The INCOSE Foundation is proud to celebrate the recipients of the prestigious 2026 INCOSE Foundation / Stevens Institute Doctoral Award. This award recognizes outstanding doctoral research that promises to advance the field of Systems Engineering. This year's honorees, Serena Campioli and James Hand, represent the next generation of thought leaders in the discipline.

Serena Campioli: Streamlining Space Systems Design Serena Campioli, a PhD student at Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy, and a Space Systems Engineering Research Fellow at the European Space Agency (ESA), has been recognized for her groundbreaking work. Her doctoral research centers on the hypothesis that a unified framework—integrating Concurrent Engineering, Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE), Data-Driven approaches, and Design for Testability—can significantly enhance the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of complex space systems design and development.

 This robust approach extends beyond the theoretical, undergoing validation through academic case studies and slated for testing in an operational environment at the Concurrent Design Facility at ESA. By embedding testability principles directly into the design loop, this methodology allows for earlier validation of system architectures, leading to reduced risks and a streamlined verification process across all system lifecycle phases.

James Hand: Engineering Resilience in Multi-Agent Systems James Hand, a PhD student in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Department of Defense SMART Scholar, is advancing the field of Systems Engineering and Integration. His dissertation research focuses on the design and validation of resilient multi-agent systems.

His award-winning work has already made a significant impact. His research on the functional decomposition of eusocial insect parasite resistance provides system engineers with a structured, nature-inspired approach to embedding resilience directly into system architectures. This work was recognized at the 2023 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Student Research Symposium Poster Competition.

Mr. Hand’s contributions were further acknowledged at INCOSE IS2025, where he received the Brian Mar Best Student Paper Award for his paper, "Faulted Agent Resilience in Multi-Agent Systems: An Exploration of Two Ant Inspired Strategies.”

The INCOSE Foundation extends its warmest congratulations to Serena Campioli and James Hand. Their research embodies the mission of the Foundation to promote research and education in Systems Engineering.

For more information about the award, visit the INCOSE Foundation / Stevens Doctoral Award page.