Dr Giuseppe Destefanis
Senior Lecturer in Computer Science

Summary

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Brunel University, and Visiting Professor at the University of Cagliari (Italy).

I'm the co-head of the London SmartBridgeLab.

I have previously held the position of Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire, and have also served as a postdoctoral Researcher at Brunel University and the Computer Research Institute of Montreal in Canada. During my PhD studies, I had the opportunity to visit the University of Auckland in New Zealand and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and I have also been an instructor of computer science courses at the University of Cagliari.

I am an Empirical Software Engineering (ESE) researcher, and my primary focus is on improving software quality and enhancing the developer experience. My research is around the interactions between complex socio-economic systems and general software development. One key aspect of my work involves understanding the interplay between the technical, human, and socio-economic factors that shape software engineering.I am a core member of the BSEL and IDA research groups. My initiative also led to the formation of a cross-disciplinary Blockchain Interest Group, bringing together researchers from various fields.

In terms of methodology, I utilize a blend of data mining, machine learning, and time series analysis to extract meaningful insights from software repositories. This involves two interconnected lines of research: mining source code for metrics and recurring development patterns, as well as analysing developer comments for a more nuanced understanding of human factors in software engineering. This balanced approach helps to increase team productivity and improves the quality of the software development process. My research has gained industry attention, contributing to productive collaborations with tech companies interested in applying my findings to improve their system development process.

I have also made substantial contributions to the field of Blockchain Technologies and Smart Contracts. My work, which includes around 20 co-authored patents, offers improvements in areas such as network-level anonymity and scalability, as well as the integration of Blockchain technologies with IoT. This work has had a considerable influence, especially as blockchain technology gains more traction in various industries.Moreover, I have contributed to studies focused on the impact of blockchain technology on the financial sector. These works offer valuable perspectives for policy-makers and financial institutions interested in adopting distributed ledger technologies for more efficient and secure operations. Another line of my research offers a comprehensive analysis of the predictability of price movements, particularly through the lens of time series analysis and deep learning algorithms.

Responsibility

I am Level 5 coordinator.