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In 2014, I initiated the KnowledgeEngineering@Work honors programme, the preparation of which was supported by Limburg Economic Development funding. KnowledgeEngineering@Work, KE@Work for short, is a new educational approach in which our very best BSc students in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (previously know as Knowledge Engineering) combine their study fifty/fifty with working on challenging tasks in nearby companies for the full second and third year of their bachelor. This program started in September 2014 and 2 years later we had our first 10 graduates. By now, we have signed 238 study-work contracts with  over 70 local businesses. 
In August 2020 I was the main speaker for the Summer School on Game Theory, organized by the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, with sessions in Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Please find an impression by two participants here.
In April 2021, a team consisting of Katerina Staňková, Ralf Peeters and me, was awarded funding through ‘Science communication by scientists: Appreciated!’ by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Read my science communication blog here (in Dutch).
In June 2023, the article KE@Work: Studying and Working at the Same Time featured in UMagazine. This online version appeared April 2024.
In January 2025, magazine De Ingenieur published a nice interview on our recently started PhD project on using AI in fighting digital crimes. 
In January 2025, this press message was released on our project to support Burundi University in developing bachelor programs in IT.
In January 2026, at the occasion of my valedictory lecture, I was awarded the Medallion of Honour of Maastricht University, as well as the very first Frank Thuijsman Award by the Faculty of Science and Engineering of Maastricht University. Please see this press release.

Research Theme:
Department of Advanced Computing Sciences
Maastricht University

Latest additions are listed below. More complete lists can be found by clicking the buttons on the left.

Present Activities:

Recent publications:

  • A. Khan, M. ten Thij, G. Tang, F. Thuijsman, A. Wilbik (2026). Fair incentive allocation in vertical federated learning using nucleolus. In: M. Salimi, A. Ahmadian (Eds.), Learning-Driven Game Theory for AI,  Morgan Kaufmann, pp. 79-93.
  • A. Khan, M. ten Thij, F. Thuijsman, A. Wilbik (2024): Using the nucleolus for incentive allocation in vertical federated learning. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Federated Learning Technologies and Applications (FLTA), IEEE, pp 224-231.
  • E. Boom, M. Mihalak, F. Thuijsman, M.H.M. Winands (2024): Scheduling an AGV in flow-shop with single job-type without buffers. In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Operations Research and Enterprise Systems – ICORES. SCITEPRESS, Vol. 1. pp. 325-332.
  • V. Ardévol Martinez, N.G. Laleh, M. Salvioli, F. Thuijsman, J.S. Brown, R. Cavill, J.N. Kather and K. Staňková (2022): Improving mathematical models of cancer by including resistance to therapy: a  study in non-small cell lung cancer. bioRxiv  DOI: 10.1101/2021.10.29.466444.
  • A. Tenev, P.J.J. Herings, R.J.A.P. Peeters, F. Thuijsman (2021): Naive imitation and partial cooperation in a local public goods model. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2021.07.025.
  • B. Wölfl, H. te Rietmole, M. Salvioli, F. Thuijsman, J.S. Brown, B. Burgering, K. Staňková (2021): The contribution of evolutionary game theory to understanding and treating cancer. Dynamic Games and Applications, DOI: 10.1007/s13235-021-00397-w.
  • J. Cunningham, F. Thuijsman, R. Peeters, Y. Viossat, J. Brown, R. Gatenby, K. Staňková (2020): Optimal control to reach eco-evolutionary stability in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. PloS One 15(12): e0243386.

Papers in progress:

  • H. Gimbert, F. Horn, F. Thuijsman: A cycle value for matrix games.
  • K. Schüller, J.S. Brown, R.L.M. Peeters, K. Staňková, F. Thuijsman: Spatial effects on sex type competition in annual plants.
  • L. You, K. Schüller, J.S. Brown, K. Staňková, F. Thuijsman: Spatial assumptions in evolutionary games: would discrete and continuous-space dynamics differ?
  • K. Schüller, O. Edhan, Z. Hellman, R.L.M. Peeters, F. Thuijsman: Evolutionary fitness optimization and robustness: sexual and asexual reproduction in dynamic environments.
  • K. Staňková, F. Thuijsman, R.A. Gatenby, J.S. Brown: Understanding cancer through evolutionary game theory.
  • P. Collins, F. Thuijsman: Interior-point methods for Markov games.

Recent presentations:

  • 2026-01-28: Industry – academia collaboration; a game theoretic approach. International Conference on Operations Research and Game Theory with Economic Applications, Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi.
  • 2026-01-16: Game over? Valedictory lecture, UM.
  • 25-03-13: Game Theory @ Work. Alumni Network UM, Köln.
  • 2024-11-12: AI at Work – Promises and Myths. Impact T&U Synergy Meet-Up. Brightlands Campus Venlo.
  • 2024-10-15: KE@Work – Een Win-Win-Win. Katapultdag, Utrecht.
  • 2024-05-28: Game Theory – from John von Neumann to Treatment of Cancer. Analysis and Probability Seminar, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg.
  • 2024-02-22: AI in Limburg, KE@Work. Young LWV meeting, Maastricht University.
  • 2023-06-27: KnowledgeEngineering@Work. IEEE Breaking Boundaries: Industry-Academia Workshop, Maastricht University.
  • 2023-05-25: Click on regional AI projects. Government of Limburg Province, Maastricht.
  • 2022-09-22: KE@Work. Brightlands Business Club, ECI Cultuurfabriek, Venlo.
  • 2022-05-19: Simulating Complex Evolutionary Dynamics. EvoGamesPlus Spring School, Delft University. 
  • 2022-04-07: The cycle Value for Matrix Games. GAMENET Workshop Current Trends in Graph and Stochastic Games. Maastricht University.
  • 2022-01-13: Introduction to Game Theory. 4th Studium Generale Lecture Series on Game Theory, part 1 of 5, Maastricht University.
  • 2020-09-08: Game Theory, from John von Neumann and John Nash to Treatment of Cancer. Meet your former lecturer, online UM Alumni Week, Maastricht.
  • 2020-08-29: Introduction to Dynamic Games. Summer School of the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, Academisch Genootschap, Eindhoven.
  • 2020-08-28: Introduction to Cooperative Games. Summer School of the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, Academisch Genootschap, Eindhoven.
  • 2020-08-28: Introduction to Non-Cooperative Games. Summer School of the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, Academisch Genootschap, Eindhoven.
  • 2020-08-22: Introduction to Dynamic Games. Summer School of the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Amsterdam.
  • 2020-08-21: Introduction to Cooperative Games. Summer School of the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Amsterdam.
  • 2020-08-21: Introduction to Non-Cooperative Games. Summer School of the Dutch Platform for Mathematics, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Amsterdam. 
  • 2020-02-07: On Balance, Challenge and Choice. Inaugural address, Maastricht University.
  • 2020-01-31: To Quit or not to Quit. Symposium in honor of Hans Peters. Maastricht University.
  • 2020-01-16: KE@Work. VSNU Conference on Internationalization. Venlo.

Recent students:

  • PhD: Spriha Joshi (forthcoming 2028): AI and Game Theory against Digital Crime, thesis Maastricht University.
  • BSc: Ana Godorogea (2024): Criteria Optimization in Kidney Exchange, thesis Maastricht University.
  • BSc: Nicolas Thiel (2024): Identifying Candidate Genes in Breast Cancer using Solution Concepts from Cooperative Game Theory, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Barbara Futyma (2023): Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium Outbreak Analysis & Prevention in the Maastricht University Medical Center, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Alisa Todorova (2023): Interactive Muli-Objective Path Planning Algorithm for Accessible Sidewalks, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Xenia Sterl (2023): Effects of Larval Connectivity to Nursery Areas on Population Dynamics and Persistence, thesis Maastricht University.   
  • BSc: Parand Mohri (2023): Evaluating Participant Contribution in Horizontal Federated Learning using Bankruptcy Problems, thesis Maastricht University. 
  • MSc: Maxime Duchateau (2022): Why Shapley? A Comparison of Cooperative Game Theory Solution Concepts for Explainable AI predictions, thesis Maastricht University.
  • BSc: Pascal Anema (2022): Examining the Role of Mutations in Evolutionary Fitness Optimization Performance, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Olivia Kirk (2022): Examining into NLcom’s Project Succes, internship at NLcom.
  • MSc: Carla Wrede (2021): Intention Recovery of Controlling Strategies by Means of Inverse Reinforcement Learning, thesis Maastricht University.
  • PhD: Jessica Reynolds (2021): Evolutionary Game Theory and Optimal Control for Integrated Metastatic Management of Prostate Cancer, thesis Maastricht University.
  • BSc: Nina Krommedijk (2021): Graph Theory tailored for Second-Grade Pre-University Students by the Use of an Online Learning Environment, thesis Maastricht University.
  • BSc: Valentin Röttgen (2021): Fitness of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction with Mutations in Dynamic Environments, thesis Maastricht University.
  • PhD: Anastas Tenev (2021): Essays on the Economics of Social Networks, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Virginia Ardévol Martínez (2021): Modelling Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer as a Stackelberg Evolutionary Game, internship at University Hospital RWTH Aachen.
  • BSc: Floor Hegge (2020): Optimizing Scheduling of Incentive Communication to Improve Workforce Scheduling in a Call Centre, thesis Maastricht University.
  • PhD: Katharina Schüller (2020): On Agent-Based Models of Sex, Plants and Sustainability, thesis Maastricht University.

Prizes:

  • Recipient of the Medallion of Honour, Maastricht University, 2026.
  • Recipient of the first Frank Thuijsman Award, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University, 2026. 
  • Recipient of two Silver Reimagine Education Awards with KE@Work in categories Best Employer-University Partnership and Engineering & IT, 2018.
  • Nominee Wynand Wijnen Education Prize, Maastricht University 2014, 2017, 2024.
  • Recipient of the Teaching Prize (Lehrprämie), FH Aachen 2013.
  • Winner Idea Competition Maastricht Instruments 2012.

My Erdös number is 3