Tsega Yenew Melesse obtained his PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Salerno in 2022. He currently serves as an RTDA in the Scientific Sector ING-IND/17 – Industrial Mechanical Systems, within the Department of Mechanical, Chemical, and Materials Engineering (DIMCM) at the University of Cagliari.

His research activity focuses on digital twin applications, Industry 4.0 solutions, and simulation and modeling for industrial and agri-food systems. He has collaborated with SAP Italia (Rome) and SAP España (Madrid) on digital-twin methodologies for monitoring fruit quality, improving inventory planning, and enhancing visibility across the agri-food supply chain. He has also collaborated with Banco Alimentare, developing data-driven and simulation-based approaches to support food distribution planning and improve the management of perishable products within charitable supply networks.

Since November 2025, he has been acting as Principal Investigator (PI) of the DAIN 4.0 Project, an international collaboration between Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, and University of Cagliari, funded by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna (€86,780), focusing on the digitalization of traditional Injera production through Industry 4.0 technologies and automation. Since July 2024, he has also been involved in the AISAC project, focusing on the integration of ICT and Industry 4.0 technologies for the digitalization of traditional bakery processes and complex food systems.

He has participated in various international conferences and advanced training programs in industrial engineering, digital transformation, and production systems. He also has university-level teaching experience from his tenure at Bahir Dar University and is currently assigned to teach at UNICA, including the course “Modeling of Industrial Production Systems," and to co-supervise student research theses. He has authored and co-authored journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters in the fields of digital twins, Industry 4.0, agri-food systems, and food engineering and has developed substantial expertise in modeling, simulation, and analytical tools for industrial and food-system research.

His contribution to digital twin research was recognized with the 2022 Premium Award for Best Paper from the IET Collaborative Intelligent Manufacturing.

Before joining UNICA, he held the position of Assistant Professor at Bahir Dar University (Ethiopia) and served as a researcher at the University of Salerno, where he contributed to digital-twin-based approaches for predictive monitoring. Following his appointment at UNICA, he participated in the Young Researchers Mobility Programme (MGR 2025) at University College Dublin (Ireland).