The UGC Operations Research program was held online once again on May 7 and May 25, 2026. The activity featured Associate Professor Gobhithaasan Rudrysammi from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as the guest speaker. Approximately 130 students participated in the sessions, which were conducted through a video conferencing platform.
During his presentation, the speaker introduced the fundamentals of Topological Data Analysis (TDA) and its relevance to operations research. Topological Data Analysis is an analytical approach that applies concepts from topology to uncover hidden structures and patterns within complex datasets. This method is considered highly relevant in addressing optimization and decision-making problems in operations research.
Throughout the sessions, participants were introduced to fundamental concepts such as simplicial complexes, persistence, and the interpretation of TDA results in practical applications. The speaker also presented several examples demonstrating how topological analysis can be connected to modeling approaches in operations research.
The sessions were conducted interactively, featuring an engaging discussion and question-and-answer segment between participants and the speaker. Several students took the opportunity to deepen their understanding of concepts that were not yet fully understood, particularly regarding the implementation of methods in case studies.
The organizers hope that this activity will broaden students’ perspectives on emerging analytical approaches, particularly in the field of operations research. In addition, the program is expected to introduce innovative methods that may be applied in future research.
Caption: Online implementation of the UGC Operations Research program featuring a speaker from USM Malaysia.
