C U R R I C U L U M V I TA E : M AT T H I A S M O R Z F E L D
Department of Mathematics
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, 85721
Tel. 520-621 0673
mmo@math.arizona.edu
http://math.arizona.edu/⇠mmo
E D U C AT I O N
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
Technical University Darmstadt (Germany)
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Ph.D.
M.Sc.
B.Sc.
2011
2009
2007
POSITIONS
Assistant Professor
Visiting Professor
Postdoctoral Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow
RESEARCH
Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona
Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris (France)
Department of Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley
Mathematics Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2015–present
2013, 2014, 2016
2012–2015
2011–2012
INTERESTS
Broadly: interdisciplinary mathematical/stochastic modeling, Monte Carlo sampling, data assimilation, stochastic optimal control and reduced order modeling.
Specifically: numerical methods for data assimilation – importance/implicit sampling, variational methods,
Kalman filters, numerical analysis; data assimilation in applications – geomagnetism, atmospheric sciences and
oceanography, combustion, orbit determination; robotics and control – localization, simultaneous localization
and mapping (SLAM), path integral control.
T E AC H I N G
Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona
Semester
Course
Fall 2015
Math 125: Calculus 1
Math 559: Independent study
Website
http://math.arizona.edu/⇠mmo/math125/math125.html
Department of Mathematics, UC Berkeley:
Semester
Spring 2014
Course
Math 128b: Numerical Analysis
Website
http://math.arizona.edu/⇠mmo/math128b/math128b.html
Teaching assistant for the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Physics at UC Berkeley
(UCB), and for the Department of Electrical Engineering at TU Darmstadt (TUD):
Semester
Spring 2009
Fall 2008
Spring 2008
Fall 2007
Spring 2004
Course
Introductory Physics I
Introductory Physics I
Engineering Mechanics 2
Engineering Mechanics 2
Control Design for Mechatronic Systems
Department/Instructor (school)
Physics/Prof. A. Speliotopoulos (UCB)
Physics/Prof. R. Jacobsen (UCB)
Mech. Eng./Prof. F. Ma (UCB)
Mech. Eng./Prof. O. O’Reilly (UCB)
Elec. Eng./Prof. R. Isermann (TUD)
GRANTS
Co-Investigator (Lead-PI: John B. Bell). DOE Advanced Scientific Computing Research, 2014–2016. Combining Data and Simulation to Predict the Behavior of Complex Systems. Total Award: $2.4 M for three years.
U N D E R G R A D UAT E
A DV I S I N G A N D C O L L A B O R AT I O N W I T H G R A D UAT E S T U D E N T S
Christian Pangerl, Mathematics, University of Augsburg, Germany, two three month research visits.
Topic: implicit particle filtering in continuous time. Funded by German Academic Exchange
Fall 2014
Service (DAAD) through “PROMOS”.
Topic: filtering and control in robotics. Funded by DAAD through “Research Internships
Summer 2012
in Science and Engineering” (RISE).
Insoon Yang, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Berkeley.
Topic: path integral control. This led to a conference paper (see publications).
F E L L OW S H I P S
2013–2015
A N D AWA R D S
Robert F. Steidel Memorial Fund in Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley
Graduate Researcher Travel Grant, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, Graduate Division, UC Berkeley
Exceptional Prelim Award, Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley
Undergraduate Research Grant, DAAD
Undergraduate Research Travel Grant, DAAD
P RO F E S S I O NA L
2011
2010
2008
2008
2006–2007
2004–2005
AC T I V I T I E S
Conference/session organizer
American Geophysical Union, General Assembly:
Advances in Data Assimilation, Predictability and Uncertainty Quantification
Non-Gaussian/nonlinear techniques for data assimilation/fusion, predictability
and uncertainty quantification
Nonlinear/non-Gaussian aspects of data assimilation, data fusion and prediction
Particle methods in data assimilation
SIAM, Conference on Uncertainty Quantification:
Minisymposium on nonlinear methods in data assimilation
Seminar organizer
Berkeley Applied Mathematics Seminar (http://math.lbl.gov/ams)
All talks considered, Berkeley Postdoctoral Association (outreach)
The “Secret” Seminar, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2015
2014
2013
2012
2012
2012–2014
2012–2014
2010–2013
Journal reviewer
SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control,
Monthly Weather Review, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society,
Physica D, Applied Numerical Mathematics, Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics,
ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics,
ASME Journal of Dynamical Systems, Measurement, and Control,Ocean Dynamics,
Journal of Solid Mechanics, Journal of Sound and Vibration, Inverse Problems, Tellus,
International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics, Journal of Environmental Informatics,
Communications in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science.
Member of professional societies
American Geophysical Union
2010–present
INVITED
S E M I NA R S
ATMO Seminar Series, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona
2015
Program in Applied Mathematics Brown Bag Seminar, University of Arizona
Modeling and Computation Seminar, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona
Midwest Mathematics and Climate Conference, University of Kansas
Computational Science Postdoctoral Seminar, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Applied Mathematics Seminar, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona
Applied Mathematics Seminar, Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington
Uncertainty quantification Seminar, Sandia National Laboratories
Widely Applied Mathematics Seminar, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard
2014
Aerospace Computational Design Laboratory Seminar, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT
CIDER Workshop on Geomagnetic Prediction, Berkeley
CompFest, Stanford
Modeling and Computation Seminar, University of Arizona, Tuscon
Geomag Seminar, Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris (France)
Data Assimilation Seminar, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading (UK)
Hybrid Systems Seminar, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Berkeley
MSEAS Seminar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
2013
General Seminar, Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris (France)
Applied Mathematics Seminar, University of Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris V (France)
Lapack Seminar, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Berkeley
Meteorological Seminar, Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey
Department of Energy - Precision Medicine Interdisciplinary Workshop, San Francisco
2012
All talks considered, Berkeley Postdoctoral Association, UC Berkeley (outreach)
Bay Area Scientific Computing Day, Stanford
Seminar on the Physics of Oceans and Atmospheres, OSU Corvallis
Hybrid Systems Seminar, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, UC Berkeley
Applied Mathematics Seminar, UC Berkeley
2010
Applied Mechanics Seminar, TU Berlin (Germany)
Applied Mechanics Seminar, TU Hannover (Germany)
Applied Mechanics Seminar, TU Darmstadt (Germany)
Student/Postdoc Seminar, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
M AT T H I A S M O R Z F E L D , L I S T
AC C E P T E D / I N
O F P U B L I C AT I O N S
P R I N T J O U R NA L A RT I C L E S
A.J. Chorin, F. Lu, R.N. Miller, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, Sampling, feasibility, and priors in Bayesian
estimation, Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems, special issue in honor of Peter Lax, accpeted (2015).
J O U R NA L
P U B L I C AT I O N S
M. Morzfeld, Implicit sampling for path integral control, localization, and SLAM, ASME Journal of
Dynamical Systems, Measurement and Control 137, 051016-1 – 051016-14 (2015).
M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, J. Wilkening, and A.J. Chorin Implicit sampling for parameter estimation, Communications in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science 10(2), 205–225 (2015).
C. Snyder, T. Bengtsson and M. Morzfeld, Performance bounds for particle filters using the optimal
proposal, Monthly Weather Review 143, 4750 – 4761 (2015).
J. Goodman, K.K. Lin, and M. Morzfeld, Small-noise analysis and symmetrization of implicit Monte
Carlo samplers, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics, doi: 10.1002/cpa.21592 (2015).
F. Lu, M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, and A.J. Chorin, Limitations of polynomial chaos expansions in the Bayesian
solution of inverse problems, Journal of Computational Physics 282 138–147 (2015).
A.J. Chorin and M. Morzfeld, Conditions for successful data assimilation, Journal of Geophysical
Research: Atmospheres 118(20), 11522–11533 (2013).
E. Atkins, M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, and A.J. Chorin, Implicit particle methods and their connection with
variational data assimilation, Monthly Weather Review 141, 1786–1803 (2013).
A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, Implicit sampling, with applications to filtering and data assimilation, Chinese Annals of Mathematics 34B, 89–98 (2013).
M. Morzfeld, D.T. Kawano, and F. Ma, Characterization of damped linear dynamical systems in free
motion, Numerical Algebra, Control and Optimization 3(1), 49–62 (2013).
D.T. Kawano, M. Morzfeld, and F. Ma, The decoupling of second-order linear systems with a singular
mass matrix, Journal of Sound and Vibration 332(25), 6829–6846 (2013).
M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, E. Atkins, and A.J. Chorin, A random map implementation of implicit filters,
Journal of Computational Physics 231, 2049–2066 (2012).
M. Morzfeld and A.J. Chorin, Implicit particle filtering for models with partial noise, and an application to geomagnetic data assimilation, Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics 19, 365–382 (2012).
M. Morzfeld, F. Ma, and B.N. Parlett, The transformation of second-order linear systems into independent equations, SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics 71(4), 1026–1043 (2011).
M. Morzfeld and F. Ma, The decoupling of damped linear systems in configuration and state spaces,
Journal of Sound and Vibration 330(2), 155–161 (2011).
D.T. Kawano, M. Morzfeld, and F. Ma, The decoupling of defective linear dynamical systems in free
motion, Journal of Sound and Vibration 330(21), 5165–5183 (2011).
F. Ma and M. Morzfeld, A general methodology for decoupling damped linear systems, Procedia
Engineering 14, 2498–2502 (2011).
A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, Implicit filters for data assimilation, Communication in Applied
Mathematics and Computational Science 5, 221–240 (2010).
F. Ma, M. Morzfeld, and A. Imam, The decoupling of damped linear systems in free or forced vibration,
Journal of Sound and Vibration 329(15), 3182–3202 (2010).
F. Ma, A. Imam, and M. Morzfeld, The decoupling of damped linear systems in oscillatory free vibration, Journal of Sound and Vibration 324 (1-2), 408-428 (2009).
M. Morzfeld, N. Avajakom, and F. Ma, Diagonal dominance of damping and the decoupling approximation in linear vibratory systems, Journal of Sound and Vibration 320(1-2), 406–420 (2009).
M. Morzfeld, N. Avajakom, and F. Ma, On the decoupling approximation in damped linear systems,
Journal of Vibration and Control, 14 (12), 1869–1884 (2008).
M. Morzfeld, N. Avajakom, and F. Ma, A remark about the decoupling approximation in damped
discrete linear systems, Mechanics Research Communications 35, 439–446 (2008).
BOOK CHAPTERS
A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, Implicit sampling, with application to data assimilation, in
“Partial Differential Equations: Theory, Control and Approximation” (in honor of the scientific heritage
of Jacques-Louis Lions), P.G. Ciarlet, T. Li and Y. Maday (editors), Springer, 2014.
A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, A survey of implicit particle filters for data assimilation, in “State
Space Models, with Applications in Economics and Finance” Y. Zeng and S. Wu (editors), Springer,
2013.
C O N F E R E N C E P RO C E E D I N G S
M. Morzfeld, Implicit sampling for path integral control, Proceedings of the American Control Conference, Portland, 6p. (2014).
I. Yang, M. Morzfeld, C.J. Tomlin, A.J. Chorin, Path integral formulation of stochastic optimal control
with generalized costs, Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of the International Federation of
Automatic Control (IFAC WC), Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 6994-7000, 2014.
H.C. Godinez and M. Morzfeld, Estimation and prediction for an orbital propagation model using
data assimilation, Paper number AAS 14-35, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences Series, Volume
152, pp. 2003-2021(2014) Editors: R.S. Wilson, R. Zanetti, D.L. Mackison and O. Abdelkhalik.
A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, Implicit sampling, with application to data assimilation, Conference in honor of J.L. Lions, Fudan University, Shanghai (2012).
F. Ma, M. Morzfeld, and D.T. Kawano, A method and algorithm for transforming damped linear
systems into independent equations, Proceedings of 2011 ASME Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Washington, DC, DETC/ CIE2011-47474, 4p. (2011).
M. Morzfeld and F. Ma, The decoupling of linear dynamical systems, COMPDYN, III ECCOMAS
Thematic Conference on Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering,
Corfu, Greece, (2011).
F. Ma and M. Morzfeld, A general methodology for decoupling linear dynamical systems, 12th East
Asia-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (EASEC-12), Hong Kong, China
(2011).
M. Morzfeld, N. Avajakom, and F. Ma, Some remarks about the decoupling approximation of damped
linear systems, Proceedings of 2009 ASME Computers and Information in Engineering Conference,
San Diego, California, DETC2009-86319, 6p. (2009).
F. Ma, A. Imam, and M. Morzfeld, Extension of modal analysis to decouple all linear systems in
oscillatory free vibration, Proceedings of 2008 ASME Computers and Information in Engineering
Conference, New York City, DETC2008-49849, 5p. (2008).
M. Morzfeld, N. Avajakom, and F. Ma, Diagonal dominance and the decoupling approximation in
damped discrete linear systems, Proceedings of 2007 ASME Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, DETC/ CIE2007-35690, 9p. (2007).
M. Morzfeld, N. Avajakom, and F. Ma, Characteristics of coordinate coupling and the decoupling
approximation in damped linear systems, Proceedings of 7th International Symposium on Test and
Measurement, Beijing, China, 3841-3848 (2007) .
C O N F E R E N C E P R E S E N TAT I O N S
M. Morzfeld, A.J. Chorin Conditions for successful data assimilation, SIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering, Salt Lake City (2015).
M. Morzfeld, A. Fournier, G. Hulot Understanding and Predicting Geomagnetic Dipole Reversals Via
Low Dimensional Models and Data Assimilation, American Geophysical Union: General Assembly,
San Francisco (2014).
M. Morzfeld, D. Hodyss, A.J. Chorin, K. Lin, The ability of EnKF to sample joint and marginal
posteriors, American Geophysical Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2014).
X. Tu, A.J. Chorin, and M. Morzfeld, Implicit sampling for data assimilation, American Geophysical
Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2014).
H.C. Godinez and M. Morzfeld, Estimation and prediction for an orbital propagation model, American
Geophysical Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2013).
M. Morzfeld and A.J. Chorin, Conditions for successful data assimilation, BIRS Workshop on Probabilistic Approaches to Data Assimilation for Earth Systems, Banff (2013).
M. Morzfeld, Implicit particle methods for data assimilation, SIAM Conference on Computational
Science and Engineering, Boston (2013).
M. Morzfeld, Implicit particle filtering for geomagnetic data assimilation, SIAM Meeting on Uncertainty Quantification, Raleigh, NC (2012).
M. Morzfeld, A.J. Chorin, R.N. Miller, Y.H. Spitz, and B. Weir, Implicit sampling for data assimilation
in geophysics, International Conference on Ensemble Methods in Geophysical Sciences, Meteo-France,
Toulouse, France, (2012).
B. Weir, E. Atkins, A.J. Chorin, R.N. Miller, M. Morzfeld, Y.H. Spitz, Particle filters in ecological
modeling problems, Coastal Ocean Modeling Meeting, Corvallis, (2012).
M. Morzfeld, E. Atkins, and A.J. Chorin, Geomagnetic data assimilation with an implicit filter into a
one-dimensional sparsely observed MHD system, European Geosciences Union: General Assembly,
Vienna (2011).
R. Miller, E. Atkins, A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, Y. Spitz, and B. Weir, Implementation of the implicit
particle filter for a model of nearshore circulation (solicited), European Geosciences Union: General
Assembly, Vienna, Austria (2011).
M. Morzfeld and F. Ma, The decoupling of second-order linear dynamical systems, 82nd Annual
Meeting International Association of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM), Graz, Austria,
(2011).
M. Morzfeld, A.J. Chorin, and X. Tu, Implicit filters for data assimilation, American Geophysical
Union: Meeting of the Americas, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil (2010).
P O S T E R -P R E S E N TAT I O N S
M. Morzfeld, A. Fournier, G. Hulot Predicting geomagnetic reversals via data assimilation: a feasibility study, European Geosciences Union: General Assembly, Vienna (2014).
F. Lu, M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, and A.J. Chorin, Limitations of polynomial chaos in Bayesian parameter
estimation, American Geophysical Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2014).
J. Wilkening, X. Tu, M. Morzfeld, and A.J. Chorin, Implicit sampling for parameter estimation, American Geophysical Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2014).
M. Morzfeld, A. Fournier, and G. Hulot, Prediction of geomagnetic reversals using low-dimensional
dynamical models and advanced data assimilation: a feasibility study, American Geophysical Union:
General Assembly, San Francisco (2013).
M. Morzfeld and A.J. Chorin, Conditions for successful data assimilation, American Geophysical
Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2013).
M. Morzfeld, E. Atkins, and A.J. Chorin, Implicit particle methods and their connection to weak and
strong constraint 4D-Var, American Geophysical Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2012).
B. Weir, A.J. Chorin, R.N. Miller, M. Morzfeld, and Y.H. Spitz, Estimation of ecological model parameters by implicit sampling, International Conference on Ensemble Methods in Geophysical Sciences,
Meteo-France, Toulouse, France, (2012).
E. Atkins, A.J. Chorin, M. Morzfeld, and X. Tu, Implicit sampling with application to filtering and data
assimilation, Department of Energy Applied Mathematics Principal Investigators Meeting, Washington,
DC (2011).
E. Atkins, M. Morzfeld, and A.J. Chorin, Implicit particle filters: a numerical case study using the
Lorenz attractor, European Geosciences Union: General Assembly, Vienna (2011).
M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, and A.J. Chorin, An implicit particle filter for large dimensional data assimilation
problems, American Geophysical Union: General Assembly, San Francisco (2011).
M. Morzfeld, X. Tu, and A.J. Chorin, Nonlinear data assimilation with an implicit filter for stochastic
partial differential equations exhibiting space-time chaos, Department of Energy Applied Mathematics
Principal Investigators Meeting, Berkeley, California, USA (2010).