Dr. Sebastiano Panichella

Sebastiano Panichella is a passionate Computer Science Researcher at the University of Bern (UniBe). He received the PhD in Computer Science from the University of Sannio (Department of Engineering) in 2014 defending the thesis entitled ''Supporting Newcomers in Open Source Software Development Projects'' (PDF). For more information have a look on his CV

His main research goal is to conduct industrial research, involving both industrial and academic collaborations, to sustain the Internet of Things (IoT) vision, where future "smart cities" will be characterized by millions of smart systems and AI-enabled systems (e.g., cyber-physical systems such as drones, and other autonomous and intelligent systems) connected over the internet, composed by AI-components, and/or controlled by complex embedded software implemented for the cloud.
Sebastiano Panichella is also deeply interested in interdisciplinary research, where computer science intersects with life sciences. His work bridges software engineering, AI/ML, and domain-specific expertise, creating impactful collaborations beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

His research interests are in the domain of Software Engineering (SE), Data Science (DS), Life Engineering (LE), and Cloud computing (CC): DevOps (e.g., Continuous Delivery, Continuous integration), Machine learning applied to SE, Software maintenance and evolution (with particular focus on Cloud, mobile, AI-based, and Cyber-physical applications), Mobile Computing. Moreover, he is promoting DS research on "Summarization Techniques for Code, Changes, and Testing". He authored or co-authored around one hundred papers appeared in International Conferences and Journals. These research works involved studies with industrial and open projects and received best paper awards or best paper nominations . Moreover, Sebastiano Panichella contributions to the education concern the (i) the book "Roadmap for DevOps in Cyber-physical Systems: Challenges and Future Directions"; and (ii) the chapters of the book "Large Language Models in Cybersecurity and Cyberdefense: Novel Threats and Mitigations Perspectives" (with the chapters "Vulnerabilities Introduced by LLMs through Code Suggestions" and "Enhancing Security Awareness and Education for Large Language Models"). He is supervising, supervised (or co-supervised) 19 undergrad students, 27 MSc students and currently/recently 17 PhD students (6 of them during the postdoctoral experience at the University of Zurich), 1 postdoc, and 10 research assistants. He serves and has served as a program committee member of various international conference (e.g., ICSE, ICST, ISSTA, ASE, FSE, ICSME, etc.).
- Dr. Panichella was selected In 2021 as one of the top-20 Most impactful SE researchers Worldwide (results reported by the JSS journal).
- According to (the September 2022 data-update from) the article "A standardized citation metrics author database annotated for scientific field" (in the report), a ranking (or selection) of researchers is made (by the Stanford University) and Dr. Panichella appears in the percentile rank of the top 2% or above in the sub-field. Similarly, Dr. Panichella appears in the percentile rank of the top 2% or above in the sub-field for 2023. The same ranking has been made in 2025 in the article "August 2025 data-update for "Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators" and also in this updated ranking he appears among the top 2% or above in the sub-field for 2025.
- ScholarGPS recognizes Top Scholars for their outstanding performance in various Fields, Disciplines, and Specialties. Dr. Panichella record, the impact of his work, and the quality of his scholarly contributions have placed his in the top 0.5% of all scholars worldwide in 2024 and 2025.
He is an Editorial Board Member of Journal of Software: evolution and process (JSEP) and the Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM) journal. He is also a distinguished reviewer of the TOSEM (Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology) journal.

Funding achievements: In the last decade, He has demonstrated his ability to receive (competitive) funding (for a total over 3,500,000 CHF) and lead projects as a PI and co-PI, on topics related to AI and Data Science (e.g., Mobile Computing, life sciences, robotics, etc.), Mining Software Repositories, DevOps and MLOps, Human-computer Interactions, Software Maintenance, and Software Development, Evolution, and Testing for Cyber-physical and AI Systems. Specifically, His research was funded in the past by National and International funding organizations. Prominent examples are:
- the H2020 project called COSMOS: DevOps for Complex Cyber-physical Systems (since 2021), - https://www.cosmos-devops.org/
- the Swiss National Science Foundation project called SURF-MobileAppsData The goal of the SURF-MobileAppsData (since 2021) - http://www.ifi.uzh.ch/en/seal/research/projects/SURF-MobileData.html
- the Innosuisse with the project called "ARIES: Exploiting User Journeys and Testing Automation for Supporting Efficient Energy Service Platforms" (since 2021) - https://spanichella.github.io/projects/aries-devops/index.html
His research is currently supported/funded by
- the Innosuisse - with an interdisciplinary project that brings together expertise in biopharmaceutical R&D, AI/ML technologies, and software engineering (from 2025-10-01) - see projects
- the Hasler Foundation with the project called "Advancing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Reliability and Societal Trust Through Integrated Testing and Formal Verification" (since 2025)
- the Swiss National Science Foundation with the project called "SwarmOps: Human-sensing based MLOps for Collaborative Cyber-physical systems" (since 2025)
- the Hasler Foundation with the project called "Bridging the Reality Gap in Testing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" (since 2024)
- the Horizon EU ("Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions-funded Doctoral Networks") with the project called InnoGuard: Hybrid and Generative Intelligence for Trustworthy Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems (since 2024)

1) Recent Achievements of Sebastiano Panichella:

2) Research Motto & Research View:
    - "It does not make sense to try to be one of the most brilliant scientists. It makes much more sense and it is also more fun to try to be one of the most curious and passionate among them"

    - "There are no "basic" or "applied" researchers—only research in different states. Like atoms, researchers shift between a ground state of fundamental inquiry and an excited state of real-world application.
    It's the context—curiosity, need, or opportunity—that provides the energy for the transition. Through it all, the researcher remains the same."

    - "As researchers, we are not called to count the papers we write; rather, we are called to write papers that count for us."
3) Favourite Quotes and References (from others or myself):
    - It is never wrong to do the right thing.. (Mark Twain) 
    - Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men and towards objective things.. (Albert Einstein) 
    - I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. (Albert Einstein) 
    - You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself. (Galileo Galilei)
    - "Even a broken clock is right twice a day". - Ergo, there is always something good in any person . (Stephen Hunt)
    - A man is old only when his remorse exceeds his dreams. (Albert Einstein)
    - "It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices.” (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
    - "Most Nobel Prize winners and other highly honored scientists share a deep love for humanity. It is one of the most essential values at the heart of science."
    - "Experience places where your work will be supported and your success celebrated"
    - "I get along with anyone, but I’ve learned not everyone wants to work—or is free of bias."
    - 'How am I doing?' is a question I ask myself regularly—sometimes even daily. Over time, I’ve learned that while not everything is in our control, we do have influence over "how we’re doing". By adjusting habits, shifting focus, or making small changes, I try to steer my days toward more good or even great moments. Life feels too short to settle for just 'OK' or 'bad'—so I try to be an active driver of where it’s going.
    - There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
    - "Albert Einstein once remarked, 'It is easier to break an atom than to destroy prejudice.' Marie Skłodowska Curie's rejection from the French Academy of Sciences on January 23, 1911, is a strong reminder that bias has long hindered progress. Unfortunately, prejudice still finds its place in society, often standing in the way of innovation and inclusion. Yet, Curie’s resilience inspires us to challenge these barriers and push the boundaries of knowledge".
4) Recommended links for students: