Mathematics (ISSN: 2227-7390) is proud to present the winner of the Mathematics Best Paper Award— Prof. Dr. Ana Lazcano!

The following is a short interview with Prof. Dr. Ana Lazcano:

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?  Could you introduce your current research direction and provide an update on your progress?

I earned a PhD in artificial intelligence, with a research focus on the analysis and prediction of time series using neural networks—particularly hybrid models, data preprocessing techniques, and model explainability. I currently serve as Director of the Chair of Artificial Intelligence for the Global Common Good at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, where I also teach and lead the master’s program in machine learning and artificial intelligence.

My work also embraces a critical reflection on the ethical and social impact of AI, with a particular emphasis on promoting its responsible use for the global common good. In recent years, I have led projects aimed at bringing responsible AI practices closer to business environments, especially in the context of generative AI technologies.

2. Could you please briefly introduce the main content of the winning paper?

The publication focuses on a hybrid model that combines Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for the prediction of time series in the economic domain. The process involves transforming the time series into graphs to enable subsequent processing by both types of networks. The results outperformed existing approaches in the literature, introducing a novel methodology that captures temporal dependencies more efficiently.

3. Could you describe the difficulties and breakthrough innovations in this research field?

Currently, time series forecasting using AI-based predictive models is widely studied in the literature. However, major challenges remain in developing efficient techniques that reduce training times, allow the incorporation of new observations without retraining the model, and preserve temporal dependencies.

4. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? How was your experience submitting to Mathematics?

Mathematics has become a leading journal, recognized for its high-quality and interdisciplinary research. Moreover, its fast-processing times enable agile and efficient dissemination of scientific work.

5. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

Research in the field of time series will continue to advance toward more efficient processing of large volumes of observations, without compromising speed or energy consumption. At the same time, research in artificial intelligence will keep progressing in methodologies related to large language models (LLMs).

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

It is a pleasure to see more and more young people interested in generating knowledge. It is essential that they understand the importance of rigor in publications, avoid becoming dependent on large language models for scientific writing, and focus their efforts on developing new scientific knowledge.

7. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?

Certainly, I am profoundly grateful to those who encouraged me to enter the world of research. This paper is part of my doctoral thesis, the result of much effort and hard work, and I can never thank enough all those who stood by my side and continue to do so.

8. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?

It is essential to open research to all scientists who wish to access scientific output. The open access model enables easy, accessible, and free consultation of existing literature, which helps to increase production and train younger generations.