Cookies Policy
The website need some cookies and similar means to function. If you permit us, we will use those means to collect data on your visits for aggregated statistics to improve our service. Find out More
Accept Reject
  • Menu
About

About

Alberto A. Pinto is a full professor at the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (Portugal). He is a researcher at the Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support, Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering LIAAD, INESC TEC. He is the founder and co-editor-in-chief (with michel benaim) of the Journal of Dynamics and Games, published by the American Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). He was the President of International Center for Mathematics (CIM) from 2011 to 2016. Since 2016 he is President of the General Assembly of CIM.

Alberto A. Pinto worked with David Rand at the University of Warwick, UK, on his master's thesis (1989) that studied the work of Feigenbaum and Sullivan on scaling functions and he went on to a PhD (1991) on the universality features of other classes of maps that form the boundary between order and chaos.

During this time Alberto A. Pinto met a number of the leaders in dynamical systems, notably Dennis Sullivan and Mauricio Peixoto, and this had a great impact on his career. As a result he and his collaborators have made many important contributions to the study of the fine-scale structure of dynamical systems and this has appeared in leading journals and in his book "Fine Structures of Hyperbolic Diffeomorphisms" (2010) coauthored with Flávio Ferreira and David Rand.

While a postdoc with Dennis Sullivan at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York he met Edson de Faria and through Mauricio Peixoto he got in contact with Welington de Melo. With de Melo he proved the rigidity of smooth unimodal maps in the boundary between chaos and order extending the work of MacMullen. Furthermore, de Faria, de Melo and Alberto A. Pinto proved the conjecture raised in 1978 in the work of Feigenbaum and Coullet-Tresser which the characterizes the period-doubling boundary between chaos and order for unimodal maps. This appeared in the research article “Global Hyperbolicity of Renormalization for Smooth Unimodal Mappings” published at the journal Annals of Mathematics (2006) and was based in particular in the previous works of Sandy Davie, Dennis Sullivan, Curtis McMullen and Mikhail Lyubich.

Since then Alberto Pinto has branched out into more applied areas. He has contributed across a remarkably broad area of science including optics, game theory and mathematical economics, finance, immunology, epidemiology, and climate and energy. In these applied areas, he has published widely overpassing more than one hundred scientific articles. He edited two volumes, with Mauricio Peixoto and David Rand, untitled “Dynamics and Games I and II” (2011). These two volumes initiated the new Springer Proceedings in Mathematics series. He edited with David Zilberman the volume untitled “Optimization, Dynamics, Modeling and Bioeconomy I” (2015) that also appeared at Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics series. While President of CIM, with Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Rolf Jeltsch and Marcelo Viana, he edited the books "Dynamics, Games and Science" and "Mathematics of Planet Earth" that initiated the "CIM Series in Mathematical Sciences", published by Springer-Verlag. He edited, with J. F. Oliveira and J. P. Almeida, the book "Operational Research", published by Springer-Verlag at the CIM Series in Mathematical Sciences". he edited, with Lluís Alsedà, Jim Cushing and Saber Elaydi, the book "Difference Equations, Discrete Dynamical Systems and Applications", published at the Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics. He published, with Elvio Accinelli Gamba, Athanasios N. Yannacopoulos and Carlos Hervés-Beloso, the book "Trends in Mathematical Economics", published by Springer-Verlag.

Alberto A. Pinto with Michel Benaim founded the Journal of Dynamics and Games (2014) of the American Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and currently they are the editors-in-chief of the journal. He has also increasingly taken on important administrative tasks. He was a member of the steering committee of Prodyn at the European Science Foundation (1999-2001). He was the executive coordinator (2009-2010) of the Scientific Council of Exact Sciences and Engineering at the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.

Interest
Topics
Details

Details

  • Name

    Alberto Pinto
  • Role

    Research Coordinator
  • Since

    01st May 2011
003
Publications

2025

A Novel MCDM Approach to Integrating Human Factors into Evacuation Models: Enhancing Emergency Preparedness for Vulnerable Populations

Authors
Reyes-Norambuena, P; Martinez-Torres, J; Pinto, AA; Yazdi, AK; Hanne, T;

Publication
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL

Abstract
This research determines how to integrate factors related to evacuation in emergency preparedness using techniques for Multicriteria Decision-Making (MCDM). A distinctive MCDM technique that incorporates human behavior into evacuation models enhances decision-making and safety during emergencies, especially in vulnerable populations. For this purpose, a hybrid combination of MCDM methods-CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC), Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS)-is used to rank the vulnerability of Chilean regions by considering various factors. First, the related factors are ranked by CRITIC, and the result is that the psychosocial problem factor has the highest priority and weight. Then, according to the hybrid methods and CRITIC, all regions of Chile are ranked first with TOPSIS, WASPAS, and a combination of them to determine which one has the highest priority. The results show that the Santiago Metropolitan Region has the highest priority for vulnerability in all three methods.

2025

Striking a balance: navigating the trade-offs between predictive accuracy and interpretability in machine learning models

Authors
Arantes, M; González Manteiga, W; Torres, J; Pinto, A;

Publication
ELECTRONIC RESEARCH ARCHIVE

Abstract
Sales forecasting is very important in retail management. It helps with decisions about inventory, staffing, and planning promotions. In this study, we looked at how to balance the accuracy of predictions with how easy it is to understand the machine learning models used in sales forecasting. We used public data from Rossmann stores to study various factors like promotions, holidays, and store features that affect daily sales. We compared a complex, highly accurate model (XGBoost) with simpler, easier-to-understand linear regression models. To find a middle ground, we created a hybrid model called LR XGBoost. This model changes a linear regression model to match the predictions of XGBoost. The hybrid model keeps the strong predictive power of complex models but makes the results easier to understand, which is important for making decisions in retail. Our study shows that our hybrid model offers a good balance, providing reliable sales forecasts with more transparency than standard linear regression. This makes it a valuable tool for retail managers who need accurate forecasts and a clear understanding of what influences sales. The model’s consistent performance across datasets also suggests it can be used in various retail settings to improve efficiency and help with strategic decisions. © 2025 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)

2025

A Statistical Duality for Random Matching of Agents

Authors
Yannacopoulos, A; Oliveira, B; Ferreira, M; Martins, J; Pinto, A;

Publication
MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES

Abstract
We propose a statistical duality among the preferences and endowments of the agents. Under this duality, the logarithmic prices of random trades among agents in a decentralized economy converge in expectation to the logarithm of the Walrasian equilibrium price in a centralized economy.

2025

The Application of Machine Learning and Deep Learning with a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Pedestrian Modeling: A Systematic Literature Review (1999-2023)

Authors
Reyes-Norambuena, P; Pinto, AA; Martínez, J; Yazdi, AK; Tan, Y;

Publication
SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract
Among transportation researchers, pedestrian issues are highly significant, and various solutions have been proposed to address these challenges. These approaches include Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and machine learning (ML) techniques, often categorized into two primary types. While previous studies have addressed diverse methods and transportation issues, this research integrates pedestrian modeling with MCDA and ML approaches. This paper examines how MCDA and ML can be combined to enhance decision-making in pedestrian dynamics. Drawing on a review of 1574 papers published from 1999 to 2023, this study identifies prevalent themes and methodologies in MCDA, ML, and pedestrian modeling. The MCDA methods are categorized into weighting and ranking techniques, with an emphasis on their application to complex transportation challenges involving both qualitative and quantitative criteria. The findings suggest that hybrid MCDA algorithms can effectively evaluate ML performance, addressing the limitations of traditional methods. By synthesizing the insights from the existing literature, this review outlines key methodologies and provides a roadmap for future research in integrating MCDA and ML in pedestrian dynamics. This research aims to deepen the understanding of how informed decision-making can enhance urban environments and improve pedestrian safety.

2025

Barrett's paradox of cooperation in the case of quasi-linear utilities

Authors
Accinelli, E; Afsar, A; Martins, F; Martins, J; Oliveira, BMPM; Oviedo, J; Pinto, AA; Quintas, L;

Publication
MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES

Abstract
This paper fits in the theory of international agreements by studying the success of stable coalitions of agents seeking the preservation of a public good. Extending Baliga and Maskin, we consider a model of N homogeneous agents with quasi-linear utilities of the form u(j) (r(j); r) = r(alpha) - r(j), where r is the aggregate contribution and the exponent alpha is the elasticity of the gross utility. When the value of the elasticity alpha increases in its natural range (0, 1), we prove the following five main results in the formation of stable coalitions: (i) the gap of cooperation, characterized as the ratio of the welfare of the grand coalition to the welfare of the competitive singleton coalition grows to infinity, which we interpret as a measure of the urge or need to save the public good; (ii) the size of stable coalitions increases from 1 up to N; (iii) the ratio of the welfare of stable coalitions to the welfare of the competitive singleton coalition grows to infinity; (iv) the ratio of the welfare of stable coalitions to the welfare of the grand coalition decreases (a lot), up to when the number of members of the stable coalition is approximately N/e and after that it increases (a lot); and (v) the growth of stable coalitions occurs with a much greater loss of the coalition members when compared with free-riders. Result (v) has two major drawbacks: (a) A priori, it is difficult to convince agents to be members of the stable coalition and (b) together with results (i) and (iv), it explains and leads to the pessimistic Barrett's paradox of cooperation, even in a case not much considered in the literature: The ratio of the welfare of the stable coalitions against the welfare of the grand coalition is small, even in the extreme case where there are few (or a single) free-riders and the gap of cooperation is large. Optimistically, result (iii) shows that stable coalitions do much better than the competitive singleton coalition. Furthermore, result (ii) proves that the paradox of cooperation is resolved for larger values of.. so that the grand coalition is stabilized.