physics, Industrial no. 1 High School, Lugoj, Romania.
Working Experience:
- 2022-: Senior researcher (CS I) and head of the Data Science and Engineering Laboratory of the Center for Fundamental and Advanced Technical Research, Romanian Academy – Timisoara Branch, Romania.
- 2022-: Member of the External Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB) of the Center for Automation and Robotics (CSIC-UPM) of Spanish National Research Council and Technical University of Madrid, Spain (www.car.upm-csic.es).
- 2020-2024: Director of the Council of Doctoral Studies of the Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania (www.upt.ro).
- 2023-: Member of the Information Science and Technology Committee of the National Research Council (CNCS), Bucharest, Romania (www.cncs-nrc.ro).
- 2016-2022: Adjunct Professor within the School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia (Staff of ECU).
- 2016-2020: Dean of the Faculty of Automation and Computers, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2016-2024: Member of the Council of the Doctoral School Automatic Control and Computers, Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania (doctorat.acs.pub.ro, doctorat.acs.pub.ro).
- 2017-2020: Member of the National Research Council (CNCS), Bucharest, Romania (www.old.research.gov.ro).
- January-April 2017: Member of the Engineering Sciences Committee of CNCS.
- January-April 2017: Member of the Committee 2: Information and communication technology, space and security as part of the National Advisory Board for Research, Development and Innovation (CCCDI), Bucharest, Romania.
- 2012-2016: Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Automation and Computers, Politehnica University of Timisoara (previously named, till 2013, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara), Romania.
- March-June 2012: President of the Research Committee of the University Senate of the "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2011-2012: Vice-president of the Computers, information technology and systems engineering committee as part of the National Council for the Approval of Academic Title, Diplomas and Certificates (CNATDCU), Bucharest, Romania, and member of the P2. Engineering sciences panel.
- 2012-: Member of the Computers, information technology and systems engineering committee as part of the CNATDCU (www.cnadtcu.ro).
- 2011-: Director of the Automatic Systems Engineering Research Centre with the Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania (www.aut.upt.ro/centru-cercetare/index.EN).
- 2009-2013: Member of the Doctoral School of Applied Informatics and Applied Mathematics with the Óbuda University (previously named Budapest Tech Polytechnical Institution), Budapest, Hungary (www.doktori.hu).
- 2008-2012: Head of the Students Information and Counselling Office (OICS) with the Faculty of Automation and Computers, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2005-2009: Researcher, Crabel Capital Research, Timisoara, Romania, subsidiary of Crabel Capital Management, Milwaukee, WI, USA (crabel.com).
- 2004-: Doctoral Supervisor of Automation and Systems Engineering, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania, six graduated doctoral students and 11 currently supervised doctoral students (please visit the attached list).
- 2018-: Mentoring four postdoctoral researchers (please visit the attached list).
- 2001-2011: Deputy Director of the Research Centre in Automation and Computers with the "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania, and Director of the Automation and Applied Informatics Division.
- 2000-: Professor with the Department of Automation and Applied (previously named Industrial) Informatics, Faculty of Automation and Computers, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 1998-2000: Associate Professor with the Department of Automation and Industrial Informatics, Faculty of Automation and Computers, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 1994-1998: Lecturer with the Department of Automation and Industrial Informatics, Faculty of Automation and Computers, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 1991-1994: Assistant Professor with the Department of Automation and Industrial Informatics, Faculty of Automation and Computers, Technical University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 1987-1991: Automation engineer with the Timisoara Branch of Infoservice S.A. (previously named SIRECA) Bucharest, Romania, with professional preoccupations in the field of analog and digital control systems.
Other Management and Administration Experience:
- 2020-2025: Appointed to the Review College of the Research Foundation - Flanders (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen, FWO), Brussels, Belgium (www.fwo.be).
- 2023-: Reviewer of the German Research Fund (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), Bonn, Germany (www.dfg.de).
- 2022-: Reviewer of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Ottawa, Canada (www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca).
- 2022-: Reviewer of the National Science Centre (Narodowe Centrum Nauki, NCN), Warsaw, Poland (www.ncn.gov.pl).
- 2021-: Reviewer of the French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Research, ANR), Paris, France (anr.fr).
- 2021-: Reviewer of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Bern, Switzerland (www.snf.ch).
- 2021-: Reviewer of CINECA, Bologna, Italy (www.cineca.it).
- 2019-: Reviewer of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico (conacyt.mx).
- 2019-: Reviewer of the Mobility and Reintegration Programme (MoRePro) of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia (www.sav.sk).
- 2019-: Reviewer of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia (fondzanauku.gov.rs).
- 2017-: Reviewer of the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), Ljubljana, Slovenia (www.arrs.si).
- 2014-2019: Member of the Informatics and Electrical Engineering review panel of the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH), with the previous name Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA), Budapest, Hungary (nkfih.gov.hu).
- 2012-: Reviewer of the Research Foundation - Flanders (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen, FWO), Brussels, Belgium (www.fwo.be).
- 2011-: Reviewer of the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH), with the previous name Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA), Budapest, Hungary (nkfih.gov.hu).
- 2011-: Reviewer of the Czech Science Foundation (GACR), Prague, Czech Republic (www.gacr.cz).
- March-June 2012: Member of the University Senate of the "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2000-2022: Member of the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Automation and Computers, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2020-2022, 2008-2012 and 2000-2004: Member of the Department Council of the Department of Automation and Industrial Informatics, Faculty of Automation and Computers, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2000-: Expert and evaluator of the National Research Council (with the abbreviation CNCS, the previous name National University Research Council and the previous abbreviation CNCSIS), Bucharest, Romania, in the fields of Automation, Robotics and Systems Engineering.
- 2007-: Expert and evaluator of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (with the abbreviation ARACIS), Bucharest, Romania, in the field of Systems Engineering (www.aracis.ro).
- 2008-2009: Coordination of the accreditation activity of the Master program in Automotive Embedded Software within the Faculty of Automation and Computers, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
- 2008-2009: Coordination of the research part of the accreditation activity of the Bachelor program in Systems Engineering and of the Master programs in Automatic Systems Engineering, and Informatics Systems Applied to Manufacturing and Services, within the Faculty of Automation and Computers, "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania.
Other Activities:
- Member of 23 habilitation boards (please visit the attached list).
- Member of doctoral committees as a referee of 96 doctoral theses in Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Norway, Spain and Romania (please visit the attached list).
- Member of Doctor Honoris Causa title committees awarded to: Prof. Imre J. Rudas (awarded by "Politehnica" University of Timisoara in 2005), Acad. Prof. József Bokor (awarded by "Politehnica" University of Timisoara in 2007), Prof. Robin De Keyser (awarded by "Gh. Asachi" Technical University of Iasi in 2007), Prof. János Fodor (awarded by "Politehnica" University of Timisoara in 2010), Acad. Florin Gheorghe Filip (awarded by "Aurel Vlaicu" University of Arad in 2018), Prof. Hamido Fujita (chairman of the committee, title awarded by Politehnica University of Timisoara in 2018), Dr. Attila Michael Bilgic (chairman of the committee, title awarded by Politehnica University of Timisoara in 2018), Prof. Levente Kovács (chairman of the committee, title awarded by Politehnica University of Timisoara in 2022), Prof. Lászlo T. Kóczy (chairman of the committee, title awarded by Politehnica University of Timisoara in 2022), Acad. Dorel Banabic (awarded by Politehnica University of Timisoara in 2023), Dr. Silviu-Iulian Niculescu (awarded by "Lower Danube" University of Galati in 2023, Program).
- Several long term academic visits abroad (research and teaching) in 2003-2009 in France, Austria and Hungary (please visit the attached list).
- Co-ordinator of an Erasmus+ program, 2014-2021, with University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Co-ordinator of an Erasmus-Socrates program, 2009-2013, with University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Co-ordinator of an Erasmus-Socrates program, 2010-2013, with Kecskemét College, Hungary.
- Co-ordinator of an Erasmus-Socrates program, 1999-2000, with Vienna University of Technology, Austria.
- My Erdös number is 3 (please visit the attached proof).