Ambra Amico
PostDoc at Singapore-MIT Alliance for R&T
ambra.amico [AT] smart.mit.edu
Bio
I’m a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, mentored by Siqi Zheng (MIT SUL) and Fabio Duarte (MIT SCL).
My research interests lie at the intersection of complex systems, data science, and urban economics. I integrate statistical and computational approaches—including network-based modeling, causal inference, and machine learning—to analyze large-scale human mobility data and explore how it informs sustainable and digital urban development.
In 2023, I received my Ph.D. in Data Science and Complex Networks from ETH Zurich, under the supervision of Frank Schweitzer (D-MTEC, Chair of Systems Design). Before that, I obtained my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Physics — focused on complex systems and statistical physics — from Sapienza University of Rome, advised by Vittorio Loreto.
Hi there! I'm Ambra!
``Physicist in mind, data scientist in body, and social scientist in soul.''
In theory, I spend my days thinking up models and clever metrics. In practice, I spend them elbow-deep in messy data. Still, I love it — data is my window to the world :)
When I’m not stress-testing my models, I “stress-test” myself with a lot of sports! Cycling, windsurfing, and hiking are my favorite ways to recharge, but I also love bouldering, skiing, inline skating, snorkeling, and many others. I rarely say no to an outdoor activity (unless I’m working, of course!).
I’m always gravitating toward new ideas, places, and cultures. Traveling fuels my curiosity and broadens my perspective. Together with science, it keeps my sense of wonder alive!
Publications
For an updated list of papers, see my Google Scholar.Tracing opioids across the us: A high-resolution pharmaceutical distribution dataset
Ambra Amico, Luca Verginer, Frank Schweitzer
Scientific Data. 2024.
Adapting to disruptions: Managing supply chain resilience through product rerouting
Ambra Amico, Luca Verginer, Giona Casiraghi, Giacomo Vaccario, Frank Schweitzer
Science Advances. 2024.
Subjectivity and complexity of facial attractiveness
Miguel Ibanez-Berganza, Ambra Amico, Vittorio Loreto
Scientific Reports. 2019.
Efficiency and resilience: key drivers of distribution network growth
Ambra Amico, Giacomo Vaccario, Frank Schweitzer
EPJ Data Science. 2024.
Tracing opioids across the us: A high-resolution pharmaceutical distribution dataset
Ambra Amico, Luca Verginer, Frank Schweitzer
Scientific Data. 2024.
Adapting to disruptions: Managing supply chain resilience through product rerouting
Ambra Amico, Luca Verginer, Giona Casiraghi, Giacomo Vaccario, Frank Schweitzer
Science Advances. 2024.
Modeling the Dynamics of Distribution Networks: A Data-Driven Approach to Supply Chains
Ambra Amico
ETH Zurich. 2023.
Unsupervised inference approach to facial attractiveness
Miguel Ibanez-Berganza, Ambra Amico, Gian Luca Lancia, Federico Maggiore, Bernardo Monechi, Vittorio Loreto
PeerJ. 2020.
Subjectivity and complexity of facial attractiveness
Miguel Ibanez-Berganza, Ambra Amico, Vittorio Loreto
Scientific Reports. 2019.