Marco Alfano's Resume

E-mail: marco.alfano@anghelos.org
WWW: http://www.math.unipa.it/~malfano

OBJECTIVES

EDUCATION

(Jul 88)Laurea degree (Bachelor + Master) in Electronics Engineering, University of Palermo, Italy.
Thesis title: ``Riduzione ottimale di modelli lineari a molte variabili (Optimal reduction of multi-variable linear models)''.

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

(Sep 04 – Present) Director, Centre on Communication Studies Anghelos, Palermo
Leads the Centre. Activates and manages the main research activities. Performs reaserach on Computer Networks and Telecommunications with particular reference to multimedia on-line learning and optimization of communication processes in e-learning activities.

(Sep 03 – Present) Instructor, Computer Science, University of Palermo

Holds the Computer Networks course. Has created an on-line site for mixed multimedia teaching (http://www.math.unipa.it/~malfano/cone/). Performs research on optimization of learning processes through the creation of platforms for realizing on-line multimedia courses and remote and virtual labs.

(Sep 00 - Aug 04) R&D Manager, Nortel Networks, R&D Centre, Palermo, Italy

Managed the R&D team in Palermo and the project related to the development of an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) prototype as described in the 3GPP R5/R6 specifications (wireless signaling on packet networks through SIP protocol)
Investigated new technologies in the field of the Wireless Internet in order to develop innovative and customer-oriented solutions.
Previously has managed a project&team for the development of a performance measurement/optimization system for a UMTS network (both on access side and core packet/circuit side). Moreover, has worked on the creation of a lab for the development of GSM intelligent-network services

(Jan 98 - Aug 00) Senior Researcher, Telecom Italia Lab, Torino, Italy

Led an international project (ten major european telecom operators participated) whose main objectives were tLed an international project (ten major european telecom operators participated) whose main objectives were to create IP/Internet services (e-Commerce, VoIP, A/V Streaming, …) with differentiated Quality of Service (QoS) and to define the realated charging strategies.
Developed methodologies and tools for measuring and controlling application and network performance in a multiprotocol/multiprovider environment. Experimentally evaluated QoS of video, audio and data applications in lab test-plants and in real environments (e.g., the Internet).
Practical support to Telecom Italia Group in the configuration, management and performance evaluation of its services in fixed and mobile networks.

(Jan 97 - Dec 97) Associate of the Laboratory for Computer Science, Dept. of Mathematics and Applications, University of Palermo

Investigated topics related to QoS of multimedia applications in an IP/Internet environment considering particularly a tele-astronomy scenario. Evaluated the consequent requirements on host and network resources.

(Sep 95 - Dec 96) Post-doctoral position, International Computer Science Institute, Berkeley, USA

Designed and implemented an architecture for a cooperative multimedia environment on Internet with QoS requirements. Examined the influence of network and host parameters on QoS of various media.
Developed a videophone application for initiating and carrying out a video/audio session (conference) through the Internet.
Worked on the management and performance aspects of BAGNet (a 155 Mb/s IP/ATM network that connects fifteen sites in the San Francisco Bay Area) and MAY (an intercontinental IP/ATM network that connects North America to Europe) with particular emphasis on the QoS requirements for teleseminar applications.

(Mar 95 - Aug 95) Italian National Council of Research (CNR) fellowship, Ericsson Telecomunicazioni, Rome, Italy

Worked on the management of telecommunication networks and deployment/management of telecommunications services by means of object-oriented approaches. In particular, the Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) standard and the CORBA and TINA architectures were considered for the construction of a QoS management architecture

(Mar 92 - Feb 95) Research job for a Ph.D. in Electronics, Computer Science, and Telecommunications Engineering, Institute for Informatics and Telecommunications, University of Catania, Italy and Computer Science Department, University of Waterloo, Canada

Designed a scheduler for distributed applications. The main feature of the scheduler is the possibility for the user to specify his requirements in terms of response time, reliability, and cost.
Developed an analytical model of a distributed application. This model takes into account precedence, client/server, and synchronization relations between application modules. The scheduler uses such a model to compute response time, reliability, and cost of the application and makes its choices in dependence of the user requirements.
Worked on the distributed execution of numerical algorithms by means of distributed platforms such as Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) and Network Computing System (NCS, forerunner of DCE).

(Oct 91 - Feb 92) Digital Equipment fellowship, Centro Universitario di Calcolo (CUC), Palermo

Worked on the integration of heterogeneous mainframes and workstations in order to build a distributed environment using an IP network.

(Oct 89 - Sep 91) Italian National Council of Research (CNR) fellowship, Center for research on computer networks (CERE) , Palermo, Italy and Computer Science Department, University of Waterloo, Canada

Investigated issues related to mainframe architectures (360, 370, 370/XA) and operating systems for mainframes and workstations (Unix, IBM VM). Analised the main network architectures for LANs, MANs, and WANs. Used the TCP/IP protocol suite for developing interprocess-communication applications.

SKILLS SUMMARY

• • Operating Systems: Unix/Linux, Windows 95/98/ME and NT/2000, MS Dos, IBM VM, MAC OS.
  • Languages: C, Java, Tcl/Tk, HTML.
  • Wireless Networks: GSM, GPRS, UMTS.
  • Core Networks: TCP/IP, ATM, Frame Relay, SS7, SNA.
  • Network Management and Services: SNMP, TMN, TINA.
  • Distributed Platforms: NCS/DCE, PVM, CORBA.
  • IP QoS Mechanisms: IETF Diff-Serv and Int-Serv, MPLS.
  • Communication Applications: Web, E-commerce, VoIP, A/V Streaming, Videoconference.
  • Other Applications: MS Office, MS Project, Image Processing (Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop).

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Instructor of the “Computer Networks” course of the Bachelor Degree in Computer Science, University of Palermo, Fall 2003.
  • Consultant of network and service providers.
  • Supervisor of Master and Ph.D. theses.
  • Referee of papers submitted to journals and conferences.

INTERPERSONAL TRAITS

• Excellent coordination and management capabilities. Excellent ability to meet time deadlines.

LANGUAGES

• Italian as first language.
• Proficient in written and oral English. Attended various courses both in England and in Italy and lived for three years in Canada and the United States.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• M. Alfano, B. Lenzitti, A. Pace. Tutor-Sky: A web environment for multimedia on-line education. Methodologies and Technologies for Learning, G. Chiazzese et al. (Eds.), WIT Press, pp. 297-304, 2005.
  
• M. Alfano, B. Lenzitti, V. Di Gesù. Virtual Laboratories at Computer Science degree in Palermo University: A case study. Proc. of the E-Learning Conference, September 5-7, 2004, Bruxelles.
  
• M. Alfano, V. Di Gesù. A Virtual Laboratory (V-Lab) for remote training on computer networks. Proc. of the Final meeting of European Computing Education and Training (ECET), September 1-2 2003, Berlin.
  
• M. Alfano, M. Krampell and M. Smirnow. End-to-end quality in IP networks: Can we offer and charge it? Proc. of the 17th World Telecommunications Congress (WTC 2000), May 7-12, 2000, Birmingham.
  
• M. Alfano. How was Time before time? Studies on the Structure of Time. Ed. R. Buccheri et al. Kluwer Academics, 2000. pp.273-283.
  
• M. Alfano. QUASIMODO - Offering end-to-end quality to the user. Proc. of the Workshop "Quality in Telecommunications Services (QUTE '99)", October 21, 1999, Heidelberg.
  
• M. Alfano. Design and Implementation of a Cooperative Multimedia Environment with QoS Control. Computer Communications, Elsevier, 21(4) pp. 350-361, 1998.
  
• M. Alfano, V. Di Gesù. Data analysis and multimedia systems for tele-astronomy. Proc. of the CCMA'97 Conference: Converging Computing Methodologies in Astronomy, September 17-18, 1997, Sonthofen.
  
• M. Alfano. User requirements and resource control for cooperative multimedia applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science: Multimedia Applications, Services and Techniques - ECMAST '97, Fdida S. and Morganti M. (Eds.), Springer, vol. 1242, pp. 537-552, 1997.
  
• M. Alfano, N. Radouniklis. A cooperative multimedia environment with QoS control: Architectural and implementation issues. International Computer Science Institute Tecnical Report TR-96-040, September 1996.
  
• M. Alfano, R. Sigle. Controlling QoS in a collaborative multimedia environment. Proc. of the Fifth IEEE International Symposium on High-Performance Distributed Computing (HPDC-5), Aug. 7-9, 1996, Syracusae, NY.
  
• M. Alfano, R. Sigle, R. Ulrich. A cooperative multimedia environment with user-driven QoS control. To be presented at the 8th IEEE Workshop on Local and Metropolitan Area Networks, Aug 25-28, 1996, Berlin/Potsdam, Germany.
  
• M. Alfano, A. Di Stefano, L. Lo Bello, O. Mirabella. An expert system for planning real-time distributed task allocation. Proc. Florida AI Research Symposium FLAIRS-96, May 20-22, 1996, Key West (FL - USA).
  
• M. Alfano, R. Sigle, R. Ulrich. Management of cooperative multimedia sessions with QoS requirements. Proc. of IEEE Gigabit Networking Workshop GBN `96 in conjuction with IEEE INFOCOM'96, March 24, 1996, San Francisco (CA - USA).
  
• M. Alfano. A Quality of Service Management Architecture (QoSMA): A preliminary study. International Computer Science Institute Tecnical Report TR-95-070, December 1995.
  
• M. Alfano, A. Genco, G. Lo Re. Scheduling distributed algorithms on heterogeneous computer networks. Application of High-Performance Computing in Engineering IV. Ed. H. Power. Computational Mechanics Publications, 1995. pp. 47-54.
  
• M. Alfano. Uno scheduler per applicazioni distribuite guidato da specifiche di utente. Ph.D thesis. February 1995.
  
• M. Alfano, A. Genco, S. Lopes, A. Prestigiacomo. Scheduling simulation on a Parallel Virtual Machine. Proc. of the 1994 European Simulation Symposium, pp. 21-25, October 9-12, 1994, Istanbul (Turkey).
  
• M. Alfano. On the characteristics of schedulers for distributed computing systems. Proc. of AICA'94, pp. 685-697, September 21-23, 1994, Palermo (Italy).
  
• M. Alfano. Scheduling features in distributed systems. Proc. of the SBT/IEEE International Telecommunications Symposium, pp. 52-56, August 22-26, 1994, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
  
• M. Alfano. A parallel application model for scheduling in distributed systems. Notes for the DAGS'94 School on Parallel Programming Environments, July 8 - 12, 1994, Hanover (NH - USA).
  
• M. Alfano. Modeling a distributed application with precedence and synchronization relations. Proc. of the 19th Intern. Conf. on Information Technology and Programming, pp. 54-62, June 26 - July 2, 1994, Sofia (Bulgaria).
  
• M. Alfano, A. Genco. User requirements and distributed scheduling design. IEEE Bulletin of the Technical Commitee on Operating Systems and Application Environments, pp. 9-10, Spring 1994.
  
• M. Alfano, G. Lo Re. Concurrent techniques for distributing numerical algorithms. Atti della Accademia di Scienze, Lettere e Arti di Palermo, 1993-1994.
  
• M. Alfano, G. Lo Re. Distributing numerical algorithms: Some experiences with Network Computing System (NCS) and Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM). Proc. of the Workshop on Cluster Computing, December 2-4, 1992, Tallahassee-Florida-USA.