Colloquia & Seminars

Upcoming Talks

Spring 2026

Applied Math Seminar

Title: AI and LLM in Industry/Agriculture/Aquaculture Applications

Yo-Ping Huang, PhD
Chair Professor
Department of Mathematics
National Taipei University of Technology

When: Friday, February 17th, 2026 at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

Abstract: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT), known as artificial intelligence of things (AIoT), is driving significant advancements in the industry/aquaculture, offering solutions to longstanding challenges related to operational efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. With the advent of powerful GPU, AI-related research or AI-based applications have sprouted in every corner of the world. Originating from pure network connectivity, the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a structure that can collect every piece of data from physical devices, daily activities, images, or videos into a data reservoir. As a result, tons of data are automatically generated into an enterprise database in a single day. This creates research opportunities on integrating AI, IoT, big data, and LLMs to improve the quality of industrial production, agriculture or net-cage aquaculture. IoT sensors deployed across industry/agriculture/aquaculture systems continuously track critical parameters such as temperature, humidity, and workers’ behavior. AI algorithms process these data streams to provide predictive insights into working environment management, operations detection, etc. This talk will address the latest research studies in AIoT and LLMs within the industry/aquaculture, focusing on real-time environmental monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and automation.This talk will also highlight future directions for AIoT in industry/agriculture/aquaculture, emphasizing the potential for hybrid AI models, improved scalability for large-scale operations, and sustainable resource management. Yo-Ping Huang (Fellow, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA. He is a Chair Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, where he served as the Secretary General. He also serves as the President of Chinese Automatic Control Society. He was the President of National Penghu University of Science and Technology, Penghu, Taiwan. He was a Professor and the Dean of Research and Development, the Dean of the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the Department Chair with Tatung University, Taipei. His current research interests include deep learning modeling, intelligent control, machine learning, and AIoT systems design. Dr. Huang received the FUTEX (Future Tech) Award and the Outstanding Research Award from the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan. He is Fellows of IET, CACS, TFSA, and AAIA. He serves as the IEEE SMCS VP for Conferences and Meetings, and Chair of the IEEE SMCS Technical Committee on Intelligent Transportation Systems. He was the IEEE SMCS BoG, the President of the Taiwan Association of Systems Science and Engineering, the Chair of the IEEE SMCS Taipei Chapter, the Chair of the IEEE CIS Taipei Chapter, and the CEO of the Joint Commission of Technological and Vocational College Admission Committee, Taiwan.


Title: Data-Driven Kernel Matrix Computations: Geometric Analysis and Scalable Algorithms

Difeng Cai, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics
Southern Methodist University

When: Friday, February 13th, 2026 at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

Abstract:  Dense kernel matrices arise in a broad range of disciplines, such as potential theory, molecular biology, statistical machine learning, etc. To reduce the computational cost, low-rank or hierarchical low-rank techniques are often used to construct an economical approximation to the original matrix. In this talk, we propose data-driven approaches for accelerating dense kernel matrix computations. We first provide a straightforward geometric interpretation that answers a central question: what kind of subset is preferable for skeleton low-rank approximations. Based on the geometric findings, we present scalable and robust hierarchical algorithms for black-box dense kernel matrix computations. The efficiency and robustness will be demonstrated through experiments for various datasets, kernels, and dimensions, including benchmark comparison to the state-of-the-art packages for N-body simulations.


Fall 2025

Colloquia

Title: Optimization Using Model Predictive Control Combined with iLQR and Neural Networks

Nguyen-Truc-Dao Nguyen, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
San Diego State University

When: Friday, September 12th, 2025 at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 110

Abstract: This talk is devoted to combining model predictive control (MPC) and deep learning methods, specifically neural networks, to solve high-dimensional optimization and control problems. MPC is a popular method for real-life process control in various fields, but its computational requirements can often become a bottleneck. In contrast, deep learning algorithms have shown effectiveness in approximating high-dimensional systems and solving reinforcement learning problems. By leveraging the strengths of both MPC and neural networks, we aim to improve the efficiency of solving MPC problems. The talk also discusses the optimal control problem in MPC and how it can be divided into smaller time horizons to reduce computational costs. Additionally, we focus on enhancing MPC through two approaches: a machine learning–based feedback controller and a machine learning–enhanced planner, which involve implementing neural networks and iLQR. Overall, this talk provides insights into the potential of combining MPC and deep learning methods to tackle complex control problems across various fields, with applications to robotics.


Spring 2025

Colloquia

Title: AdaBB: A Parameter-Free Gradient Method for Convex Optimization

Shiqian Ma, PhD
Professor
Department of Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Rice University

When: Friday, April 11th, 2025 at 2.00 PM to 3.00 PM

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 309

Abstract: We propose AdaBB, an adaptive gradient method based on the Barzilai-Borwein stepsize. The algorithm is line-search-free and parameter-free , and essentially provides a convergent variant of the Barzilai-Borwein method for general unconstrained convex optimization.We analyze the ergodic convergence of the objective function value and the convergence of the iterates for solving general unconstrained convex optimization. Compared with existing works along this line of research, our algorithm gives the best lower bounds on the stepsize and the average of the stepsizes. Moreover, we present an extension of the proposed algorithm for solving composite optimization where the objective function is the summation of a smooth function and a nonsmooth function. Our numerical results also demonstrate very promising potential of the proposed algorithms on some representative examples.

 


Title: Bayesian Scalable Precision Factor Analysis for Gaussian Graphical Models


Noirrit Kiran Chandra, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematical Sciences
The University of Texas at Dallas

When: Friday, February 14th, 2025 at 3.30PM to 4.20PM

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 110

Abstract: We propose a novel approach to estimating a multivariate Gaussian precision matrix that relies on decomposing them into a low-rank and a diagonal component. Such decompositions are very popular for modeling large covariance matrices as they admit a latent factor based representation that allows easy inference. The same is however not true for precision matrices due to the lack of computationally convenient representations which restricts inference to low-to-moderate dimensional problems. We address this remarkable gap in the literature by building on a latent variable representation for such decomposition for precision matrices. The construction leads to an efficient Gibbs sampler that scales very well to high-dimensional problems far beyond the limits of the current state-of-the-art. The ability to efficiently explore the full posterior space also allows easy assessment of model uncertainty. Exact zeros in the matrix encoding the underlying conditional independence graph are then determined via a novel posterior false discovery rate control procedure. A near minimax optimal posterior concentration rate for estimating precision matrices is attained by our method under mild regularity assumptions. We evaluate the method’s empirical performance through synthetic experiments and illustrate its practical utility. We then extend the model to arbitrary non-Gaussian distributed data with auto correlations using a matrix-Gaussian copula approach for a novel application in resting state functional connectivity analysis is the auditory subcortical region of the human brain.

 


Title: On crop vector-borne diseases: impact of virus lifespan and contact rate on the travelling-wave speed of infective fronts


Michael Chapwanya, Ph.D. 
Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
University of Pretoria, South Africa

When: Friday, January 31, 2025 at 2 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

Abstract: Plant vector-borne diseases are the most common mode of virus transmission in plants. These diseases occur when viruses are carried and transmitted by vectors, which are usually living organisms, such as insects, mites, nematodes, or even fungi. Among these, insects like aphids, whiteflies, thrips, and leafhoppers are the primary culprits in spreading plant viruses. However, despite their predictable importance in improving food security, very few mathematical models have been documented in the literature. We begin by reviewing some of our work on crop diseases including Maize Lethal Necrosis disease, Cassava Mosaic Disease, and Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3). We then present a generic mathematical model of virus transmission in plants. We show that traveling waves may exist, with the wave speed dependent on the virus lifespan and the contact rate between plants and pests. Strategies for control will also be discussed.

Short bio: Dr. Michael Chapwanya is a Professor of Mathematics and the Graduate Advisor in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Limerick, Ireland. His research focus is on mathematical modelling, numerical analysis and scientific computation. The problems that he works on are drawn from a wide range of sources with biological, medical, engineering, industrial and environmental context.

Previous Talks

Colloquia


Title: Mathematical Modeling of Drug Resistance in Cancer

Dr. Natalia Komarova
Department of Mathematics, UC San Diego, CA

When: Friday, November 8, 2024 at 2 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

Show Natalia Komarova Talk Details

Title: Dynamical Lie algebras

Dr. Bojko Bakalov
Department of Mathematics, North Carolina State University

When: Friday, November 1, 2024 at 2 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

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Title: Cardiac hemodynamics and congenital heart disease: restoringnormal function

Sandra Rugonyi, Ph.D.
Oregon Health & Science University, Biomedical Engineering Department, Portland, OR, USA

When: Friday, October 25, 2024 at 2 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

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Title: Bayesian Inversion Using Level Sets in Diffuse Optical Tomography

Dr. Taufiquar Khan
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

When: Friday, September 27, 2024, from 2-4 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

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Seminars


Title: Boundary Problems In Rough Domains With Data in Weighted Morrey Spaces

Dr. Marcus Laurel
University of Texas at Arlington

When: Friday, October 11, 2024, from 3-4 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 305

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Title: "Solving linear fractional differential equations with random non-homogeneous parts"

Dr. Laura Villafuerte
The University of Texas at Austin

When: Friday, October 4, 2024 from 2-4 p.m.

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

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Title: A Meta-analysis based Hierarchical Variance Model for Powering One and Two-sample t-tests

Jackson Barth, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Statistical Science, Baylor University

When: Friday, September 20, 2024 from 3:30-4:20 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 110

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Colloquia


Title: Interplay of Linear Algebra, Machine Learning, and High Performance Computing

Dr. Xiaoye Sherry Li
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

When: Friday, April 5, 2024 from 3-4 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 110

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Title: "How do Immune Cells Kill Tumor Cells?"

Ami E. Radunskaya, PhD
Lingurn H. Burkhead Professor of Mathematics at Pomona College, CA

When: Friday, February 16, 2024 from 10-11 am

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

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Seminars


Title: "What is Liutex: Examples of Hurricane and Tornado Vortex Visualization using Liutex"

Oscar Alvarez
University of Texas at Arlington

When: Friday, February 2, 2024, from 2-3 pm

Where: Pickard Hall, Room 311

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