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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Albert Luo, PhD, distinguished research professor in the School of Engineering’s (SOE) Department of Mechanical Engineering, is organizing a Conference Series on Nonlinear Science and Complexity to take place virtually November 23-25.

The conference series aims to present the fundamental and frontier theories and techniques for modern science and technology, and stimulate more research interest for exploration of nonlinear science and complexity. It presents an opportunity for acclaimed researchers like Luo to directly pass knowledge to the next generation of engineers and technologists in vital science fields.

Luo is a local organization chair for the online conference series, which has a 16-year history. He hopes the virtual format will prove successful and predicts it may serve as a new template for future conferences.

“COVID-19 cannot stop us from continuously working for our society and exchanging ideas with colleagues,” Luo said. “Through experience using Zoom to teach remotely, I immediately thought we should have an online conference rather than the standard onsite conference. Such an online conference resolves the puzzles caused by COVID-19. It reduces conference costs and traveling time, which is important for attendees. And, the virtual environment ensures older, established scientists can join in the exchange of ideas.”

Four awards are presented at the conference to distinguished scholars for lifetime and breakthrough achievements and to an outstanding young scholar, including the Lagrange Award, G.M. Zaslavsky Award, V. Afraimovich Award and the newly established C.S. Hsu Award.

At the November virtual conference, five top scientists from Italy, Spain and the United States will deliver plenary speeches for one-hour lectures. The series will feature 16 invited speakers from the Americas, Europe and Asia, including the United States, Russia, China, Portugal, France, Italy, Lithuania, Egypt, India, Iran and Brazil. Additionally, seven symposiums on Nonlinear Dynamics and Complexity will be included.

Topics of interest that will be emphasized during the conference series include nonlinear differential equations and applications, discontinuous dynamical systems and control, neurodynamics and brain dynamics, social dynamics and complexity, switching systems with impulses, and more.

“My passion in mechanical engineering is to develop more accurate theories of mechanical systems for better descriptions and applications,” Luo explained. “In this conference, our research group will present the recent progress on ‘bifurcation trees of periodic motions to chaos in nonlinear mechanical systems.’”

Luo has achieved international recognition in his field with his theory of flow barrier vector fields. He has developed analytical solutions of periodic motions to chaos, which have been unsolved for 300 years. Colleagues credit him with developing methods of calculating chaotic motions, as well as pioneering theories of dynamic physical changes that were previously unexplained.

Luo achieved SIUE’s highest academic rank of Distinguished Research Professor in 2014 in recognition of his outstanding and sustained contributions to research. He exemplifies the University’s teacher-scholar model, and is known for instilling in students “confidence, motivation and respect for learning to match his own deep respect for education.”

For more information on the conference and to register, visit ndc.lhscientificpublishing.com.

Photo: SIUE’s Albert Luo, PhD, is organizing a virtual international conference series.