Umberto Modigliani

Deputy Director of Forecasts
Forecast Department

Summary:

Umberto Modigliani is the Deputy Director of Forecasts, collaborating closely with the Department Director, contributing to the management of the Forecast Department (~100 staff). The department is responsible for the 24/7 timely production of ECMWF's computer-based forecasts, forecast quality, software development, liaison with forecast users, user support, data sales and software licensing. The department also manages the acquisition, processing and quality control of observations, globally, of the atmosphere and oceans. The job includes many international engagements.  His work also includes comprehensive reporting on plans and progress to the formal committees and Council which constitute the ECMWF governance.

Professional interests:
  • High performance computing
  • Product dissemination and cloud services
  • Providing efficient and users' friendly access to large data sets
  • User engagement and support
  • Medium-range weather forecasting
  • Support of time-critical work
  • Service management methodologies
  • Software lifecycle
  • Web documentation and services
Career background:

Professional experience

  • Deputy Director of Forecasts, Forecast Department, ECMWF, 2019 - present
  • Head of User Support Section, Forecast Department,  ECMWF, 2013 - 2019
  • Deputy Head of Computer Division, Operations Department, 2010 - 2013
  • Head of User Support Section, Operations Department, ECMWF, 1998 - 2013
  • Analyst, User Support Section, Operations Department, ECMWF, 1996 - 1998
  • Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Florence and the University of Siena, 1993 - 1996
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Florence, 1995 - 1996
  • High School Teacher of Mathematics and Physics, 1993 - 1996

Education

  • Ph.D. in Computer Science and Automation Engineering, University of Florence (1993), Thesis on "Proving termination of logic programs via equivalent term rewriting systems"
  • Laurea (MSc equivalent), Summa cum Laude, in Applied Mathematics, University of Florence (1990).  Thesis on "Automated theorem proving of equational theorems by means of rewriting techniques"