Management Science & Engineering - Systems Modeling and Optimization
An optimization problem involves finding values of the variables that
minimize or maximize an objective function while satisfying
constraints. For example, how might a meat packer running a supply
chain minimize fuel use given the constraint of needing to get a ton
of hamburger to 50 customer warehouses by 6 a.m. each day? The Systems
Optimization Laboratory conducts basic and applied research on
large-scale mathematical programming, including algorithmic
development, model formulation and software production. The field has
a strong intersection with scientific computing, and the director of
this research area in MS&E, Professor Walter Murray, was a former
director of the Institute for Computational and Mathematical
Engineering. Margot Gerritsen is the current director of ICME.