Viswanath Nagarajan is an Associate Professor of Industrial & Operations Engineering and Computer Science Engineering (courtesy) at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on combinatorial optimization, approximation algorithms, and stochastic models for routing, scheduling, and location problems. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan (2014–2020) and a Research Staff Member at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center (2009–2014). He holds a Ph.D. in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization from Carnegie Mellon University (2004–2009) and a B.Tech. in Computer Science from IIT Bombay (1999–2003). His research explores uncertainty management in optimization, including stochastic models and approximation algorithms for decision-making under uncertainty. He has contributed to adaptive algorithms, submodular optimization, and applications in logistics, network design, and scheduling. Education: Ph.D., Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization (Carnegie Mellon University, 2009) B.Tech., Computer Science and Engineering (IIT Bombay, 2003) Prof. Nagarajan has organized major conferences like IPCO 2019 and served on editorial boards for journals including Operations Research , ACM Computing Surveys , and ACM Transactions on Algorithms . His service includes program committees for SODA, APPROX, and IPCO. He advises Ph.D. students focusing on optimization theory and applications, with advisees securing positions at Yahoo! Research, the University of Chicago, Ford Motor Company, and Georgia Tech.
Prof. Dr. Rudi Zagst is a Professor of Mathematical Finance at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he serves as Head of the Department of Mathematical Finance within the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. He has held this position since 2001 and is actively involved in teaching, research, and academic leadership. In 2003, he was appointed as a second member of the Faculty of Economics, and since 2004, he has served as Deputy Chairman of the joint elite degree program 'Finance & Information Management' of the University of Augsburg and TUM. Prof. Zagst earned his doctorate in business mathematics from the University of Ulm, where he later completed his habilitation in 2000. His academic journey began with a professional career at HypoVereinsbank AG, where he served as Head of Product Development in Institutional Investment Management before becoming Managing Director of RiskLab GmbH in 1997. His research focuses primarily on financial engineering, risk management, and asset management, with particular emphasis on portfolio optimization, mathematical finance, and quantitative risk management. His work bridges theoretical finance with practical applications, often incorporating advanced mathematical techniques to solve complex financial problems. Recent publications demonstrate his continued interest in GARCH models, portfolio optimization under various constraints, and the application of machine learning techniques to financial problems. Analysis of his recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on portfolio optimization under complex market conditions, particularly using GARCH models to capture volatility dynamics. His work increasingly incorporates machine learning techniques (as seen in the credit spread analysis paper) while maintaining rigorous mathematical foundations. Many papers explore the intersection of theoretical finance with practical investment strategies, reflecting his commitment to bridging academic research with real-world financial applications. Professor of the Year 2007 (awarded by Unicum Profession magazine) Prof. Zagst has supervised numerous bachelor's, master's, and doctoral theses through TUM's Finance and Actuarial Science research group. His collaborative work with industry partners through the TUM CAIR Labs and RiskFactory demonstrates strong connections between academic research and practical financial applications. He has received research funding through various industry partnerships with major financial institutions including Allianz, Munich Re, and ERGO Group AG. Prof. Zagst leads the Research Group Finance and Actuarial Science at TUM, which includes Professors Matthias Scherer, Aleksey Min, and Christoph Knochenhauer. The group maintains strong industry connections through the TUM CAIR Labs initiative, collaborating with over 25 financial institutions including Allianz, Munich Re, Deloitte, PwC, and KPMG. Their RiskFactory laboratory serves as a bridge between academic research and practical financial risk management applications in the industry.
Béla Bollobás is a renowned mathematician affiliated with the University of Memphis as the Jabie Hardin Chair of Excellence in Combinatorics and the University of Cambridge as a Fellow of Trinity College and Honorary Professor at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences. His work spans combinatorics, probability theory, and graph theory, with significant contributions to percolation and random graphs. Dr. Rer. Nat. (Budapest, 1967) Ph.D. (Cambridge, 1972) Sc.D. (Cambridge, 1984) Bollobás pioneered extremal graph theory, random graphs, and probabilistic combinatorics. He introduced novel graph polynomials and advanced bootstrap percolation models, impacting both theoretical mathematics and statistical physics. His research includes inhomogeneous random graphs and cellular automata in random environments. His selected publications reveal a focus on percolation thresholds, graph invariants, and stochastic processes. Notably, he derived sharp thresholds for bootstrap percolation and defined critical probabilities for Voronoi percolation. Senior Whitehead Prize (2007) Fellow of the Royal Society (2011) Foreign Member, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1990) Foreign Member, Polish Academy of Sciences (2013) Honorary Doctorate, Adam Mickiewicz University (2013) Szechenyi Prize (2017) Bollobás has supervised over 50 Ph.D. students and authored over 450 publications, including 10 books. He co-founded the journal Combinatorics, Probability and Computing and served on eight editorial boards. He organized numerous conferences, including Bill Tutte and Paul Erdős events.
Jan de Gier is a Professor at the School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne . He is also the Founding Director of MATRIX , Australia’s residential research institute in the mathematical sciences, and a former Deputy Director and Chief Investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS) . Additionally, he co-founded the Australian and New Zealand Association for Mathematical Physics (ANZAMP) in 2011 and served as its inaugural Chair. His research focuses on solvable lattice models at the intersection of mathematical physics and statistical mechanics . Key areas include the application of quantum integrability , algebraic structures like the Yang-Baxter equation, Hecke algebras, and quantum groups, as well as analytical methods such as complex analysis and elliptic curves. His work bridges pure and applied mathematics through connections between enumerative combinatorics , representation theory , and real-world phenomena like traffic flow modeling via exclusion processes . The 15 most recent articles reflect his expertise in integrable systems , non-equilibrium statistical mechanics , and algebraic combinatorics . Topics span Macdonald polynomials , stochastic duality , quantum spin chains , and traffic modeling , with methodologies involving matrix product forms , exact solutions , and critical phenomena analysis. He has contributed to editorial efforts through the AustMS Gazette and MATRIX Annals, and has been involved in public science communication via opinion pieces on mathematics funding and applications. His work emphasizes the importance of fundamental research in driving technological innovation, as highlighted in media articles discussing pi calculation , zero-knowledge proofs , and mathematics education .
Prof. Dr. Gerold Alsmeyer is a faculty member at the Institute of Mathematical Stochastics, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Münster. He is an active researcher with a focus on stochastic processes, particularly stochastic fixed-point equations and iterated function systems. His work is supported by his role as an Investigator in Mathematics Münster in the project EXC 2044 - C1: Evolution and asymptotics. His primary research interests include the theory of stochastic processes, branching processes, Markov random walks, renewal theory, and the asymptotic analysis of random structures such as random trees and polytopes. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of fluctuation theory, perpetuities, and the smoothing transform. His recent publications (2017–2023) reveal a sustained focus on theoretical probability, with recurring themes in random difference equations, iterated function systems, and limit theorems for stochastic processes. The work spans pure mathematical theory and applications in mathematical biology and combinatorics, indicating a broad yet deep research profile. Prof. Alsmeyer has supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students, including Viet Hung Hoang, Christopher Eick, Philipp Godland, and Fabian Buckmann, whose dissertations cover topics in branching processes, random walks, and stochastic fixed-point equations. He has no listed scientific awards in the provided texts. He teaches courses in probability theory, mathematical statistics, branching processes, and stochastic recursion equations, demonstrating a strong commitment to academic mentoring and education.
Gianni Franchi is an Assistant Professor at ENSTA Paris, part of Institut Polytechnique de Paris. His research focuses on robust computer vision, uncertainty quantification, and explainable AI (XAI). He has been teaching Deep Learning, Computer Vision, and Machine Learning courses since 2020 at ENSTA Paris and Télécom Paris. PhD in Fusion of Information, Machine Learning, and Image Processing (2016) from Mines de Paris Postdoctoral experience at Paris Saclay University (2018-2020) and Seigen University (2016-2018) Current PhD students: Rémi Kazmierczak, Olivier Laurent, Adrien Lafage, Mouïn Ben Ammar Alumni: Xuanlong Yu (2020-2023) Research interests include robust computer vision, anomaly detection, uncertainty quantification, out-of-distribution detection, certifiable AI, and explainable AI. He leads the development of the PyTorch library Torch Uncertainty for uncertainty quantification in deep learning. Recent publications span uncertainty quantification in foundation models, trajectory forecasting, vision-language adaptation, and explainability benchmarks. Gianni actively collaborates on multimodal autonomous driving datasets and uncertainty-aware systems for human-agent interaction.
Dond Asha Kisan is an Assistant Professor at the School of Mathematics , Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM). His research focuses on numerical analysis and computational mathematics , particularly in finite element methods for partial differential equations. He can be contacted at ashadond@iisertvm.ac.in or via phone at +91 (0)471-2778247. PhD : Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay M.Sc. : Mathematics, K.T.H.M. College, Nashik Kisan's research spans adaptive finite element methods , stabilized formulations for convection-diffusion problems , and optimal control governed by Stokes equations . His work includes convergence analysis, nonconforming discretizations, and hybrid numerical schemes. Recent publications (2023-2025) address stochastic modeling in liquid crystal physics, advanced WENO schemes, and adaptive algorithms for control problems. Scientific Awards : No explicit awards mentioned in the data, though he held prestigious postdoctoral fellowships including National Post-Doctoral Fellowship and NBHM Post-Doctoral Fellowship. Kisan has extensive teaching experience , including MATLAB workshops and undergraduate course assistantships. He has presented at major international conferences like ICIAM and Hyperbolic Problems, demonstrating global engagement in computational mathematics.
Mingsheng Ying is a Distinguished Professor and Research Director of the Centre for Quantum Computation and Intelligent Systems (QCIS) at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. He also holds the position of Cheung Kong Professor at the State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Technology and Systems, Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Professor Ying graduated from the Department of Mathematics, Fuzhou Teachers College, Jiangxi, China, in 1981. His primary research interests span quantum computation (particularly quantum programming and model-checking quantum systems), programming theory and formal methods, and the foundations of artificial intelligence (focusing on logic and uncertainty). As an author of the books "Foundations of Quantum Programming" (Elsevier - Morgan Kaufmann 2016) and "Topology in Process Calculus: Approximate Correctness and Infinite Evolution of Concurrent Programs" (Springer-Verlag, 2001), he has published over 100 papers in top international journals and conferences. His recent research publications demonstrate a strong focus on quantum programming languages, verification techniques for quantum systems, and the theoretical foundations of quantum computation. The trend in his work shows increasing emphasis on formal verification methods for quantum systems, particularly model-checking techniques for quantum Markov chains and quantum processes. His research bridges theoretical computer science with quantum information theory, creating frameworks for reliable quantum software development. Editorial Board, Artificial Intelligence, Elsevier, Amsterdam Editorial Board, Fuzzy Sets and Systems, Elsevier, Amsterdam Vice President, International Fuzzy Systems Association (elected in 2005) Program Chair, IFSA 2005, World Congress of International Fuzzy Systems Association Chairman, Chinese Association of Fuzzy Systems and Mathematics Professor Ying has secured significant research funding including multiple Australian Research Council Discovery Projects such as "Model-checking quantum Markov chains: towards verification techniques for quantum cryptographic systems" (2013-2015) and "Process algebra approach to distributed quantum computation and secure quantum communication" (2011-2013). His work has also received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Tsinghua University. At QCIS, he leads research in quantum software theory and methodology, with applications in quantum cryptography and secure communication.
Reiko Heckel is a Professor of Software Engineering at the University of Leicester, serving as Director of Postgraduate Teaching for Computing degrees and Data Analytics Lead at the Leicester Innovation Hub. She previously held academic roles at the Technical Universities of Dresden and Berlin before joining Leicester in 2004. Her research focuses on graph transformation systems, model-based development, stochastic modeling, and formal methods in software engineering. She earned her PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in Computer Science from TU Berlin in 1998. Her research interests span software engineering pedagogy, formal specification techniques, and applications of graph grammars in system modeling. Recent work explores stochastic graph transformations for social networks, transparency engineering in AI systems, and blockchain-based smart contract frameworks. Her contributions bridge theoretical foundations with practical applications in cybersecurity, data integration, and human-centric systems design. Key contributions include advancements in automated test case generation via graph transformations, visual contracts for software reverse engineering, and formal methods for complex system analysis. Her work frequently intersects with industry through collaborations via the Leicester Innovation Hub, emphasizing data analytics and technology transfer. Education: MSc Computer Science, Technical University of Dresden PhD (Dr.-Ing.), Computer Science, TU Berlin (1998) Leadership Roles: Head of Department (2014-2018) Director of Postgraduate Teaching (Ongoing) Research Themes: Model-Based Development Stochastic Systems Analysis Graph Neural Networks Trustworthy AI Her publications reflect a focus on formal methods, with recent trends in applying graph transformation techniques to social network modeling, blockchain smart contracts, and educational pedagogy.
Juan Alvarez is a Teaching Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where he has held roles since 2013. He also served as a Visiting Lecturer at institutions like Zhejiang University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. His academic journey includes postdoctoral fellowships at York University (Canada), University of Toronto, and University of Saskatchewan, alongside sessional lecturing roles in Canada. **Education**: Ph.D., M.S., and B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from UIUC and ITESM-CCM, respectively. **Research Interests**: Focus on applied probability, polymer physics (e.g., self-avoiding walks, copolymer localization), biophysical systems, and engineering education. He explores student success strategies, metacognition, and pedagogical approaches to improve learning outcomes. **Recent Publications**: Over 15 articles in journals like Journal of Statistical Mechanics and conferences like ASEE, covering topics from polymer models to student learning profiles. Recent work emphasizes undergraduate education innovations. **Teaching**: Courses include ECE 210 (Analog Signal Processing), ECE 313 (Probability), and ECE 398MA (Modern Communications with Python).
Marcin Jurdzinski is an Associate Professor (Reader) in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick , UK. He has been a faculty member since 2004 and is a core member of the Foundations of Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics and its Applications research groups. University: University of Warwick School: Faculty of Science Department: Department of Computer Science Position: Associate Professor (Reader) Email: Marcin.Jurdzinski@warwick.ac.uk Office: CS2.19 His research lies at the intersection of algorithms, game theory, automata, and logic , with a strong emphasis on formal verification , model checking , and theoretical computer science . He is best known for his foundational work on parity games , including the development of small progress measures and discrete strategy improvement algorithms. The recent publications reveal a consistent focus on computational complexity in games and verification. Key themes include stochastic games, timed automata, bisimilarity, and quantitative analysis . His work often bridges theoretical insights with practical verification challenges, especially in real-time and probabilistic systems. He has supervised several PhD students and hosted postdoctoral researchers such as Laure Daviaud and Alexander Kozachinskiy. He has led EPSRC-funded projects including Solving Parity Games in Theory and Practice and Counter Automata: Verification and Synthesis . PhD Students: Aditya Prakash, Thejaswini K. S., Michail Fasoulakis, John Fearnley, Michal Rutkowski, Ashutosh Trivedi Postdocs: Laure Daviaud, Alexander Kozachinskiy He is actively involved in the academic community, serving on the steering committee of the Highlights of Logic, Games and Automata conference and on program committees for major venues such as CONCUR, ICALP, and LICS. He has also organized workshops including FORMATS and ICALP co-located events.
Ming Cao is a Full Professor at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), holding positions in the Department of Discrete Technology and Production Automation, the Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen, and serving as Chair of the Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI. His academic roles include Director of the Jantina Tammes School and membership in prestigious organizations such as the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) and the European Commission’s DG CNECT. Cao’s research focuses on multi-agent systems, autonomous robotics, complex networks, and cooperative control, with applications in robotics, epidemic modeling, and biomimetic sensors. Education: PostDoc in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University (2008), PhD in Electrical Engineering from Yale University (2007). Research Interests: Multi-agent systems, distributed decision-making, cooperative control, robotic teams, seal whisker-inspired flow sensing, and privacy-preserving control systems. Recent Trends in Articles: Recent work emphasizes co-evolutionary dynamics in social-technical systems, privacy in control systems, and biomimetic robotics. Key topics include feedback mechanisms in cooperation, hypergraph-based epidemic models, and seal whisker mechanics for underwater sensing. Awards: European Control Award (2016), Manfred Thoma Medal (2017), ERC Grant (2012). Grants: Vidi Grant from NWO (2015) for agent coordination research. Labs/Teams: Jan C. Willems Center for Systems and Control, Research Center for Data Science and Systems Complexity (DSSC). Active in editorial roles for journals like Artificial Life and Robotics and the SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization .
Prof. Dr. Markus Bachmayr is a full professor at the Institute for Geometry and Practical Mathematics, RWTH Aachen University, holding the chair for Applied Mathematics. His research focuses on nonlinear approximation, high-dimensional partial differential equations (PDEs), uncertainty quantification, and numerical methods in quantum chemistry. He leads the ERC Consolidator Grant project Computational Complexity of Highly Nonlinear Approximations (COCOA) and contributes to CRC 1481 Sparsity and Singular Structures, and RTG 2326 Energy, Entropy, and Dissipative Dynamics. His recent work emphasizes adaptive low-rank and sparse approximation techniques for parametric and stochastic PDEs, including applications in radiative transfer and poroviscoelastic flow modeling. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of Foundations of Computational Mathematics and Associate Editor for multiple journals. Scientific Awards: John Todd Award 2013 Borchers Plakette 2014 Erwin Wenzl Preis 2007 He has taught courses such as Numerische Analysis I/II, Numerische Mathematik für Elektrotechniker, and seminars on numerical methods and approximation theory.
Alexey Bufetov is a Professor at Leipzig University, holding an ERC Starting Grant for his research in Integrable Probability (2022-2027). Previously, he served as a W2-Professor ("Bonn Junior Fellow") at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics (2018-2021) and as a CLE Moore Instructor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2015-2018). His research centers on Probability Theory , with deep connections to Mathematical Physics and Combinatorics . Key areas include integrable probability, stochastic particle systems (ASEP/TASEP), random tilings, Schur generating functions, and representation-theoretic aspects of probability. His work often bridges abstract mathematical structures with physical models from statistical mechanics. Bufetov's recent publications reveal a strong focus on integrable systems and asymptotic analysis , particularly exploring connections between Mallows measures, vertex models, and random matrix theory. His 2025 work on Aztec diamond domino tilings exemplifies his signature approach combining combinatorial structures with probabilistic methods. His primary recognition is the ERC Starting Grant "Integrable Probability" (2022-2027), supporting his cutting-edge research program. Bufetov has maintained a prolific collaborative network, frequently publishing with leading researchers including Alexei Borodin, Vadim Gorin, Leonid Petrov, and Kailun Chen. His work appears in top journals such as Advances in Mathematics , Duke Mathematical Journal , and Communications in Mathematical Physics .
Anthony Man-Cho So is a Professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He currently serves as Dean of the Graduate School and Deputy Master of Morningside College . With a BSE from Princeton University and a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University, his career at CUHK began in 2007. Academic Leadership: Dean, Graduate School (2023–present); Deputy Master, Morningside College (2019–present) Education: BSE (Princeton), MSc/PhD (Stanford) His research focuses on optimization theory and its interdisciplinary applications in computational geometry, machine learning, signal processing, and statistics. Key projects include non-convex optimization for wireless networks, robust graph learning, and decentralized learning algorithms. His publications span high-impact journals like Mathematical Programming , SIAM Journal on Optimization , and conferences such as NeurIPS and ICML . Recent work emphasizes dynamic regret analysis , low-rank matrix recovery , and stochastic beamforming . He has authored over 50 refereed papers and a monograph on semidefinite programming. Awards include IEEE Fellow (2023), CUHK Research Excellence Award (2016–17), and multiple IEEE/INFORMS best paper and teaching accolades. He has served on editorial boards of journals like Mathematical Programming and SIAM Journal on Optimization , and as Lead Guest Editor for IEEE Signal Processing Magazine . Teaching roles include courses on optimization, discrete mathematics, and machine learning. Scientific Awards IEEE Fellow (2023) CUHK Outstanding Fellow (2019) Multiple IEEE/INFORMS Best Paper Awards (2010–2022) IEEE/UGC Teaching Awards (2008–2022) His methodology integrates theoretical rigor with practical applications, particularly in wireless communication systems, sensor networks, and financial engineering. Collaborations span institutions in Hong Kong, mainland China, and the U.S., reflecting a global academic influence.
