
Alex Jacquillat
Maurice F. Strong Career Development Associate Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management
Title: Transportation and logistics optimization outside of transportation and logistics
Abstract: Optimization methods have been pivotal to improve the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of transportation and logistics systems. In fact, problems such as facility location, network design and vehicle routing – ubiquitous in transportation and logistics applications – also arise broadly outside of transportation and logistics industries. This talk will cover three of these problems: vaccine allocation, wildfire suppression, and organ transplantation. Throughout, I will present large-scale mixed-integer optimization algorithms that scale to practical instances, and that can provide benefits toward social good. This talk will cover one of these problems in more detail; to know which one, you’ll have to come to Atlanta.
Abstract: Optimization methods have been pivotal to improve the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of transportation and logistics systems. In fact, problems such as facility location, network design and vehicle routing – ubiquitous in transportation and logistics applications – also arise broadly outside of transportation and logistics industries. This talk will cover three of these problems: vaccine allocation, wildfire suppression, and organ transplantation. Throughout, I will present large-scale mixed-integer optimization algorithms that scale to practical instances, and that can provide benefits toward social good. This talk will cover one of these problems in more detail; to know which one, you’ll have to come to Atlanta.

Jen Pazour
Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Title: Optimization Models to Harness Underutilized Transportation and Logistics Resources
Abstract: We will explore new ways to harness underutilized transportation and logistics resources, so resources with lower marginal costs can be accessed and deployed when and where they are needed. This includes network design models that incorporate on-demand warehousing options, as well as new crowdsourced order-fulfillment policies that deploy in-store customers to pick items for online orders. To mitigate selection uncertainty in on-demand systems, on-demand platforms can offer each supplier a menu of requests to choose from, with applications to crowdsourced delivery, ride sharing, and volunteer management.
Abstract: We will explore new ways to harness underutilized transportation and logistics resources, so resources with lower marginal costs can be accessed and deployed when and where they are needed. This includes network design models that incorporate on-demand warehousing options, as well as new crowdsourced order-fulfillment policies that deploy in-store customers to pick items for online orders. To mitigate selection uncertainty in on-demand systems, on-demand platforms can offer each supplier a menu of requests to choose from, with applications to crowdsourced delivery, ride sharing, and volunteer management.