Ateneo math scholars broaden expertise via research visits in Germany

Following a productive stint at the 16th International Conference on Quasicrystals in Nancy, France, Ateneo Math’s Jim Ralphealo Mijares and Kurt Anthony de los Santos—both newly-minted MS Mathematics graduates and faculty members— embarked on a two-week research tour of Germany. Joined by their thesis adviser, Dr Eden Delight Miro, they spent one week each at Bielefeld University and Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg from 29 June to 13 July 2025.

Furthering Ateneo’s commitment to global collaboration, the trio spent the two weeks discussing with experts in aperiodic order. This relatively new and fascinating field of mathematics explores systems that look disordered up close, but reveal a hidden, well-organized structure when viewed from a broader perspective—like finding a perfect pattern in a puzzle you thought was a mess. These discussions provided a unique opportunity for them to not only learn about new advances but also gain a broader perspective on their field.

Bielefeld Stint

After an arduous nine-hour bus journey from Paris, France, the three researchers arrived in Bielefeld, a city in the northeast part of Germany.

Their visit to Bielefeld University was initiated by an invitation from Professor Michael Baake, a leading expert who, with the late Professor Uwe Grimm, co-authored what is widely considered the field's foundational textbook. This visit served as the perfect introduction of Mr de los Santos and Mr Mijares to the aperiodic theory community, as the university is known as one of the world's most active hubs for the field. It also allowed them to continue the conversations they started with some of Bielefeld colleagues at the conference in France just a week earlier.

In the fourth floor of Building U of Bielefeld University, in a room for guest scientists, the trio joined by members of the Bielefeld group worked through and tackled some of the recent developments and novel concepts. Using the boards and chalks, they collaborated, asked questions, and sought to deepen their understanding of the field. In between their discussions, they also gained insights from new research and interacted with other mathematicians through the weekly seminar of the research group and the seminars of the university’s Research Centre for Mathematical Modelling.

However, not everything in Bielefeld was all work. A significant part of the stint was also the social gatherings. Of note were the lunches at the Mensa, or cafeteria, in the university. All of the team will eat together at exactly 12:30 p.m., fetching each other on the way and engaging in stimulating conversation in front of schnitzel and spätzel, or whatever it is they cook up in that lunch. No summer trip to Bielefeld was complete without cold German beer and currywurst at Siegfriedplatz—a mandatory ritual at the team's favorite summer spot.

The visit was also a valuable opportunity for Mr. Mijares and Mr. de los Santos to personally experience the university's research culture and supportive community. This was particularly meaningful, as they had previously heard about it from their adviser, Dr. Miro, who was a former member of the research team during her post-doctoral studies and remains a frequent visitor to Bielefeld.

After a week in Bielefeld, they boarded the inter-city train for several hours and got to Erlangen.

Erlangen Stint

Situated about 420 kilometers south from Bielefeld, Erlangen is a region at the southeast part of Germany and is the home of the Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Under the invitation and sponsorship of the University via Professor Christoph Richard, the trio continued their research escapades in the university.

The discussions centered on the distribution of matter that diffracts. Professor Richard expertly led the trio through the topic, starting with fundamental concepts and key findings. By the end of the week, they had identified several research questions for future collaboration.

It was an incredibly fun and fruitful week of learning and discovery. For the Atenean researchers, that time seemed like a semester’s worth of learning all cramped into one dense week. The culmination of the week was a talk given by the three researchers in front of some interested members of the department.

Beyond the mathematics, the trio also experienced top-notch Franconian hospitality and camaraderie. Their daily commutes offered a glimpse into the dynamic and vibrant atmosphere of the university town, which is home to one of Germany's largest universities. 

One of the highlights of the week was when Dr Richard treated the trio for traditional Franconian grub as means of fellowship. He remarked how it was an honor to have three visitors from such a far away land, but the researchers replied that it was an equal honor to have been learning under his grasp.

Establishing new connections and strengthening existing ones

For nearly two decades, the research group led by Professor Michael Baake at Bielefeld University has had a well-established history of collaboration with Filipino researchers and students. This recent visit is part of an on-going larger collaborative initiative aimed to further strengthen this productive connection between Manila and Bielefeld and to establish a new one with Erlangen. 

After the two weeks of research visits in Bielefeld and Erlangen, along with the week-long conference in Nancy, France, not only were Mr Mijares and Mr de los Santos given the opportunity to meet with various experts in the theory of aperiodic order, but they were also able to learn about new perspectives and frameworks in their field of research.

Under the leadership of Dr Miro, the Ateneo Aperiodic Systems Laboratory continues to seek opportunities to expose emerging Filipino researchers like Mr de los Santos and Mr Mijares to the dynamic and recent fields of study in aperiodic order.