2024

Robert Feger, Thomas Kephart, Robert Saskowski

Developers of LieART

Areas: Gravity, Particle Physics, Physics, Quantum Entanglement, Research and Analysis, Software Development, String Theory, Theoretical Physics

Robert Feger, Cocreator of LieART and Researcher, Deutscher Wetterdienst
Robert Feger is a researcher and developer at the Deutscher Wetterdienst, Germany’s national meteorological service, specializing in thunderstorm and convection detection in weather radar data. As a particle theorist, he used Wolfram extensively in his PhD studies on heavy-quark physics at the University of Siegen. During his postdoctoral fellowship by the German Academic Exchange Service at Vanderbilt University, Feger worked on grand unified theories based on special unitary groups. His research required fast and demanding calculations in group theory. Initially created as a group theory toolbox for personal use, Feger, mentored by Tom Kephart, created LieART, a Wolfram application for Lie algebras and representation theory. LieART has been appreciated by particle physicists and mathematicians for its user-friendly interface and computational power covering all classical and exceptional Lie algebras. It can also be used as a group theory teaching tool as the output and visualizations, e.g. of Dynkin diagrams and weight and root systems, are akin to textbooks—all enabled by the very same core principles of Wolfram.

Thomas Kephart, Cocreator of LieART and Professor of Physics, Vanderbilt University
Thomas Kephart is a particle theorist and has worked on formal aspects of gauge theories, particle physics models and group theory. Some topics include chiral gauge anomalies, topological defects and extensions of the standard model, including grand unification, family symmetry, discrete symmetry and string-inspired models. Wolfram has been an indispensable tool in his research for many years. The applications have ranged from particle physics model building to the classification of quantum entanglement to theoretical biophysics.

Many branches of science seem poised for great advances as machine learning, artificial intelligence and quantum computing converge. Most recently, in a study of coherent states from the solar corona, Kephart has used AI to write Wolfram Language code to analyze the signal-to-noise ratio expected in detectors. He also finds Wolfram a great help in mentoring students, as by learning to use it, they can quickly make useful contributions to research projects.

Robert Saskowski, Cocreator of LieART and Researcher, Tianjin University
Robert Saskowski is a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Joint Quantum Studies at Tianjin University studying string theory and related topics. He specializes in higher-derivative supergravity and precision holography. His undergraduate thesis involved working on LieART, a powerful Wolfram application for doing computations with Lie algebras and their representation theory, and implementing branching rules therein.

2024

Héctor Benítez Pérez

IIMAS-DGTIC Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Areas: Computer-Aided Education, Courseware Development, Data Science, Education, Research and Analysis

Dr. Héctor Benítez Pérez graduated with honors in electrical mechanical engineering from the Faculty of Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and pursued his doctorate at the University of Sheffield in the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering. Within UNAM, he served as the head of the Institute for Research in Applied Mathematics and Systems (IIMAS) from 2012 to 2020 and is currently the head of the General Directorate of Computing and Information and Communication Technologies (DGTIC). Additionally, he serves as a representative to various official organizations, both national and international.

Benítez Pérez has worked as a researcher in the field of control systems. He has played a pivotal role in organizing UNAM systemwide Wolfram training and communication events, providing invaluable opportunities for students, faculty and researchers to advance their work in science and technology. His contribution to academic training is highlighted by the creation of the bachelor’s degree in data science, the specialty in high-performance computing and its integration into UNAM’s Continuing Education Network (REDEC), which formalizes collaboration in continuing education activities and has led to the offering of a course at the IIMAS Academic Unit in the state of Yucatán.

In collaboration with IIMAS, the UNAM Institute of Mathematics, Centro Virtual de Computación (CViCom), the French Embassy in México, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Huawei México and the German Cooperation Agency, he has participated in organizing forums, workshops and meetings aimed at promoting research development in México in the field of artificial intelligence. He has supported many Wolfram training and communication events. His efforts have offered room for students, faculty and researchers space to continue research in science and technology.

2023

Mark Rawlins

Executive Chairperson and Chief Engineer, Energy and Combustion Services

Areas: Mechanical Engineering, Research and Analysis, Software Engineering

Energy and Combustion Services offers global energy management analytics and autonomous measurement systems for large-scale mining and industrial manufacturing. Mark Rawlins is a professional engineer (mechanical), certified energy manager, and measurement and verification professional. He specializes in energy system modeling for efficiency and productivity, using digital twins to simulate and support new designs. His primary goal is aiding companies in transitioning to net-zero carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency. He also develops advanced metering systems that provide insights into energy and process deviations, some operating autonomously.

Wolfram Language is foundational to his R&D work, which includes a road condition monitoring system that marries vision-based road defect detection and location with vehicle dynamics and vibration signal processing using edge computation to report road and safety conditions autonomously. Separate devices can communicate and accept instructions from each other for extended inspections.

2023

Esma Gel

Cynthia Hardin Milligan Chair of Business and Professor of Supply Chain Management and Analytics, College of Business, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Areas: Modeling Dynamical Systems with Mathematica, Research and Analysis

In her previous role as an associate professor in the School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering at Arizona State University, Esma Gel used Mathematica for a system dynamics model related to the spread of COVID-19.

Gel’s team, ASU METAz, helped guide the Arizona Department of Health Services by supplying predicted outcomes to various “what if?” policy questions. The team periodically released accurate projections for cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Arizona for more than 15 months, often being featured in mainstream media outlets.

2023

Martijn Froeling

Assistant Professor, University Medical Center Utrecht

Areas: Image Processing, Research and Analysis, Software Development

Martijn Froeling is an assistant professor specializing in quantitative neuromuscular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the University Medical Center Utrecht. His work revolves around enhancing MRI techniques to better understand muscle function and diseases.

MRI scans provide valuable data, but they need careful processing and analysis. That’s where Froeling’s QMRITools paclet comes in. The paclet is a handy toolkit for experimental design, data analysis and teaching. Since its launch in 2012, it has been used in over 50 scientific papers. Originally created to analyze muscle diffusion-weighted imaging data, QMRITools has expanded its scope. It now includes features like cardiac analysis (including tagging and T1 mapping), Dixon reconstruction, EPG modeling and fitting, J-coupling simulations and more.

The paclet currently offers over 450 custom functions, making it a valuable resource for researchers. Plus, there’s extensive documentation with more than 750 pages, and each toolbox comes with demonstrations. With these tools, Froeling aims to simplify quantitative MRI analysis, benefiting our understanding of muscle injury and disease.

2022

Laurent Simon

Professor of Chemical Engineering and Vice Provost for Undergrad Studies, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Areas: Biomedical Research, Chemical Engineering, Computational Thinking, Pharmaceutical, Research and Analysis

Laurent Simon is a professor of chemical engineering and the vice provost for undergraduate studies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Simon’s current research focuses on transdermal drug delivery, protein purification, process modeling and control; these projects involve writing Wolfram Language code that is instrumental in building population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models and designing transdermal drug-delivery systems. These same research tools, deployed with webMathematica, are now used to enhance chemical engineering curricula with applications in biological engineering.

2022

Ricardo Martínez-Lagunes

Consultant, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank

Areas: Civil Engineering, Data Analysis, Data Analytics, Data Science, Economic Research and Analysis, Environmental Engineering, Research and Analysis

Ricardo Martínez-Lagunes is a consultant for both the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. His main professional activities currently focus on water resources policy, information systems for water resource management and environmental economic accounts and assessments.

Martínez-Lagunes is using Wolfram technologies to develop the next generation of computational water policy analytical tools to better understand and tackle challenges such as improving water utilities. In addition, he has demonstrated the ability to ingest large and disconnected datasets, compute and visualize that information more efficiently and create computationally dynamic dashboards for decision makers for policy design for investment/funding initiatives.

2021

Richard Carbone

Digital Forensic Analyst & Researcher, Defence R&D Canada

Areas: Data Analysis, Data Science, Research and Analysis, Software Engineering

Richard Carbone is a digital forensic analyst and researcher at Defence R&D Canada, where his work involves investigations into advanced persistent threats, state actors and insider threats. He writes and designs tools using Mathematica to solve certain digital forensic problems that have not been adequately addressed by the community or by digital forensic software vendors. (The growth in Mathematica’s image processing capabilities specifically has made it a useful tool in digital forensics.) Examples of his prototyped tools include a forensic image analysis system and a binary file analysis system, the latter of which helps the user visually identify the underlying data and structure patterns inherent in most file formats. Carbone additionally has conducted research with federal law enforcement to define Canada’s standards for forensic analysis of computer memory.

2016

Bryan Minor

Acquisio

Areas: Advertising, Data Analysis, Research and Analysis

Bryan Minor leads algorithm development and associated intellectual property development as chief scientist at Acquisio in Montreal, Canada. He has developed Bid & Budget Management, a suite of fully automated algorithms for optimizing pay-per-click advertising across publishers, including Google, AdWords, Bing and Yahoo! Japan. Minor uses Mathematica and the Wolfram Language for research and data analysis, with algorithm implementation being focused on the API micro-service architecture of Wolfram Enterprise Private Cloud.

2016

Brian Kanze

Georgia-Pacific

Areas: Data Analysis, Data Science, Research and Analysis

As data scientist and concept design leader at Georgia-Pacific, Brian Kanze uses Wolfram technologies to bring innovation to Georgia-Pacific’s consumer products division. He developed a large-scale analysis and reporting tool to assist building owners and managers in forecasting product usage, reporting availability and planning work shifts according to peak usage times. Georgia-Pacific is pioneering new software-based analytic services using Wolfram Language-based technology, and Kanze’s work has identified key areas where this technology can be used to enhance performance and analysis.