Research

Overview of research topics, methods, contributions, and collaborations across four main areas.

My research spans machine learning, evolutionary computation, optimization, and computational neuroscience. There is a high degree of overlap between these areas — for example, evolutionary methods are applied to optimize neural architectures, and probabilistic graphical models are used both in machine learning and in modeling brain connectivity. Click on any area below for detailed information and publications.

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Research Topics

Detailed description of research areas: machine learning, evolutionary computation, optimization, and neuroscience.

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Research Collaborations

International collaborating institutions across Europe, Latin America, USA, Asia, and beyond — with joint publication counts.

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Talks & Presentations

Invited talks, conference presentations, and seminars from 2005 to 2025, with links to PDF slides.

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Research Visits

Extended research visits to international institutions in Germany, China, Brazil, New Zealand, Georgia, UAE, France, and Australia.

Research at a Glance

50+
Collaborating institutions
20+
Countries
12
Research visits abroad
70+
Talks & presentations

Detailed descriptions of research in which Roberto Santana has participated, including discussions, methods, and the corresponding references organized by research area.

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Machine Learning

Probabilistic graphical models, neural networks, NLP, adversarial ML, explainability, and data augmentation — with full publication references.

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Evolutionary Computation

Estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs), neuroevolution, genetic programming, and multi-objective evolutionary optimization — with full publication references.

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Optimization

Scheduling, combinatorial optimization, fitness landscapes, and multi-objective optimization methods — with full publication references.

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Neuroscience

Brain-computer interfaces, decoded neurofeedback, unconscious visual processing, and MEG/EEG analysis — with full publication references.

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Estimation of Distribution Algorithms

Discrete and continuous EDAs, probabilistic model analysis, copula-based EDAs, and applications to engineering optimization.

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Probabilistic Graphical Models

Bayesian networks, Markov networks, restricted Boltzmann machines, structure learning, and generative applications.

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Natural Language Processing

Hierarchical classification, large language models, dialogue systems, brain-language models, and ENIA chair activities.

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Genetic Programming

Grammar-based GP, symbolic regression, neural architecture design with GP, and evolutionary machine learning.

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Multi-objective Optimization

MOEAs, Pareto front approximation, heterogeneous objectives, multi-objective reinforcement learning, and combinatorial MOO.

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Fitness Landscapes

NK landscapes, landscape metrics, algorithm–landscape interactions, local optima networks, and neural embeddings of landscapes.

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Neural Networks & Deep Learning

Neural architecture search, PINNs, generative models, semi-supervised learning, and neural networks for physical systems.

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Classification Methods

Probabilistic classifiers, ensemble methods, feature selection, time-series classification, and applications to remote sensing.

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Copulas

Vine copulas, copula-based classification, structure learning for regular vines, and copula EDAs for continuous optimization.

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Regularization Methods

L1/L2 regularization, Bayesian regularization, neural network regularization, and adversarial regularization.

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Markov Networks

Markov random fields, restricted Boltzmann machines, Markov network EDAs, structure learning, and brain connectivity modeling.

Roberto Santana has maintained active research collaborations with institutions around the world. The table below lists the main collaborating institutions, sorted by number of joint publications.

Collaborating Institutions

Institution	Type	Country	Joint Publications
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid	University	Spain	42
Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM)	Research Centre	Spain	20
Universidade Federal do Paraná	University	Brazil	16
Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)	Research Centre	Spain	6
Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná	University	Brazil	6
Ikerbasque, Fundación Vasca para la Ciencia	Research Centre	Spain	5
Instituto de Cibernética Matemática y Física	Research Centre	Cuba	5
Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL)	Research Centre	Spain	4
Khalifa University	University	United Arab Emirates	3
University of Lille Nord de France	University	France	3
Oslo University Hospital	Hospital	Norway	3
Institut Mines-Télécom	Research Centre	France	3
Universidade Estadual do Maranhão	University	Brazil	2
Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará	University	Brazil	2
Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla	University	Algeria	2
Texas A&M University System	University	United States	2
Universidad de La Habana	University	Cuba	2
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro	University	Brazil	2
University of Essex	University	United Kingdom	2
Second University of Naples	University	Italy	2
University of Zagreb	University	Croatia	2
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)	Research Centre	Spain	2
Universidad de Valladolid	University	Spain	2
Tecnalia	Research Centre	Spain	1
Santa Fe Institute	Research Centre	United States	1
Columbia University	University	United States	1
University of California Los Angeles	University	United States	1
Shanghai Jiao Tong University	University	China	1
KU Leuven	University	Belgium	1
Australian National University	University	Australia	1
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology	University	Israel	1
Aalborg University	University	Denmark	1