Environmental Monitoring: An Exploratory Workshop

Hey there, dear readers!

I am thrilled to share with you my incredible experience participating in the “Environmental Monitoring: An Exploratory Workshop” event. It was an absolute honor to be invited to this captivating gathering held at the prestigious Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences (RAC) in Madrid. The workshop kicked off with a mesmerizing keynote speech delivered by none other than David Gómez-Ullate, the leader of our groundbreaking weather routing project. David eloquently highlighted the immense importance of addressing the ecological challenges in maritime transportation and emphasized the positive impact that optimizing navigation through meteorology can have on this transition.

As the event unfolded, I had the privilege of presenting our mathematical proposal for weather routing: the Hybrid Search (HS) algorithm. This remarkable algorithm tackles the formidable Zermelo’s Navigation Problem by combining optimal path search methods with variational refinement. Through real-world examples, the attendees were able to witness firsthand how the application of mathematics can greatly enhance navigation capabilities and facilitate the much-needed ecological transition in maritime transportation.

But the learning experience didn’t end there! The workshop also featured equally riveting talks by other brilliant individuals:

• José Enrique Gutiérrez captivated the audience with his insights into leveraging machine learning techniques to enhance ship performance and safety.
• Fernando Cañavate shared his groundbreaking research on training Hamiltonian neural networks to effectively dissipate energy in dynamic systems.
• My esteemed colleague, Rafael Ballester-Ripoll, introduced an innovative alternative solution for weather routing based on evolutionary algorithms and the elegant curves of Bézier.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to David Martin de Diego and Alexandre Anahory for extending their kind invitation to this event. My heartfelt appreciation goes to the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences (RAC) and Wimobo for providing a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration. Special thanks to the BBVA Foundation for their generous financial support. I also want to acknowledge the entire organizing committee, enthusiastic attendees, and my incredible colleagues for making the “Environmental Monitoring: An Exploratory Workshop” an unforgettable occasion. I eagerly anticipate future events that will further drive innovative contributions to the blue economy, as we explore new frontiers together.

Stay tuned for more updates and exciting endeavors!