On the evening of June 27, 2026, the Mathematical Modeling Problem Lecture Series was successfully held online via Tencent Meeting (Meeting ID: 275 193 972). At the invitation of the organizing institution, three distinguished scholars delivered consecutive academic lectures. The speakers were Professor Wenhua Li (Grade II Professor) from the School of Mathematics and Statistics, Zhengzhou University; Professor Xingong Zhang, a postdoctoral fellow and doctoral supervisor; and Professor Wei Wang from the School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xi'an Jiaotong University. Covering scheduling theory, mathematical modeling applications, and graph theory with combinatorial optimization algorithms, the series drew wide participation from faculty members and students across related disciplines, fostering a rich academic atmosphere.                           

The first lecture, entitled The Order of Time: The Science Behind Everything's Scheduling, was delivered by Professor Wenhua Li. Scheduling theory is an important branch of operations research and combinatorial optimization, with significant theoretical value and broad application prospects. Scheduling is a decision-making process that allocates jobs and machines over time under constraints to optimize certain objectives. Starting from everyday scheduling examples, Professor Li introduced the models, algorithms, and applications of scheduling and sequencing, revealing the hidden science that surrounds us yet rarely draws our attention. As a core discipline of operations research, scheduling theory permeates various fields such as manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and computer science, providing essential theoretical support for improving production efficiency and resource allocation.

Weaving classical problem backgrounds together with cutting-edge progress, Professor Li elucidated not only the intrinsic mathematical logic behind core conclusions, but also the applied value of relevant theories in interdisciplinary scenarios. At the end of his talk, he shared his insights into future trends in scheduling research, and outlined multiple promising directions for early-career scholars to explore in depth. In the Q&A session, participating faculty and students actively raised questions on the derivation details of key algorithms, technical pathways of frontier research, and entry points for newcomers to the field. Professor Li responded to each query with thorough and in-depth explanations, providing targeted guidance for the audience's academic doubts.                      

The second session featured Professor Xingong Zhang's report entitled Viewing the World Through Mathematics — From the Utility of Mathematics to Mathematical Modeling. Focusing on the interdisciplinary integration of mathematics and real-world applications, the report drew broad attention from teachers and students with backgrounds in mathematics, engineering, and related disciplines.

Mathematical thinking permeates every stage of real-world problem solving and data analysis. With the explosive growth of information technology in recent years, applying mathematical methods to extract core insights from massive, complex datasets has emerged as a pivotal challenge at the intersection of mathematics and practical applications. Starting from practical cases such as the golden section optimization method for daily cooking and the polar code mathematical theory that underpins Huawei's 5G communication core, Professor Zhang systematically illustrated the diverse values of mathematics. He demonstrated how the Lorenz chaos equation reveals the meteorological "butterfly effect," how the Volterra equation analyzes ecological population patterns, and how Bayesian algorithms empower artificial intelligence recognition and medical probability calculations.

Alongside introducing specific application cases, Professor Zhang offered an in-depth analysis of the five-step standardized workflow of mathematical modeling: analysis, hypothesis, modeling, simulation, and verification. Using dengue fever prevention and control as a practical case study, he demonstrated the construction of a human-mosquito coupled transmission model. Through simulation comparisons of different prevention and control measures, he quantitatively proved that the combination of comprehensive mosquito eradication and personal protection is the optimal epidemic prevention strategy. During the Q&A session, faculty and students raised targeted questions on the technical details of mathematical modeling, methodologies for interdisciplinary research, and career development paths in applied mathematics. Professor Zhang responded to each question patiently and meticulously, sharing hands-on experience from his long-standing interdisciplinary research work.

The final lecture, entitled Graph Theory and Combinatorial Optimization Algorithms: An Informal Discussion, was given by Professor Wei Wang, focusing on the foundations and frontiers of graph theory and combinatorial optimization. The session was attended by numerous faculty members and graduate students specializing in graph theory and related directions.

With the rapid development of computer and information technology, the theoretical and applied value of discrete mathematics has become increasingly prominent. In this lecture, Professor Wang introduced some fundamental and core contents of graph theory and combinatorial optimization algorithms, aiming to stimulate interest in this branch of mathematics. He explained that graph theory, as a core branch of discrete mathematics, underpins a broad spectrum of fields including combinatorial optimization, algorithm design, and theoretical computer science. Among its numerous research directions, graph spectral theory and approximation algorithms stand as two long-standing, highly influential strands with profound theoretical significance and practical value.

Professor Wang further introduced his research achievements in algebraic graph theory and combinatorial optimization. In the study of graph spectral theory, he has made original contributions to the generalized spectral characterization problem of graphs. In the field of combinatorial optimization, he has designed excellent approximation algorithms for several NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems. His work has been published in top journals such as J. Combin. Theory, Ser. B, European J. Combin., and the IEEE/ACM Transactions series. To conclude the lecture, he extended the discussion to related open problems in the field, and presented promising research directions for young scholars. After the lecture, attending teachers and students held in-depth exchanges with Professor Wang on key proof techniques in graph theory, generalization approaches for combinatorial optimization algorithms, and research directions for early-career researchers, with lively and engaging discussions.

This lecture series covered the full landscape of scheduling theory, mathematical modeling applications, and graph theory with combinatorial optimization. It enabled attendees to develop a more systematic and profound understanding of the theoretical foundations and cutting-edge progress in these fields, while demonstrating the research thinking and technical methodologies for tackling practical problems with mathematical tools.

The event delivered valuable academic inspiration for teachers and students engaged in related research, and broadened the academic horizons of all participants. The series of lectures was a complete success, receiving high praise from the participating faculty and students.