A UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Diliman professor has been elected president of the Southeast Asian Mathematical Society (SEAMS) for the 2026–2027 term.

Dr. Jose Ernie C. Lope, currently director of the UP Diliman Institute of Mathematics and former vice chancellor for community affairs (2018–2020), will officially assume office on January 1, 2026, serving until December 31, 2027.

Founded in 1972, SEAMS promotes mathematics education and fosters collaboration among mathematicians across Southeast Asia and the broader Asian region.

Dr. Lope specializes in partial differential equations, mathematical modeling, and the applications of mathematics in the life and physical sciences. He has mentored over 20 graduate students and received numerous honors, including the UP Scientist III title, the NRCP Achievement Award, and recognition from the National Academy of Science and Technology.

He earned his BS Mathematics degree (summa cum laude) from UP Diliman in 1994, followed by his MS and PhD in mathematics at Sophia University in Japan. He later completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Austria.