SPEAKERS

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Prof. Ernie Lope, PhD

MSP National President

University of the Philippines Diliman

Field of Expertise:

Modelling
Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)

BIONOTE

Jose Ernie Lope obtained his bachelor’s degree in mathematics (summa cum laude) from the University of the Philippines Diliman, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. For close to three decades, he has been doing research on the theory of partial differential equations, but has time and again also dabbled in applied and computational mathematics.

He was National Champion of the Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO) in 1991, and represented the country at the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) held in Sweden in 1994, earning an Honorable Mention. Years later, he returned the favor by serving the local math community as Director of the PMO in 2011-2013 and as Team Leader of the Philippine delegation to the IMO in 2013-2015. He is currently the President of the Mathematical Society and a member of the editorial board of Matimyas Matematika, the Society’s official journal.

He was recognized by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2006 and 2012 for excellence in research and by UP Diliman in 2015 for excellence in teaching. He was conferred the Achievement Award in Mathematical Sciences by the National Research Council of the Philippines in 2021. He now heads the UP Diliman Institute of Mathematics, his home unit since his undergraduate years.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

Sustaining the Growth of the Philippine

Mathematics Community

The number of mathematicians and scientists is strongly correlated to a country’s economic growth and development. It is therefore imperative that we increase the number of Filipino STEM professionals. In this short talk, I wish to share my thoughts on how we can sustain the growth of the Philippine mathematics community.

Prof. Mark Asch, PhD

Université de Picardie, Amiens, France

Field of Expertise:

Wave propagation in deterministic and random media
Geometric control of partial differential equations
Inverse problems in underwater acoustics
Imaging and detection of small imperfections
Data assimilation and data-driven science
Scientific machine learning.

BIONOTE

Mark Asch is emeritus professor of applied mathematics at Université de Picardie Jules Verne. He has an MS and PhD in mathematics from the Courant Institute of New York University. His research focuses on data assimilation, inverse problems, and their coupling with machine learning methods. His recent research includes acoustic monitoring of endangered whale species and optimal design of greener Li-ion batteries. For more than 30 years, he has taught applied statistics, machine learning, data assimilation, and numerical analysis, and he has consulted for industry and held positions at the Ministry of Research and Innovation, the ANR, and the CNRS. He recently spent two years on secondment, as advisor for computational and data science, to the CTO of a very large multinational industrial group.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

On the use of Machine Learning to solve Data

Assimilation and Inverse Problems

Machine learning (ML) has made impressive advances in recent times. This is largely due to the data deluge, the availability of computing power and the development of open source software. However, the use of ML for solving scientific problems requires additional effort, since there is no guarantee that the ML solution will respect and follow the underlying physics, chemistry, biology, etc. There are also ethical issues to consider.

In this talk, we will discuss the latest approaches for the coupling of ML and CSE (Computational Science and Engineering), in particular with respect to the solution of real-world, complex systems and processes. Examples will be given, both from our own research on Li-ion batteries and from recent projects of NVIDIA, Microsoft, META and others.

Assoc. Prof. Edwin Tecarro, PhD

University of Houston Downtown, Texas, USA

Field of Expertise:

1. Dynamical Systems Theory

2. Mathematical Biology

BIONOTE

Edwin Tecarro is currently an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Houston-Downtown (Houston, Texas, USA), where he has been teaching since 2004.

After finishing his studies at Magallanes Central Elementary School and Davao City High School, he earned the following degrees: B.S. in Mathematics at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, M.S. in Applied Mathematics at Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Texas, USA) and Ph.D. in Mathematics at University of Houston (Houston, Texas, USA).

His research interests involve the use of dynamical systems and other mathematical theories in describing biological phenomena. He has worked with interdisciplinary teams on mathematical models of cell cycle progression and embryonic development. He has also promoted opportunities and supervised activities for undergraduate research students.

He is a member of the Mathematical Association of America and of the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

Experiences in Interdisciplinary Mathematical

Biology Research

Advances in applied mathematics and ever-increasing computer capabilities have provided additional insightful tools for understanding biological processes. Mathematicians now have more opportunities to contribute towards research in the biological sciences, by becoming part of interdisciplinary teams. These teams can be composed in many diverse ways, with seasoned and beginning researchers in Mathematics and Biology and with participants in various countries. In this talk, personal and other experiences in interdisciplinary mathematical biology research are described via examples involving cell cycle progression, embryonic development, and Dengue control.

PLENARY SPEAKERS

Assoc. Prof. Vladimer Kobayashi, PhD

University of the Philippines Mindanao

Field of Expertise:

Data Science
Machine Learning
Text Analytics

BIONOTE

Vladimer is an associate professor at the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Mindanao) where he teaches applied mathematics and data science subjects. He holds a professorial chair in Data science in the same university. He was a former Department Chair and University Registrar of UP Mindanao. He previously served as Data Protection Officer, BS Applied Mathematics and BS Data Science program coordinator.

He finished his PhD in Data science at the University of Amsterdam. He took his masters studies in France, Spain, Italy, Romania, in the field of data mining and knowledge management with specialization in Complex System Modeling and Statistical modeling. He attended short courses on resource aware Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning and AI, finance, and learning analytics in the USA, Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany. He is also an ACIAR’s John Dillon Fellow of the Australian Center for Agricultural Research.

He was twice awarded a fellowship by the European Commission, one for masters and another for PhD. He was awarded the Sidney A. Fine Grant for Research on Job Analysis and is highly cited in the field of organization research. His research has been presented in various international meetings, conferences, and symposia. He has published numerous papers in primarily in the application of text mining in organizations and applications of AI and analytics in health. He has also published papers in learnability and missing values. He has served as the project leader or project staff of various AI and data science projects funded locally and abroad such as using AI to detect marine litter in underwater, using AI to detect osteoporosis from chest x-rays, using data science for wastewater-based disease surveillance and building predictive models for neglected and underutilized crop species.

Aside from his academic work he is also the main solution architect of an HR startup company that offers a blockchain approach for recruitment. The solution aims to address high volume recruitment and to facilitate the automation of end-to-end recruitment using semantic matching, multi-attribute decision making, chatbots, and video and speech analysis, all within a blockchain platform. He is also jumpstarting the development of a blockchain applications for other value chains.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

The Concept of “Learning” in Machine Learning

Most practitioners view machine learning (ML) as a bunch of algorithms that consume data and generate numerical or categorical predictions. Unbeknownst to many, the field of Machine learning has deep mathematical foundations that are part of the much wider field of Computational Learning Theory. In this talk, I will discuss the two important mathematical concepts of ML namely the probably approximately correct (PAC) learning model and the bias-complexity tradeoff. Through this we can define what is meant by learning, what can be learned and how fast learning can happen in the context of ML. The second half of the talk will focus on illustrating these concepts on a problem of fitting a function to a data. I will also discuss various applications of ML and some future research directions. My goal is to encourage collaboration between mathematicians and ML practitioners to advance both the ML and Data science fields in the Philippines.

Prof. Aurelio de los Reyes V, PhD

University of the Philippines Diliman

Field of Expertise:

1. Mathematical Epidemiology

2. Optimal Control Theory

BIONOTE

Dr. Aurelio A. de los Reyes V is an associate professor at the Institute of Mathematics, UP Diliman. He completed his Dr. rer. nat. degree at Karl-Franzens Universität Graz, Austria, under the guidance of Prof. Em. Franz Kappel. Following that, he pursued postdoctoral training at several institutions such as the Renal Research Institute in New York, Konkuk University in South Korea, the University of Zurich, and the Biozentrum in Switzerland. Dr. de los Reyes held position as a senior researcher at the Biomedical Mathematics group within the Institute for Basic Science in Daejeon, South Korea. His research encompasses a wide range of interests, including modeling biological systems at various scales, from molecular to population levels. He applies optimal control theory and chemical reaction network theory to investigate these systems. Notably, his modeling efforts encompass studying the dynamics of the cardiovascular-respiratory system, developing intervention measures to combat infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, and devising therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

Analyzing Wearable Data for Causal Links Between Circadian Rhythm/Sleep Phase Disruptions and Mood Fluctuations in Patients with Mood Disorders

Sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions are prevalent among individuals with mood disorders. While the complex interplay between these disruptions and mood fluctuations has been explored, their causal dynamics remain unclear. The present study seeks to clarify the direction of causality between circadian and sleep phase disturbances and mood variation in patients with mood disorders. Sleep and subjective mood data from wearable devices and mobile applications were collected from patients with mood disorders. A mathematical model is utilized to infer daily circadian phase from sleep data. The causal links between sleep/circadian phases and affective states are quantified by employing transfer entropy, a nonlinear causal inference method.

Assoc. Prof. Renier Mendoza, PhD

University of the Philippines Diliman

Field of Expertise:

Numerical Optimization
Inverse Problems
Image Processing

BIONOTE

Dr. Renier Mendoza is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines Diliman. He completed an MS in Applied Mathematics at UP Diliman in 2010 and a Dr.rer.nat. in Mathematics at the Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Austria. He was a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Mathematics, Konkuk University from September 2021 to December 2022.

Dr. Mendoza received the GRAND PRIZE in the 2021 NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists. He has been appointed UP Scientist I under the Scientific Productivity System for Batch 2021-2023. He also received the 2022-2024 One UP Professorial Chair Award in Applied Mathematics for Outstanding Teaching and Research in UP Diliman.

Dr. Mendoza works on the formulation and applications of techniques in numerical analysis and optimization. His research spans topics such as image reconstruction in electrical impedance tomography, tsunami mitigation strategies, metaheuristic algorithms for real-world applications, optical character recognition of Baybayin texts, solutions to delay differential equations, data and image processing, and infectious disease modeling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

From Microorganisms to Expanding Universe:

Numerical Optimization and Applications

Numerical optimization is the process of finding the optimal solution within a set of constraints for a given problem. This talk provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of numerical optimization across scientific and engineering domains, highlighting its significance in tackling complex problems. It delves into classical approaches, such as gradient-based algorithms, as well as recent metaheuristic optimization algorithms like the Multi-Operator Differential Evolution and the Philippine Eagle Optimization Algorithm. We show how these methods can be used to efficiently search for optimal solutions in high-dimensional and nonlinear problem spaces. The talk showcases diverse applications from various fields, including modeling population growth of E. Coli, solving inverse problems in electrical impedance tomography, controlling infectious diseases, implementing computer vision techniques for Baybayin text recognition, performing data smoothing, devising tsunami mitigation strategies, and estimating the Hubble constant using cosmological data. Through these examples, the talk emphasizes the versatility and effectiveness of numerical optimization in addressing real-world challenges.

Prof. Jayrold Arcede, PhD

Caraga State University

Field of Expertise:

1. Mathematical Modelling

2. Henstock Integration

BIONOTE

Jayrold P. Arcede obtained his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. He got his Ph.D. in mathematics through a Sandwich program at the Ateneo De Manila University and the National University of Singapore, showcasing his commitment to global learning and collaboration. He further expanded his horizons with a postdoctoral experience at the Universidade de Evora of Portugal, thanks to Erasmus Mundus. His research interest includes differential equations, probability, and its applications to ecology and the environment. He is also into mathematics education, particularly, indigenous mathematics and math education in classroom practice. He is a member of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP), the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP), and the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE). He has assumed significant leadership roles, including chairmanship of the mathematics department, directorship of the Office of Admission and Scholarship, and Office of Internationalization and Global Engagement. Moreover, he has taken on the vice presidency of two associations—the CSU Faculty Federation and the Philippine Association of Researchers and Statistical Software Users-Mindanao Chapter. He is the director of the Mathematical Statistical Computing and Research Center, a post he currently holds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

Math and Internationalization: The CSU perspective

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines have been receiving media attention recently due to their internationalization. In fact, all accrediting bodies, including the Commission on Higher Education, are advocating for integration. Is internationalization required to attain excellence and high-quality education? In this lecture, we'll talk about at the departmental level, the challenges and opportunities that helped the CSU MathDept's internationalization efforts succeed against the backdrop of learning and career development, administrative support, and a supportive environment.

Prof. Editha Jose, PhD

MSP National Vice President

University of the Philippines Los Baños

Field of Expertise:

Partial Differential Equations
Mathematics of Chemical Reaction Networks

BIONOTE

Dr. Editha C. Jose is a Professor of Mathematics and the current Director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). She was the president of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines CALABARZON Chapter from 2014-2017 and the current Vice-President of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (National).

She obtained her PhD degree in Mathematics (2010) at University of the Philippines Diliman under a “Sandwich” program to finish her dissertation in Partial Differential Equations (Theory of Homogenization) at the University of Rouen, France.

She has been teaching at the UPLB since 1998. In 2017, she received the UPLB Outstanding Teacher Award for the Physical Sciences (Senior Category). In the same year, she was awarded the UP Scientific Productivity Award and was conferred the title UP Scientist until 2022.

Her research interests include homogenization and controllability of partial differential equations, mathematics of reaction networks and biomathematics. She is a mother of five and a fur mommy of a labrador and a shitszu.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

Approximate Controllability of Semilinear Elliptic

Partial Differential Equations

Partial differential equations (PDEs) are known to exhibit interesting properties of materials. For instance, the thermal conductivity of a material is described by a heat equation. However, in general, solutions to differential equations are very difficult to obtain so that a proper or suitable mathematical formulation of the concerned system is needed. Homogenization and control theory offer alternative techniques of representing solutions of PDES or characterizing them, showing the interplay of theoretical and applied mathematics (in this case in physical sciences and engineering). The theory of homogenization aims to derive macroscopic (simplified) models for physical phenomena in which microscopic heterogeneities arise while controllability seeks to find a control that will lead the given system in a desirable situation. In this talk, we discuss controllability of a semi linear second order elliptic PDE in a periodically perforated domain, where the control is distributed in an open subset of the domain. We prove the approximate controllability and existence of optimal control. We also present homogenization results of the state equation for a sequence of optimal controls.

Prof. Jocelyn Paradero-Vilela, PhD

MSP National Board Member

Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology

Field of Expertise:

1. Algebra

DESCRIPTION OF THE TALK

Algebra and Beyond

Abstract Algebra is a course required in any mathematics degree program whether as an elective or as a core course. Abstract thinking developed from the logical foundation of abstract algebra is the primary result one can gain. Classically, everything goes back to the basic properties of groups and rings as one can observe from the lessons taught in basic education. Algebra is a branch of mathematics that has many real life applications. To cite a few, Boolean algebra is the foundation of computer science where modern technology emerges, group theory is a must in codes and cryptography for security purposes and the isometry group of patterns relate to the physical properties of molecules and atoms in particular. Research interest goes to hyperstructure theory too. The limitations of composing two elements yielding one single element leads to this theory. This is a generalization of group theory and has several applications. This talk will then explore what algebra has been and where it is now... we go beyond what the classroom can offer and look for possible doors of opportunities that lies ahead.

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