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Alessandro Vespignani
Sternberg Distinguished Professor of Physics, Computer Science and Health Sciences
Expertise
"big data" analysis, coronavirus, COVID-19, epidemics, forecasting how diseases and epidemics spread, Mapping, network science, pandemic, social and technological networks, Travel, Variants

Alessandro Vespignani in the Press

Fortune

Omicron may be less severe than Delta, but it could hit the global economy even harder in 4 painful ways

“Omicron was fast and furious in its growth and will be fast—hopefully not furious—but very fast also in its decline,” Alessandro Vespignani, director of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University and a specialist in data science and computational epidemiology, predicted last week. “It should be receding sooner than other waves that we experienced in the past.”

Alessandro Vespignani for Northeastern Global News

A disease prediction model that shows small turquoise and blue dots on a map of the United states.

COVID data revolutionized disease projection models. Northeastern researchers explain what’s next

Northeastern network scientist Alessandro Vespignani says voluntary changes in behavior during outbreaks influence disease projection models
Two airplanes on a runway. In the background, a third airplane is taking off in front of a city skyline.

How monitoring wastewater from international flights can serve as an early warning system for the next pandemic

Northeastern researchers say a network of sentinel airports could shorten the detection of disease outbreaks
Portraits of Northeastern professors Albert-László Barabási, Tina Eliassi-Rad, Alessandro Vespignani and Ricardo Baeza-Yates.

The interaction between humans and artificial intelligence demands a new field of study, Northeastern researchers say

“Human AI Coevolution” investigates how humans and AI algorithms continuously influence each other,” Alessandro Vespignani says.
People in Italian regalia throwing flags up in the air outside of the EXP building.

‘Italian National Day’ event at Northeastern celebrates the 78th anniversary of democracy in Italy

Northeastern distinguished professor Alessandro Vespignani, a native of Rome, spoke at the celebration of Italian democracy and culture.
Silhouette of a worker on the framework of a battery plant.

What should stay open during the next pandemic? New model weighs protecting public health and the economy

Northeastern researchers say closing some industries hurts the economy more than the public health benefits gained in terms of death rate.
Alessandro Vespignani sitting at a desk looking at a laptop.

Northeastern receives $17.5 million from CDC to launch infectious disease prediction center

“Alessandro Vespignani will head the center that will prepare the U.S. for future epidemics, especially in rural areas. With COVID-19, “everybody was caught off guard,” he says. “We don’t want to be in a situation like that in the future.”
Alessandro Vespignani teaching a class

Network Science Institute expansion to London creates new European hub for trailblazing academic field

Northeastern expands its leading network science research program to its U.K. campus. The European hub will bring a group of some of the best researchers together to amplify its global approach to understanding complex networks, including in the areas of finance, shipping and economics.
Head shot of Tina Eliassi-Rad.

Northeastern professor wins prestigious award for her work on the ethics of artificial intelligence

Tina Eliassi-Rad will accept the Lagrange Prize-CRT Foundation, considered the highest international recognition for scientists in the field of complex systems and data, on July 10 in Turin, Italy.
covid vaccines labeled with numbers

More than 50% of COVID-19 deaths could have been prevented with better global vaccine distribution 

A new research paper by Northeastern professor Alessandro Vespignani says better vaccine access could have prevented more than half of coronavirus deaths in lower income countries.

Flu season is coming and COVID-19 is still here. Can disease forecasts tell them apart?

Both viruses attack the respiratory system and can have similar symptoms. “Something like this is completely unprecedented,” says Alessandro Vespignani, who directs Northeastern’s Network Science Institute. “Having a major pandemic and then trying to get insight on the seasonal flu—it’s a completely new game.”