Maria C. A. Leite

Maria C. A. Leite is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Houston (2005), an M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Porto (2001), and additional degrees in Quality Compliance and Chemical Engineering. Her research focuses on mathematical modeling, dynamical systems, nonlinear networks, and optimal control, with applications to epidemiology, ecology, neurosciences, environmental sustainability, and molecular dynamics.

Her work emphasizes understanding the relationship between network structure and dynamics, particularly in complex biosystems. Recent projects include computational molecular dynamics collaborations with the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, ecological modeling of species viability under environmental stress, and Boolean framework studies on neural control of breathing. She has also explored interdisciplinary topics such as food sustainability through AI-driven approaches and daylight's physiological impacts.

Leite has secured multiple grants and published extensively, with over 20 peer-reviewed articles since 2006. Her work spans theoretical advances in nonlinear networks to applied projects like optimizing tree harvesting in forests and analyzing the 2017 Nigerian meningitis outbreak.

Her research has been presented at international conferences including the ISAAC Congress and IEEE Data Engineering Workshops. She actively mentors students and collaborates with researchers globally to bridge mathematical theory with real-world environmental, health, and sustainability challenges.