A k m a l A u l i a

Akmal currently is a 4th year PhD student in the SDSU-CGU Computational Science Program. He received a B. Eng. in Chemical Engineering from Institut Teknologi Bandung, and a PG Cert. (Postgraduate Certificate) in Information Technology (Information Systems) from Heriot-Watt University, UK.Akmal is a proud citizen of Indonesia. Some interests include computer graphics, visualizations, and graphic designs (expertise in Adobe Photoshop).

Akmal’s main research interests are image processing and machine learning. Currently, under the advisory of Dr. Sunil Kumar (SDSU Electrical Engineering) and Dr. Rajni Garg (SDSU Biochemistry), his research work involves the application of Evolutionary Computation and Artificial Intelligence in QSAR (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship) of HIV protease inhibitors. The research will have an impact in introducing new techniques to drug data mining, not only in the HIV area, but also the general bioinformatics which demand feature extraction/selection methodology. This research also serves as a bridge between the computer science and the biology/biochemistry arena. On the next phase, Akmal’s research will involve performing shape analysis on the ligand-virus interactions. This research is attempting to address how a chosen ligand will become effective in inhibiting the HIV protease, thus eventually inhibiting its reproductions.Before working with Dr. Sunil Kumar and Dr. Rajni Garg, he also had worked with Dr. Eric Frost (SDSU Geology, Calit2) and Dr. Peter Blomgren (SDSU Math) on the application of Level-Set Method on SeaWinds QuickScat; satellite data which contain information of wind speed profile on the ocean surface.