Faculty Frontiers Seminar

Faculty Frontiers is a seminar series that invites professors to present their research areas to students. It offers an engaging platform for students to explore diverse academic fields, learn about cutting-edge research, and interact with faculty members. The series aims to inspire curiosity, foster interdisciplinary connections, and enhance students’ understanding of various disciplines. This will be a monthly seminar.

Date and Time (China standard time): Friday, Oct 31, 10:30 am – 11:30 am

Location: WDR 1007

Zoom: 610 581 1266

Title: An Invitation to Mathematical Data Science

Speaker: Dr. Dongmian Zou (Duke Kunshan University)

Abstract: 

In this talk, I will share some of my “puzzle pieces” in mathematical data science: projects and ideas that connect mathematical ideas to real data problems, many of which have involved DKU students. We’ll explore how concepts such as Manifolds, Embeddings, Optimal Transport, and Wavelets (MEOW!) come together to build robust and interpretable learning systems. Along the way, I’ll highlight how mathematical thinking shapes modern data science, and I warmly invite everyone to join an open and informal discussion.

Bio: 

Dongmian Zou has a B.Sc. (First Honour) in Mathematics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2012) and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Maryland, College Park (2017). Before joining DKU, he served as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities from 2017 to 2020. He is interested in mathematical aspects of data science. His primary research is in the intersection among applied harmonic analysis, machine learning and signal processing and focuses on representations in geometric deep learning and graph neural networks. He enjoys working with students. He loves cats and claims to outperform any neural networks at distinguishing cats from dogs.