Some things to know about Mathematical Optimization- Lecture # 133

Professor Michael Ferris, UW-Madison In practice, mathematical optimization builds and solves models of (physical, social or engineered) systems to improve designs or operation. We outline the basic ideas of optimization modeling and solution, with emphasis on linear and mixed integer models. The talk will describe general principles using a number of examples drawn from engineering. The presentation is intended for a general audience with interest in learning ways to improve their ability to model and solve optimization problems. Dr. Ferris' research is concerned with algorithmic and interface development for large scale problems in mathematical programming, including links to the GAMS and AMPL modeling languages, and general purpose software such as PATH, NLPEC and EMP. He has worked on several applications of both optimization and complementarity, including cancer treatment plan development, radiation therapy, video-on-demand data delivery, economic and traffic equilibria, structural and mechanical engineering. Ferris is an INFORMS fellow and received the Beale-Orchard-Hays prize from the Mathematical Programming Society and is a past recipient of a NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He serves on the editorial boards of Mathematical Programming, SIAM Journal on Optimization, Transactions of Mathematical Software, and Optimization Methods and Software. The MATC Mathematics Club sponsors a lecture series every semester. Speakers come from outside the school to provide us with insight into their research or mathematical curiosities they have discovered. Questions? Contact Jeganathan Sriskandarajah at (608) 243-4316.