Professional Summary
I’m an Associate Professor at the Institute of Computing of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil. Former postdoctoral researcher at UNICAMP and Assistant Researcher at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Luxembourg. Acted as Director of the Nucleus of Informatics Applied to Education (NIED/Unicamp). Currently, Head of the Laboratory of Human-Digital Artifact Interaction (LInterHAD) and Associate Researcher at the Hub for Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Architectures (H.IAAC).
Education
Habilitation in Computer Science
University of Campinas, Brazil
Ph.D. in Computer Science
University of Paris-XI, France
M.Sc. in Computer Science
University of Campinas, Brazil
B.Tech. in Informatics
University of Campinas, Brazil
Technical School in Informatics
ETEC Hortolândia, Brazil
Interests
My research agenda centers on investigating and developing methods and technologies for knowledge representation, semantic data management, and intelligent, human-centered systems. I have made sustained contributions to ontology engineering, knowledge graphs, Semantic Web technologies, and natural language processing, with particular emphasis on the evolution, alignment, and validation of dynamic knowledge structures. More recently, my investigations have expanded to include generative and agentic artificial intelligence, exploring the integration of language models with symbolic representations to support explainable, context-aware intelligent systems.
A distinctive aspect of my research is its interdisciplinary nature. A central focus of my studies is agent-based architectures grounded in large language models (LLM agents). I have investigated how generative models can be embedded in autonomous and collaborative agents that perceive, reason, plan, and make decisions in complex, dynamic environments. My work explores hybrid approaches that combine symbolic knowledge representations — such as ontologies and knowledge graphs — with LLM-driven agents to enable explainability, adaptability, and contextual awareness. These contributions address challenges related to agent cognition, orchestration, planning, memory, and reflection. In this context, my research addresses concerns regarding human, ethical, social, economic, and governance issues.
My investigations have been applied to real-world scenarios, including education (teaching and learning systems), industrial process monitoring, e-commerce, and decision-support systems, advancing the state of the art in agentic AI while reinforcing principles of transparency, robustness, and human-centered design. My research has been validated through publications in high-impact international journals and conferences, as well as through multiple national and international awards.
I have coordinated and participated in several competitive research projects funded by public agencies and industry partners, fostering technology transfer and real-world impact in distinct domains. I actively supervise graduate and undergraduate researchers, helping develop highly qualified professionals and strengthen collaborative research networks at both national and international levels.