Probability, Networks and Algorithms
Head of this cluster: Rob van der Mei
Secretary of this cluster: Susanne van Dam
Phone: +31 (0)20 592 4189 Fax: +31 (0)20 592 4199
PNA (Probability, Networks and Algorithms) does fundamental research motivated by society. It finds its tools in a wide range of pure and applied mathematics and computer science. The main application areas are computer technology, security, telecommunication, logistics and transportation, but applications are also found in areas like the life sciences and the environment. The research covers all four strategic themes.
PNA1 - Algorithms, Combinatorics and Optimization
Group leader: Monique Laurent (M.Laurent@cwi.nl)
This group's fundamental research is motivated by real-world problems, arising for instance in production and transportation planning, routing, scheduling and timetabling, computational biology and network economics. The goal is to design efficient algorithms. This requires understanding and exploiting the mathematical structure of the problems and using tools and methods from various mathematical areas.
PNA2 - Probability and Stochastic Networks
Group leader: Bert Zwart (Bert.Zwart@cwi.nl )
Many real-life systems and processes are dynamic and essentially stochastic. Examples can be found in areas like communication and information systems, biology, economics and logistics. This group develops and studies stochastic and statistical models that yield fundamental understanding and enable control and optimization of such systems. Analysis of these models relies on techniques from fundamental probability theory, queueing theory, stochastic scheduling, spatial stochastics and stochastic geometry.
PNA5 - Cryptology
Group leader: Ronald Cramer (Ronald.Cramer@cwi.nl)
This group's work on the construction of practical cryptosystems as well as the work on cryptanalysis of popular much used systems is in line with the strong need for higher security in the ever expanding digital world. They also research fundamentally new ways to achieve security, including secure multi-party computation and quantum cryptography.
PNA6 - Algorithms and Complexity
Group leader: Harry Buhrman (Harry.Buhrman@cwi.nl)
