Plenary Lecture 1:

Professor Panos Pardalos, University of Florida, USA
www.ise.ufl.edu/pardalos

Title: "On The Passage From Local To Global In Optimization: New Challenges In Theory And Practice"

Abstract: Large scale problems in the design of networks and energy systems, the biomedical field, finance, and engineering are modeled as optimization problems. Humans and nature are constantly optimizing to minimize costs or maximize profits, to maximize the flow in a network, or to minimize the probability of a blackout in the smart grid. Due to new algorithmic developments and the computational power of machines, optimization algorithms have been used to solve problems in a wide spectrum of applications in science and engineering. In this talk, we are going to address new challenges in the theory and practice of optimization, including exact approaches, approximation techniques, and heuristics. First, we have to reflect back a few decades to see what has been achieved and then address the new research challenges and directions

Biography: Panos Pardalos is a Distinguished Professor and the Paul and Heidi Brown Preeminent Professor in the Departments of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida, and a world renowned leader in Global Optimization, Mathematical Modeling, and Data Sciences. He is a Fellow of AAAS, AIMBE, and INFORMS and was awarded the 2013 Constantin Caratheodory Prize of the International Society of Global Optimization. In addition, Dr. Pardalos has been awarded the 2013 EURO Gold Medal prize bestowed by the Association for European Operational Research Societies. This medal is the preeminent European award given to Operations Research (OR) professionals for "scientific contributions that stand the test of time." Dr. Pardalos is also a Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Academy of Spain, and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He is the Founding Editor of Optimization Letters, Energy Systems, and Co-Founder of the International Journal of Global Optimization. He has published over 500 papers, edited/authored over 200 books and organized over 80 conferences. He has over 40,000 citations on his work, an H-index of 90, an i10-index of 552 (Google Scholar) and has graduated 61 Ph. D. students so far.

Plenary Lecture 2:

Prof Hong ZHENG, Ph.d

Professor of Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics

Chinese Academy of Sciences

 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Title: "Global Method for Stability Analysis of Anchored Slopes"

Abstract: Based on the global method, an approach is proposed to consider the effect of anchor reinforcement on slope stability, where equilibrium conditions are formulated in terms of the whole slip body. Anchor pre-tension is assumed to apply on the slip body instead of individual slices, causing internal force within slope more realistic. Meanwhile, the optimization model for locating the critical slip surface is of weak nonlinearity and easy to solve using conventional optimization procedures. The effects of anchoring orientation and position are thoroughly investigated, suggesting the best anchoring position exists but the anchors might be outside the critical slip body.

Biography:

Hong ZHENG, Ph.d

Executive Director of State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

Professor of Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences  

Cellphone: 13986011345

Office: 86-27-87199226      

Fax: 86-27-87197386

Plenary Lecture 3:

Prof Benabdellah Yagoubi

Laboratory of Signals and systems

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Mostaganem, Algeria

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Title: "Fingerprint Matching Improvement Using the Inverse of the Belonging Individual Gaussian Probability (IBIP) algorithm"

Abstract: Nowadays computers are used to store fingerprint images in a database. To match a particular print left by a person, the computer has to run through this entire database and select some of the prints that are close to this person prints. The final decision for the print that is likely to match is left to the forensic experts. To avoid bad matching decisions, researches throughout the world are still improving computer systems and algorithms. Despite many efforts in improving fingerprints reading, many wrong decisions are still, however, being made on fingerprints matching. The forensic experts believe that this bad fingerprints reading is due mainly to some artifacts such as dust, scratches on a finger which may hamper fingerprints reading. Furthermore, since fingerprint images often contain many ridges, then the scratches may not be visible through a direct observation in many fingerprint images. In addition, despite extensive computing work on fingerprints matching, the existing algorithms are not, always, capable of detecting these scratches. We will discuss, therefore in this speech, the ability and efficiency of the inverse of the belonging individual probability (IBIP) technique in detecting these artifacts on a fingerprint image and hence leading to a much accurate fingerprint matching

Biography: Dr B. Yagoubi received the M. Sc degree in Electrical Engineering in 1985 from Bel-Abbes University, Algeria and the Ph. D degree (amorphous thin films) (1986-1989) in the Faculty of Sciences from Brunel University (UK). He was the head of the Signals and Systems Laboratory (1999-2003) and the head of the Department of Electrical Engineering (2005-2006). He is lecturing the theory of digital signal, systems modeling and identification, random processes and detection (1996-2016) at Mostaganem University, Algeria. He has been involved in some national projects such as forest fire detection, heart rate variability in the LF and HF bands to characterize the autonomous nervous system, and study and application of random processes. Currently, he is focusing on extracting useful information from mono-dimensional and multidimensional signals as well as on detection using the inverse of the belonging probability technique of a rare event to a Gaussian realization, as part of a national project.  Further research interests are in real signals and models geometric representation based on Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization concept, as well as using a relative geometric space of observation.

 Plenary Lecture 4:

Prof Christos D. Papageorgiou

Title: "Mathematics of the Laws of the Universe and Physical Harmony"

Abstract:

1. The basic laws of the Universe (experimentally proven)

• Maxwell (Electromagnetism)
• Schrodinger (Quantum Mechanics)
• Einstein (Gravity)

2. Why Mathematics can describe our Universe ?
3. Everywhere in our Universe partial differential equations of second rank and waves
4. What are defined as harmonic waves
5. What is behind second-rank partial differential equations
6. Any partial differential equation of a second-order variable is equivalent to a transmission line on which waves can travel.
7. If the differential equation is of more than one variable, then there are many interconnecting transmission lines
8. Examples of Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics
9. The scope of our research

Biography: Prof Christos D. Papageorgiou was born in Ioannina, Greece. He received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, in 1966 and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Imperial College of London, in 1979. Assoc. Prof at the NTUA from 1979 and CEO in several public companies of which the most important were: Olympic Airways (1983-1985), & National Hellenic Railways (1987-1989 & 1996-1997). He was also the executive officer of a few private companies. Recently is the major shareholder of “Green Chimney Technologies P.C.”

Plenary Lecture 5:

Prof Sadko Mandzuka, PhD 

Faculty of Traffic and Transport Sciences, University of Zagreb

Department of Intelligent Transport System

Zagreb, Croatia

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Title: "The Use of Cooperative Systems in Traffic and Transport"

Abstract: In Traffic Cooperative Systems (TCS) vehicles communicate wirelessly with other vehicles, infrastructure (roads and related equipment) and other users (pedestrians, VRU, etc.). Compared to existing systems, cooperative systems technology allows two-way communication: V2V - Vehicle to vehicle, V2I - vehicle infrastructure V2U-vehicle with other users (eg. VRU), also I2U - infrastructure with other users (eg. VRU). The exchange of data between the vehicles and infrastructure is imperceptible by drivers until a potentially dangerous situation is detected, at which moment the drivers concerned will receive an alert. One example of Traffic Cooperative System is presented. The appropriate demonstration model is intended to inform the driver about the events of importance for traffic safety on the next section of the driving.

Biography: Prof. Sadko Mandzuka is currently Head of Intelligent Transport System Department at Faculty of Traffic and Transport Sciences, University of Zagreb. He has wide experience in the area of floating vessels control theory, intelligent transport system, artificial intelligence, traffic incident management system etc. He had the opportunity to work both in academic and industrial environments including Brodarski Institute, consulting in the Innovation Area for SME’s, etc. He is currently owner of a spin-off company providing consulting services for Intelligent Transport System (Incident Management System and other) while at the same time advancing his academic career. He is a founding member of Croatian Robotic Association, President of ITS-Croatia, and Collaborating member of Croatian Academy of Engineering. He is a member of IFAC Committee on Transportation and Vehicle Systems. Finally he has served in the program committees and as reviewer at several international Congress and Conferences. He is author of more than 100 internationally reviewed publications.

 Plenary Lecture 6:

Prof Dimitrios A. Karras

Sterea Hellas Institute of Technology

Dept. Automation, Hellas 

email: dakarras2010@gmail.com

Title: "An Intelligent Systems Approach of Business Process Modelling towards a framework for integrating Analytical Management Techniques with BPM"

Abstract: Unquestionably, Business Process Modelling (BPM) is an increasingly popular research area for both organisations and enterprises due to its effectiveness in enabling better planning of resources, business reengineering and optimized business performance. The understanding of Business Process modelling is an essential approach for an Organization or Enterprise to achieve set objectives and improve its operations. Recent development has shown the importance of representing processes to carry out continuous improvement. The modelling and simulation of Business Processes has been able to show Business Analysts, and Managers where bottleneck exists in the system, how to optimize the Business Process to reduce cost of running the Organization, and the required resources needed for an Organization. Although large scale organizations have already been involved in such BPM applications, on the other hand, Small Medium Enterprises (SME) have not drawn much attention with this respect. It seems that SME need more practical tools for modelling and analysis with minimum expenses if possible. One approach to make BPM more applicable to SME but, also, to larger scale organizations would be to properly integrate it with analytical management computational techniques, including the game-theoretic analysis, the probabilistic modelling, the Markov-chain modelling and the Cognitive Maps methodology. In BPM research the Petri Nets methodology has already been involved in theory, applications and BPM Software tools. However, this is not the case in the previously mentioned as well as to other analytical management techniques. It is, therefore, important in BPM research to take into account such techniques. This plenary speech presents an overview of some important analytical management computational techniques and a framework of how the intelligent systems approach could be involved in integrating them with BPM. It provides an overview along with examples of the applicability of such methods in the BPM field. The major goal, however, of this systematic overview is to propose steps for the integration of such analytical techniques in the BPM framework so that they could be widely applied especially for SME since they, currently, are well suited to smaller scale problems, but to larger scale organizations as well.

Biography: Dimitrios A. Karras received his Diploma and M.Sc. Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece in 1985 and the Ph. Degree in Electrical Engineering, from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece in 1995, with honours. From 1990 and up to 2004 he collaborated as visiting professor and researcher with several universities and research institutes in Greece. Since 2004, after his election, he has been with the Sterea Hellas Institute of Technology, Automation Dept., Greece as associate professor in Digital Systems and Signal Processing as well as with the Hellenic Open University, Dept. Informatics as a visiting professor in Communication Systems (the latter since 2002 and up to 2010). He has published more than 65 research refereed journal papers in various areas of pattern recognition, image/signal processing and neural networks as well as in bioinformatics and more than 180 research papers in International refereed scientific Conferences. His research interests span the fields of pattern recognition and neural networks, image and signal processing, image and signal systems, biomedical systems, communications, networking and security. He has served as program committee member in many international conferences, as well as program chair and general chair in several international workshops and conferences in the fields of signal, image, communication and automation systems. He is, also, former editor in chief (2008-2016) of the International Journal in Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering (IJSISE), academic editor in the TWSJ, ISRN Communications and the Applied Mathematics Hindawi journals as well as associate editor in various scientific journals. He has been cited in more than 1752 research papers, his H/G-indices are 18/39 (Google Scholar) and his Erdos number is 5. His RG score is 30.65 (https://www.researchgate.net/ profile/Dimitrios_Karras2/)

Plenary Lecture 7:

Prof. Emmanuel Paspalakis

Materials Science Department

School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece

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Title: "Simulating quantum processes with semiconductor exciton-polaritons"

Abstract: Exciton-polaritons are coherent superpositions of matter and light typically formed by the strong interaction of a microcavity optical mode with quantum well excitons. Exciton-polaritons are also formed in other novel structures, such as two-dimensional semiconductor materials, the transition-metal dichalconides, e.g., MoS₂ and WSe₂, which can support surface exciton-polariton modes. Here, we present recent results from our group on the use of semiconductor exciton-polaritons for the simulation of various quantum processes, such as for the controlled creation of entangled states, the controlled nonclassical emission statistics, the creation of high quantum efficiency of quantum emitters, and the simulation of quantum interference.

Biography: Emmanuel Paspalakis is Associate Professor at the Materials Science Department of the University of Patras. Dr. Paspalakis obtained his PhD, under the supervision of Professor Sir Peter L. Knight FRS, from the Physics Department of Imperial College London in 1999. At the same Department he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in 1999 and 2001. In 11/2001 he joined the Materials Science Department of the University of Patras. His research interests cover a wide area of theoretical subjects in light-matter interactions with emphasis to nanoscale structures. Dr. Paspalakis has published more than 130 papers in international refereed research journals and more than 25 papers in extended conference proceedings and books that have obtained more than 4950 citations (h-index 37). In addition, he has more than 150 presentations in international and national scientific conferences. Dr. Paspalakis is co-editor of a book entitled “Recent Research Topics and Developments in Chemical Physics: From Quantum Scale to Macroscale”, (Transworld Research Network, 2009) and of three special issues in international scientific journals: “Quantum Control of Matter and Light”, Journal of Modern Optics (2009), “Slow Light”, Journal of Optics (2010) and “Emerging Trends and Novel Materials in Photonics”, Photonics and Nanostructures: Fundamentals and Applications (2011). Dr. Paspalakis is a member of the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Modern Optics, the Journal of Advanced Physics, the Journal of Photonics and Optoelectronics, Annals of Materials Science and Engineering, and Heliyon. He has co-organized the International Symposium on Quantum Control and Light-Matter Interactions: Recent Computational and Theoretical Results in Corfu, Greece, in 2007. He was also scientific secretariat in the International Commission of Optics (ICO) Topical Meeting on Emerging Trends and Novel Materials in Photonics that was held in Delphi, Greece, in 2009. He has been a member of 20 European and Greek research projects (in 9 of them as project leader). http://www.matersci.upatras.gr/en/people/faculty/paspalakis

Plenary Lecture 8:

Prof. Velislava Stoykova

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Institute for Bulgarian language 52, Shipchensky proh. str., bl. 17 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

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Title: "Cross-Lingual Machine Translation of Pronouns"

Abstract: Recent developments in Information Technologies offer different approaches and techniques to Machine Translation (MT) related tasks. Thus, the main directions of research and applications use two very general approaches – rule-based MT and statistically-based MT to process grammar and semantic language features. However, a lot of research and industrial applications have been made using some hybrid approaches combined with statistically-based techniques. We shall discuss several of them, mainly, syntax-based MT as well as the use of universal formal linguistic representations for multilingual and cross-lingual MT. We are going to present and demonstrate the application of an approach used for MT of pronouns across three related and non-related languages using the formal frameworks of the Universal Networking Language.

Biography: Assist. Prof. Dr. Velislava Stoykova has received her MA degree from Sofia University. In 2004 she has received a PhD in computational linguistics and afterwards, she is working actively in the field. Her major areas of interest are: language modelling, natural language processing, computational lexicography, text mining, knowledge discovery. As from 1990 till 1995 she worked at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Parallel Processing as a programmer. During the period 1995-2011 she she was part of the research team of the Institute for Bulgarian language of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences working as a researcher. From 2011 to the present she works at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Bulgarian language as an assistant professor.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Stoykova has one book, more than 100 published papers in international conference proceedings and scientific journals, and is a co-author of two dictionaries. She is a member of the research team at the Institute for Bulgarian Language. She had worked on many research projects (national and international) as a member of the research team and as a project leader. Assist. Prof. Dr. Stoykova is a member of Bulgarian Lexicographic Society and a member of Bulgarian Artificial Intelligence Association.