Francesco Profumo (born 3 May 1953) is an Italian

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

and

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

who was Italy's Minister of Education from 16 November 2011 to 28 April 2013. He has been President of the

National Research Council National Research Council may refer to: * National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development * National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome * National Research Council (United States), part of ...

(CNR) since August 2011 and had previously served as Chancellor of the

Politecnico di Torino The Polytechnic University of Turin ( it, Politecnico di Torino) is the oldest Italian public technical university. The university offers several courses in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning and Industrial Design, and is co ...

from 2005 to 2011.

Early life and education

Profumo was born in Savona on 3 May 1953. He studied electronic engineering at the

Polytechnic University of Turin The Polytechnic University of Turin ( it, Politecnico di Torino) is the oldest Italian public technical university. The university offers several courses in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning and Industrial Design, and is con ...

and graduated in 1977.

Career

Profumo started his professional career in research and development at Ansaldo in

Genova Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of G ...

in 1978 and served there until 1984. In 1985, he moved to

Torino Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. T ...

as a

researcher Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness t ...

and associate professor at the local Politecnico. In 2003, he was named dean of the 1st engineering faculty of the Politecnico, and in 2005, he became rector of the university. On 13 August 2011, he succeeded

Luciano Maiani Luciano Maiani (born 16 July 1941, in Rome) is a Sammarinese physicist best known for his prediction of the charm quark with Sheldon Glashow and John Iliopoulos (the " GIM mechanism"). Academic history In 1964 Luciano Maiani received his degree ...

as the president of the

(CNR). On 16 November 2011,

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Mario Monti appointed him Minister of Education. In 2016 Profumo was appointed President of Compagnia di San Paolo. As of September 2020, he is a member of the Italian Aspen Institute.

Other activities

Istituto Affari Internazionali The Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) (English: Institute of International Affairs) is an Italian international relations think tank, and non-profit organisation founded in 1965 by Altiero Spinelli. It is ranked among the global top-20 think t ...

(IAI), Member of the BoardBoard

(IAI).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Profumo, Francesco Academic staff of the Polytechnic University of Turin 1953 births Living people People from Savona Italian academic administrators Education ministers of Italy National Research Council (Italy) people