Luigi Nicolais

Luigi Nicolais (9 February 1942 – 12 January 2026) was an Italian politician and academic, member of the Democratic Party and President of the National Research Council from 2012 to 2016.

Life and career Academic and research career A chemical engineer, Nicolais graduated from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Naples Federico II. Full professor of "Polymer Technologies" at the same University, as well as the author of over 350 scientific publications, he was Director of the Institute for Composite Materials Technology of the National Research Council.

Political career On 17 May 2006, Nicolais joined the second Prodi government as Minister for Reforms and Administrative Innovations and held the office for the whole 15th legislature.

A candidate in the 2008 political elections in the Campania 1 constituency among the Democratic Party lists, he was elected for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies. During the 16th legislature, Nicolais was a member and Vice-President of the 7th Commission for Culture, Science and Education of the Chamber of Deputies.