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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 177 study-work contracts with  over 60 local businesses. To see how it developed, read this first lustrum report of January 2019. Shortly before, in November 2018, we were awarded Two Silver Reimagine Education Awards on this project, out of nearly 1200 international applications.
Within the research team Games, I mainly focus on (Evolutionary) Dynamic Game Theory, with applications in Economics, Biology and Oncology. Most notably, we organized a Lorenz Workshop Understanding Cancer through Evolutionary Game Theory at the Lorentz Center in Leiden, January 2018.
In the summer of 2016 we hosted GAMES 2016, the 5-th World Conference of the Game Theory Society, and EC’16, the 17th ACM Conference on Economics and Computation, that were held simultaneously at Maastricht. The total number of participants was close to 900. These pictures may tell more than words.
Over the years, I have been teaching many courses on a wide diversity of topics from Mathematics with an emphasis on the fields of Operations Research and (Dynamic) Game Theory.
September 2015 I had a short interview on Alan Turing at local radio L1 (in Dutch; from 12:15 to 12:20 in this fragment).
February 2016 the KE@Work program was discussed at Zuid-Limburg.nl (in Dutch).
December 2016 an interview on our bachelor program was published in the magazine DecaZine (in Dutch).
July 2017 I had a short interview on KE@Work for Dutch national Radio 1, it is fragment 2 at Langs de Lijn.
May 2018 the KE@Work program was discussed in Maastricht University newspaper Observant (in Dutch).
September 2018, Ionica Smeets wrote a nice column for the Volkskrant based on a talk I gave.
January 2019, Gerhard Weiss and me were interviewed on “Solid”, the new project by Tim Berners-Lee to return ownership of data back to the people.
March 2019, together with Dieudonnée van de Willige and Mieke Derickx I co-organized the exhibitions Women of Mathematics throughout Europe and Math/Maastricht at Maastricht University.
In October 2019, I presented the KE@Work example during a roundtable on Industry Academia Collaboration  at The India-Netherlands Technology Summit 2019.
In November 2019 we hosted at DKE a work visit by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on AI and KE@Work.
In December 2019 we founded the Mathematics Centre Maastricht (MCM).
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).

Research Theme:
Dynamic Game Theory
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:

  • 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.
  • P. Bayer, P.J.J. Herings, R.J.A.P. Peeters, F. Thuijsman (2019): Adaptive learning in weighted network games. Coalition Theory Network, Series: From Theory to Application, 26.2019, (hyperlink).
  • P. Bayer, P.J.J. Herings, R.J.A.P. Peeters, F. Thuijsman (2019): Adaptive learning in weighted network games. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2019.06.004.
  • L. You, M. von Knobloch, T. Lopez, V. Peschen, S. Radcliffe, P.K. Sam, F. Thuijsman, K. Stankova, J.S. Brown (2019): Including blood vasculature into a game theoretic model of cancer dynamics. Games, 10, 13, DOI: 10.3390/g10010013.
  • L. You, J.S. Brown, F. Thuijsman, J.J. Cunningham, R.A. Gatenby, J. Zhang, K. Stankova (2017): Spatial vs. non-spatial eco-evolutionary dynamics in a tumor growth model. Journal of Theoretical Biology 435, 78-97, DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.08.022.
  • K. Schüller, K. Stankova, F. Thuijsman (2017): Game theory of pollution: national policies and their international effects. Games 8, 30, DOI: 10.3390/g8030030.
  • F. Thuijsman & F. Wagener eds (2016): Advances in Dynamic and Evolutionary Games: Theory, Applications, and Numerical Methods, Springer, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-28014-1.
  • M. Abrudan, L You, K.Stankova, F. Thuijsman (2016): A game theoretical approach to microbial coexistence. In: F. Thuijsman & F. Wagener (eds.), Advances in Dynamic and Evolutionary Games: Theory, Applications, and Numerical Methods, Springer, pp 267-282.
  • A. Khan, R. Peeters, F. Thuijsman, P. Uyttendaele (2016): Network Characteristics enabling Efficient Coordination: A Simulation Study. Dynamic Games and Applications 6, 495-519, DOI: 10.1007/s13235-015-0169-8 (pdf).
  • K. Berg, J. Flesch, F. Thuijsman (2015): The Golden and Silver Ratios in Bargaining. The Fibonacci Quarterly 53, 130-134 (pdf).
  • P. Uyttendaele, F. Thuijsman (2015): Evolutionary Games and Local Dynamics. International Game Theory Review 17, pp15400, DOI: 10.1142/S0219198915400162. (pdf).

Papers in progress:

  • A. Khan, M. ten Thij, F. Thuijsman, A. Wilbik: Using the nucleolus for incentive allocation in vertical federated learning.
  • 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:

  • 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.
  • 2019-11-29: KE@Work. Work visit EZK. Maastricht University.
  • 2019-11-28: KE@Work. VSNU meeting Make IT in the Netherlands. Utrecht.
  • 2019-10-16: KE@Work and Talent Development. Industry Academia Collaboration: Bridging Industry – Academia Gap: Challenges and Expectations, DST CII, India-Netherlands Technology Summit, New Delhi.
  • 2019-09-17: KE@Work. VSNU meeting Make IT in the Netherlands. Maastricht University.
  • 2019-09-13: Knappe Koppen. Presentation at the Dutch Final of the Mathematics Olympiad, Eindhoven University of Technology.
  • 2019-03-28: Matching Bees and Flowers. Student Association Incognito, Maastricht University.
  • 2019-01-21: Evolutionary Game Theory and Studies on Cancer. Münster Graduate School of Evolution.
  • 2018-11-01: Introduction to Game Theory. Studium Generale Lecture Series on Game Theory, part 1 of 4, Maastricht University.
  • 2018-08-27: Math, Mind and Marriage Problems. Celebrating Mathematics, Eindhoven University of Technology.
  • 2018-07-10: Experimenting with Spatial Assumptions in Evolutionary Games. 18th International Symposium on Dynamic Games and Applications, Grenoble Alpes University.
  • 2018-04-12: John Nash en andere Beautiful Minds. Eerste wiskundesymposium Fontys Lerarenopleiding, Sittard.
  • 2017-11-01: Why do people like abstract art? TAOP – I Am A Painter, Theater aan het Vrijthof, Maastricht (presentation).
  • 2017-04-13: Banen van de Toekomst. Human Capital Agenda ICT, Kick-off Meeting at Brightlands Smart Services Campus, Heerlen.
  • 2017-04-06: Paset & Maastricht University, Scouting for Cooperation. 4th PASET Forum on Partnerships and Innovation for Skills Development in Africa, Nairobi (invited by Worldbank).
  • 2017-03-31: Data Science at DKE. Think Tank Meeting, Institute for Data Science, UM.
  • 2016-09-27: Speltheorie. Bernardinuscollege, Heerlen (presentation).
  • 2016-05-31: KnowledgeEngineering@Work – studie en werk in het data science tijdperk. Expert Meeting Human Capital Agenda ICT, Maastricht.
  • 2016-04-07: KnowledgeEngineering@Work – A Triple Win for Businesses, Universities and Students. Maastricht (presentation).
  • 2016-03-01: Alan Turing, the Imitation Game and Big Data. Rotary Sint-Truiden (presentation).
  • 2016-02-25: KnowledgeEngineering@Work – A Triple Win for Businesses, Universities and Students. University Business Forum, Vienna (presentation).
  • 2016-02-05: Speltheorie en A Beautiful Mind, Nationale Wiskunde Dagen, Noordwijkerhout (presentation 12 Mb).
  • 2015-12-02: Totally Flipped Mathematics, Experience Day Knowledge Engineering, Maastricht University (presentation).
  • 2015-11-25: Turing, Machines and the Imitation Game. DKE Lunch Seminar, Maastricht University (presentation).
  • 2015-09-12: Turing, Machines and the Imitation Game. Parcours of Art and Science, Maastricht University (presentation available on request).
  • 2015-06-18: Evolutionary Stochastic Games. International Conference on Game Theory; Honoring Abraham Neyman’s Scientific Achievements, Jerusalem (presentation, remark: this 4 Mb pdf contains a few movies and your computer is likely to ask your permission before playing these).
  • 2015-05-20: Evolutionary Dynamics and Local Competition. Manchester Workshop on Evolution, Economics and Computation, University of Manchester, United Kingdom (invited presentation available on request).

Recent students:

  • 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.
  • MSc: Francesco Gibellini (2019): Performance Analysis of Reinforcement Learned Traffic Controllers, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Indra Gesink (2019): Mathematical Modeling for Adaptive Cancer Treatment, thesis Maastricht University.
  • PhD: Péter Bayer (2019): Public Goods games in Networks and in Tumors, Maastricht University.
  • PhD: Li You (2018): Spatial and Nonspatial Evolutionary Games and their Applications, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Koen Turnhout (2016): Development of a Robust and Adaptive Model for Optimizing the Detection Strategies against People-Smugglers in the Mediterranean Sea, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Willem Knippenberg (2016): Planning Anti-Submarine Warfare using Partially Observable Markov Games, thesis Maastricht University.
  • MSc: Koen Turnhout (2016): Topics in Defence Planning, internship at NATO Communications and Information Agency.
  • MSc: Julia Sauer (2015): Single Vehicle Routing Problem with Deliveries and Selective Pickups, thesis Maastricht University.
  • BSc: Janneke Mes (2015): Stable Matching with Unstable Preferences, thesis Maastricht University.

Courses in 2022/2023:

  • Game Theory (Maastricht, BSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence)
  • Dynamic Game Theory (Maastricht, MSc Data Science for Decision Making)
  • Noncooperative Game Theory (Utrecht, PhD LNMB)

Prizes:

  • Winner 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.
  • Teaching Prize (Lehrprämie) from the FH Aachen 2013.
  • Winner Idea Competition Maastricht Instruments 2012.

My Erdös number is 3