Mathematics

Worku Bitew

Chair Email Whitman Hall, Room 180D
Worku Bitew is a professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics. His research interests are in applied mathematics, with a focus on the calculus of variations, optimal control, and optimal resource management. His research combines mathematical analysis with financial, economic, natural resource and environmental management applications. Bitew's publications include work on regularity of local minimizers in calculus of variations, sustainable fisheries management, optimal advertising expenditure, and coastal nitrogen remediation.  He is a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship & Creative Activities.
 

Courses Taught

Precalculus (MTH 129),  Calculus I, II,  and III (MTH 130, 150, 151, 236, 252), Linear Algebra (MTH 245), Differential Equations (MTH 253), Methods of Proof in Advanced Mathematics (MTH 290),  Advanced Mathematical Analysis (MTH 322),  Mathematical Modeling in Applied Sciences (MTH 326),  Principles of Real Analysis (MTH 354), Vector Calculus (MTH 365), Methods in Operations Research (MTH 390),  Seminar in Applied Mathematics (MTH 405), Problem Solving Seminar (MTH 470).
 

Education

  • MA, Mathematics, Temple University, 2006
  • Ph.D., Mathematics (Applied Mathematics), Temple University, 2008

Publications

  • Worku Bitew and Richard Vogel, Sustainable Oyster Aquaculture in Coastal Ecosystems for Optimal Management of Nutrient-Loading, Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management, 10(No 52) 2025, 61-71.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Temesgen B Getahun, Tsegaye G Ayele, Simon D Zawka. Optimizing shellfish aquaculture in nitrogen and fisheries management, Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation With Applications, 5(1) 2025, 18-37.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Fitih F Hailu, Tsegaye G Ayele, Simon D Zawka. Diversity and ecotourism on multipurpose marine protected areas, Mathematics in Applied Sciences and Engineering, 5(4) 2024, 276-367.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Justin Abeles, Radika Latchman Nicholas Seaton, Michael Tartamella, and Richard Vogel. Optimal Advertising Expenditure, Optimization, Simulation and Control. ICOSC 2022. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics, 434 2023, 79-87.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Fitih F. Hailu, Tsegaye G. Ayele, and Simon D. Zawka. Marine Protected Areas for Resilience and Economic Development, Aquatic and Living Resources, 36(22) 2023.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Temesgen B. Getahun, Tsegaye G. Ayele, and Simon D. Zawka. Optimal effort, fish farming, and marine reserve in fisheries management, Aquaculture and Fisheries, 2023.
  • Worku T. Bitew, with Cajori Two Group. The Birth of Undergraduate Modern Algebra in the United States., Research in History and Philosophy of Mathematics, 2022(1) 2022, 167–183.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Aqsa Ahad, Aylara Alleyne, Michael De Oliveira, Courtney Schordine, Nicholas Seaton. Dynamic Optimization in Building Personal Emergency Fund, Mathematics Exchange, 15(1) 2021, 54-64.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Erick Elias, Yasman Mustafa and Richard Vogel. Dynamic Programming in Order Fulfillment Process, Mongolian Mathematical Journal, 22(2020) 2020, 30–38.
  • Worku T. Bitew, M Nazrul Islam. Robust Target Detection Employing Log-Polar Transformation and Multiple Phase-Shirted Joint Transform Correlation, Sensors & Transducers, 225(9) 2018, 14-18.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Wisdom Akpalu. Externalities and foreign capital in aquaculture production in developing countries, Environment and Development Economics, 23(2) 2018, 198-215.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Yury Grabovsky. Higher regularity of uniform local minimizers in Calculus of Variations, The Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, 145(12) 2017, 5215-5222.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Wisdom Akpalu. Optimum reserve size, fishing induced change in carrying capacity, and phenotypic diversity, Journal of Bioeconomics, (16) 2014, 289–304.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Mohammed Nazrul Islam. Target tracking using log-polar transform-based shifted phase-encoded joint transform correlation, SPIE Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, 9094(9094B) 2014.
  • Worku T. Bitew, Wisdom Akpalu. Species diversity, fishing induced change in carrying capacity and sustainable fisheries management, Ecological Economics, 70(2011) 2011, 1336–1343.

Presentations

  • Worku Bitew, “Richard Vogel. Sustainable Oyster Aquaculture in Coastal Ecosystems for Optimal Management of Nutrient-Loading.” Paper presented to the International Conference on Biomass Conversion and Environment (ICBCE -25), on April 18, 2025.
  • Worku Bitew, “Incentivizing Profit-Oriented Production for Environmental Remediation.” Paper presented to the New York State Economic Association Annual Conference, SUNY Old Westbury on October 21, 2023.
  • Worku Bitew and Richard Vogel, “Coastal Nitrogen Bioremediation: Long Island Sound.” Paper presented to the Value of Accounting Information and Sustainability - 2023 (VAIS2023), National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on June 9, 2023.
  • Worku Bitew, “Optimal Advertising Expenditure.” Poster presented at the Financial Mathematics Conference, on March 24, 2023.
  • Worku T. Bitew, “Optimal Control Plan in Epidemic Control: The Ebola Outbreak.” Paper presented to the 5th Annual Farmingdale State College Celebration of Faculty Scholarship by Worku T. Bitew, Perry Dunetz, Ziaul Islam , Joe Motis, Billy Nguyen, Farmingdale, New York on December 10, 2020.
  • Worku T. Bitew, “Direct and Indirect Methods in Optimal Control of Natural and Financial Resources.” Poster presented at the Celebration of Scholarship by Worku T. Bitew, Emily Giordano, Erik Markowski, Giang Nguyen, Tunisia Solomon, Farmingdale State College on October 30, 2018.
  • Worku Bitew, “Externalities and Foreign Capital in Aquaculture Production in Developing Countries.” Paper presented to the 44Th Eastern Economic Association by Worku T. Bitew and Wisdom Akpalu, Boston, MA on March 2, 2018.
  • Worku T. Bitew, “Bio-economic Model of Externalities and foreign capital in aquaculture production.” Paper presented to the Math Seminar Farmingdale State College by Worku T. Bitew and Wisdom Akpalu, on November 12, 2015.

Awards & Honors

  • CSTEP Award for Mentoring student projects. Students won first place at the 26th Annual Statewide C-Step Conference Poster Competition in the category of Math/Physics/Computer Science., 2018.
Last Modified 1/9/20