Group Members

Current PhD students

• Fakhira Rifanti Maulana, Wetsus and Wageningen University, since Dec. 2024.
  Co-supervising with: Prof. Karel Keesman and Dr. Martijn Wagterveld (Wetsus)
  Research topic: “Real-time monitoring of surface and soil water quality for sustainable agricultural practices”

• Yaling Zhang, Wageningen University and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), since Dec. 2024.
  Co-supervising with: Prof. Xiuliang Jin (CAAS)
  Research topic: “Predict and Enhance Water Productivity of Maize: Integrating AI with Process-Based Growth Models”

• Shang Wang, Wageningen University, since June 2023.
  Co-supervising with: Prof. Peter van Heijster
  Research topic: “Efficient Control and Monitoring through Dimensionality Reduction Methods”

• Yangming Dou, University of Groningen, since Jan. 2023.
  Co-supervising with: Prof. Jacquelien M.A. Scherpen
  Research topic: “Model reduction for nonlinear network systems”

Visiting Scholars and Students

• Xianxian Zhao, Researcher at School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, From Jan. 2025
  Research topic: “modelling and control of power systems”

• Haojin Li, PhD student at Department of Mathematics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai, From Dec. 2023 to Dec. 2024
  Research topic: “Distributed Time-Varying Optimization”

Master students

• Ella Hoogendoorn, Leiden University, since Dec. 2023.
  Co-supervising with: Sjoerd Boersma and Kees Wisse (DWA)
  Research topic: “Thermodynamic Modeling of a Multi-Zone Building”

• Alessandro Zarfati, Leiden University, defenced in Nov. 2023
  Co-supervising with: Congcong Sun and Andre Aarnink
  Research topic: “A Step-by-Step Framework for Pig House Climate Control: From Environment Modeling to Reinforcement Learning”

• Weizheng Pei, Wageningen University, defenced in August 2023
  Co-supervised with: Desalegn Etalo
  Research topic: “Machine Learning Models for Predicting Fusarium Incidence from High-Dimensional Soil Microbial Data”

• Shuwen Zheng, Leiden University, graduated in Sept. 2023
  Co-supervised with: Congcong Sun
  Research topic: “Deep Reinforcement Learning for Ventilation System Control in Pig Buildings”

• Fakhira Rifanti Maulana, Wageningen University, defenced in July 2023
  Co-supervised with: Sjoerd Boersma
  Research topic: “System Identification of a Greenhouse Crop Model using the Physics-Informed SINDy-PI Machine Learning Algorithm”

PhD and Master students before 2022

• Shengling Shi, Eindhoven University of Technology, Jan. 2019 to Sept. 2021.
  Co-supervising with: Prof. Paul M.J. Van den Hof
  Thesis topic: “Topological Aspects of Linear Dynamic Networks: Identifiability and Identification”.

• Giovanni Pugliese Carratelli, PhD student at the University of Cambridge, since Dec. 2020.
  Supervisor: Prof. Ioannis Lestas
  Thesis topic: “Stochastic optimal control of epidemic processes”.

• Mayukh Samanta, master student at Eindhoven University of Technology, from June. 2020 to April 2021.
  Supervisor: Prof. Siep Weiland
  Master project: “Clustering based model reduction method for interconnected port- Hamiltonian systems”.

• Yijun Luo, master student at Eindhoven University of Technology, from April. 2020 to Sept. 2020.
  Supervisor: Prof. Siep Weiland
  Internship project: “Reinforcement Learning in Complex Network Systems using Model Reduction Techniques”.

• Ilse Attema, bachelor student at University of Groningen, in 2018 .
  Supervisor: Prof. Jacquelien M.A. Scherpen
  Bachelor thesis: “Fast simulation of integrated circuits using balanced truncation and low-rank approximation”.

• Emma Gort, master student at University of Groningen in 2017.
  Supervisors: Prof. Jacquelien M.A. Scherpen and Prof. Bayu Jawardhana
  Master thesis: “Reduced modeling of power grid dynamics using moment matching”.

• Benjamin Wentink, bachelor student at University of Groningen, in 2017.
  Supervisor: Prof. Jacquelien M.A. Scherpen.
  Bachelor thesis: “Balanced truncation of complex electrical networks using Penzl algorithm”.