Mathematical Modelling for Environmental Sustainability
Associate Prof. Dr. Teh Su Yean
School of Mathematical Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Mathematical modelling is an essential tool for gaining valuable insights into problems associated with environmental sustainability and for finding the possible solutions. In environmental sustainability studies, a combination of mechanistic and empirical approaches is often used to project the behaviour of the modelled system based upon known dynamics (mechanistic) and extensive data records (empirical). In our research studies, mechanistic models in combination with empirical models are often developed to address various needs of the university, country or industry. This talk will provide an overview of the past and recent modelling studies that we have conducted to address the impact of natural and anthropogenic activities on the environment and to propose mitigation or adaptation measures. We will demonstrate the application of quantitative methodology in support of sustainable management of the environment, focusing on water and coastal resources. The role of mathematical modelling in addressing the current Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia will also be discussed. The themes of the talk revolve around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDG3 (good health and wellbeing), SDG6 (clean water and sanitation), and SDG14 (life below water).
Associate Prof. Dr. Teh Su Yean
School of Mathematical Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Su Yean Teh received her Bachelor of Mathematics, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematical Modelling in 2004, 2005 and 2008 respectively, all from Universiti Sains Malaysia. In 2006, she was awarded the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowship to undertake research on “Management Modelling of Everglades Wetlands Hydrology and Ecosystems” at University of Miami, Florida, USA. Her research interests revolve around mathematical modelling with particular focus on computational simulation of real-life problems to provide insights and to suggest possible solutions. She works on various topics in ecosystem and environmental modelling, many of which were initiated and driven by the needs of the country or industry. She was invited on various occasions to visit University of Miami and Nanjing Forestry University under U. S. Geological Survey grants. She was also sponsored by ICTP to attend four workshops at Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) at Trieste, Italy and by Brown International Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI) at Brown University to participate in Climate Change and Its Impacts: Connecting Local Variability and Knowledge in a Global System. She was awarded the prestigious L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Malaysia Fellowship 2017 for her research on unifying STEM towards sustainable management of our coastal resources. She is currently an Associate Editor of Springer’s Hydrogeology Journal. She has published numerous articles, most notably in Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, Ecosystems, Ecological Modelling, Landscape Ecology, Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Hydrogeology Journal, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters and Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.
https://math.usm.my/index.php/academic-profile/186-teh-su-yean
https://sites.google.com/view/tehsuyean
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4404-661X