Dr. May Anne Mata is a professor of applied mathematics and founding director of the Mindanao Center for Disease Watch and Analytics (DiWA Center) at the University of the Philippines Mindanao. Her research focuses on mathematical modeling, operations research, and analytics for public health and development challenges in the Philippines, with particular emphasis on infectious disease dynamics, decision support systems, and digital transformation for local governance. Her work integrates mathematical analysis, computational simulation, spatial analytics, and interdisciplinary collaboration to address real-world problems such as rabies control, COVID-19 response, health system resilience, and resource planning. Through her research and institutional initiatives, she aims to advance context-relevant, data-driven solutions that strengthen evidence-based policymaking, innovation ecosystems, and capacity building in Mindanao and across the Philippines.