Professor of Regional and Urban Economics at the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI). She has served as President of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) 2009-2013 and President of the European Regional Science Association (2023-27).

She has served as Editor-in-chief of the Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell (2013- 2021), Editor-in-chief of the Italian Regional Science Journal (2006 – 2019), Co-editor of Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences (LSRS), Springer Verlag (2006 – 2011) and is currently member of the Editorial Board of the leading academic journals: (a) Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, (b) Review of Regional Research, Springer Verlag, (c) Growth and Change, Blackwell (d) Revue Géographie, Economie et Société and (e) European Spatial Research and Policy.

Roberta has received the Walter Isard award, distinguished scholarly achievements in the field of Regional Science, RSAI, November 2022; the Sir Peter Hall Award for Lifetime Contribution to Regional Science, Regional Studies Association, 2022; the Kohno award” for outstanding service for the Regional Science Association International, San Antonio, Texas, November 2018; the Best paper award of the Journal “Regional Science Policy and Practice”, written with Roberto Camagni and title “Rationale and design of EU Master of Science Program in “European Regional Development Management” UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS cohesion policies in a period of crisis”, 7 (1), 25-44, November 2017 and the ERSA European Prize in Regional Science, August 2017. She has published several books and over 150 articles in scientific journals and volumes. Her work has received 19,914 citations.