Education
- 2017–2022 PhD in Computer Science, Leipzig University & Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences
- 2009–2013 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Pamplona University
- 2005–2010 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Pamplona University
Awards and other marks of recognition
- 2023 Appointed Computer Scientist in Residence, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida
- 2022 Graduated summa cum laude
- 2022 Selected participant of the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (Chemistry), 26 June – 1 July 2022
- 2022 Selected participant of the American Mathematical Society’s Mathematics Research Communities
- 2021 Nominated by the Max Planck Society for participation in the 71st Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (Chemistry)
- 2021 Selected by the Max Planck Institute MiS to give a lecture for the institute’s evaluation at the MPG Scientific Advisory Board Meeting
- 2020 Selected to attend the Applied Category Theory Adjoint School at MIT (16 selected from 144 applicants)
- 2019 (April) Cover of Proceedings of the Royal Society A — Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
- 2018 (Dec) Visiting Scientist, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
- 2018– Guest Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- 2017 PhD Grant, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
- 2017 Guest Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- 2017 Guest Scientist, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- 2016 Guest Scientist, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- 2016 Featured Article, Journal of Cheminformatics
- 2013 Excellence Thesis, Mathematics Department, University of Pamplona, Colombia
- 2010 Laureate Thesis, Chemistry Department, University of Pamplona, Colombia
Research Experience in Groups and Institutes
2024 June Guest Scientist
Medellin University
Medellin, Colombia
2023- Postdoc Associate
Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering
University of Florida
Gainesville FL, USA
2018-2022 Guest Scientist
Max Planck Institute for the Mathematics in the Sciences
Leipzig, Germany
2017 (Feb-Apr) Guest Scientist
Max Planck Institute for the Mathematics in the Sciences
Leipzig, Germany
2016 (Aug-Oct) Guest Scientist
Bioinformatics Group
Leipzig University
Leipzig, Germany
2010- Researcher
Laboratorio de química teórica
Pamplona University
Pamplona, Colombia
2012-2013 Researcher
Biomathematics Group
Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia – FIDIC
Bogota, Colombia
2012 Editorial Staff
Interdisciplinary research institute
Pamplona University
Bogota, Colombia
2005-2006 Researcher
Grupo de Investigación en Transporte Molecular – GITRAM
Pamplona University
Pamplona, Colombia
Refereeing and external examining
- 2026 Reviewer for Theory in Biosciences
- 2025 Expert Evaluator – Selection of DAAD STEM Scholarship Holders
- 2024 Expert Evaluator – Selection of DAAD STEM Scholarship Holders
- 2024 Reviewer for Concurso Nacional Otto de Greiff
- 2023 Reviewer for Computational Biology and Chemistry
- 2023 Reviewer for Logics in Computer Science (LICS 2023)
- 2021 Reviewer for Theory in Biosciences
- 2021 Reviewer for Ingeniería y Ciencia
- 2014 Reviewer of a chapter of Advances in Mathematical Chemistry, Vol. 2 (Elsevier)
- 2014 Reviewer of a BSc Thesis in Mathematics — Mathematics Department, Pamplona University
- 2013 Reviewer of a BSc Thesis in Mathematics — Mathematics Department, Pamplona University
Professional Affiliations
2020- Student member of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)
2019- Member of the Colombian Association for the Advancement of Science (ACAC)
2019- Member of the Colombian Mathematical Society (SCM)
2018- Member of the Complex Systems Society (CSS)
2013-2014 Member of the Association for Symbolic Logic (ASL)
Outreach activities
2023 Panelist for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) virtual seminar:
Herramientas y testimonios para investigar en Alemania a nivel doctoral
2022 Panelist for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) virtual seminar: Testimonios de becarios de Doctorado
2022 Invited to present my research Chemical Space Exploration at the Science
Market organized by the Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians
(GDNÄ)
Media coverage (selected)
2025 — By Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences
A press release about my research on metaphor and cognition:
Beyond Words: The Cognitive Force of Metaphor
2022 — By Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences
A press release about my participation in the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings:
Wilmer Leal meets Nobel laureates
2022 — By Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences
A press release about my thesis defense:
Congratulations to Wilmer Leal! His exploration of the chemical space has earned him the highest honor that can be achieved for a Ph.D. thesis — summa cum laude
2019 — By Chemical & Engineering News (American Chemical Society)
The following article features one of our papers:
Chemists discovered new compounds at an exponential rate over the past two centuries
, by Sam Lemonick (C&EN associate editor)
2019 — By Springer Professional
The following article features one of our papers:
Die verborgene Struktur des Periodensystems [The hidden structure of the periodic table]
, by Dieter Beste
2019 — By Der Standard
The following article features one of our papers:
Neue chemische Substanzen werden mit überraschender Regelmäßigkeit entdeckt
[New chemical substances are discovered with surprising regularity]
2019 — By Max Planck Society
The following article features one of our papers:
The hidden structure of the periodic system
2019 — By Chemistry World
The following article features one of our papers:
Hopes raised of a ‘super-table’ to end periodic table disputes
, by Philip Ball (former editor of Nature)
Organized events
2024 Colombian Congress of Applied and Industrial Mathematics (MAPI III)
Organizer of the special session and mini-course on Applied Category Theory
2010 Pamplona University: 50th anniversary celebration with Mathematical Chemistry
Co-organizer
Pamplona University, Colombia
2010 Introducción a la Filosofía de la Química
Co-organizer
Pamplona University, Colombia
Schools and Courses
2021
School
Mathematics Research Communities (MRC)
American Mathematical Society
New York, USA
Mentor: John Baez
2020
School (Feb-Jul)
Applied Category Theory Adjoint School 2020
MIT, Boston, USA.
Mentor: Valeria de Paiva
2019
Course (summer term)
Schemes and Sheaves – An introduction to modern algebraic geometry
Lecturer: Professor Dr. Juergen Jost
Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
Course (summer term)
Category theory and applications
Lecturer: Dr. Paolo Perrone
Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
Course (summer term)
Information and Complexity
Lecturer: Professor Dr. Juergen Jost
Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
Summer School
First School on Reaction Systems
Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
2018
Course (summer term)
Geometric and topological methods of data analysis
Lecturer: Professor Dr. Juergen Jost
Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
Summer School
Network Science in the Humanities
Max Planck Institutes for Mathematics in the Sciences & for the History of Science. Leipzig, Germany
Spring School
4th Spring School Complex Networks: Theory, Methods, and Applications
Lake Como School of Advanced Studies, Como, Italy.