Elena Vagnoni holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano and a PhD in Mechanics from EPFL. She leads research activities at the EPFL Technology Platform for Hydraulic Machines and was appointed Academic Director in 2026.

Over the course of her career, she has also held positions as Research Assistant Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, postdoctoral researcher at EPFL, and SNSF-funded visiting scientist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She serves as the Swiss representative for Annex IX of the International Energy Agency Hydropower Technology Cooperation Programme and as Vice-Coordinator of the European Energy Research Alliance Joint Programme on Hydropower.

Her research focuses on the experimental investigation and predictive modelling of multiphase flow phenomena and fluid–structure interactions in hydraulic machines. Her work contributes to advancing the design and operation of hydraulic machinery and to enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of hydropower technologies, supporting the transition toward low-carbon energy systems under evolving climate conditions.