Jim Luedtke
Professor
Design of methods for solving discrete and stochastic optimization problems.
Tag: optimization
Optimization is an act, process, or methodology of making something as fully perfect or effective as possible. Almost everything can be improved, so optimization’s relevance spans to almost every business or process to make it operate more efficiently and effectively.
Optimization employs mathematical models to discover more efficient ways to control and manage systems, ranging from radiation treatments to data centers and power networks. Optimization researchers at WID solve systems-level problems in emerging science and engineering applications by using optimization technologies in an integrated, interdisciplinary, and collaborative fashion. This includes finding solutions to problems that are the most cost-effective or achieve the highest performance under given constraints by maximizing desired elements and minimizing the undesired elements.
Optimization models promise better process planning that can be tied to and offered by social, economic, and financial systems. Certain social and political constraints have caused optimization to go largely unexplored, as have methods for translating plans into policy. We hope to draw on collaborations with communications experts, political scientists, sociologists, economists, behavioral scientists, and business professionals to further leverage optimization’s potential for boosting efficiencies and improving systems that reach into all corners of our lives.
Learn more about Optimization at WID. It is a key component of WID’s Data Science Hub.
Stephen Wright
George B. Dantzig Professor of Computer Sciences
Optimization algorithms with applications to data analysis and other areas.
Michael Ferris
John P. Morgridge Chair in Computer Sciences
Jacques-Louis Lions Professor of Computer Sciences
Director of Data Science Hub
Optimization methods and data modeling for large scale problems in science, engineering and economics
Steven Wangen
Develop software solutions to facilitate modeling and analysis of a diverse set of complex problems.
Tools for Discovery: Carla Michini
Tools for Discovery is a regular profile series that inspects the computer programs, gadgets, and methods behind WID’s ideas and discoveries.
UW bracketology expert surprised by Badgers 8th seed
Laura Albert, WID optimization fellow and Associate Professor in Systems and Industrial Engineering speaks to WKOW about March Madness tournament rankings.
Inspiring Innovations in Moving Pictures
Systems Biology Theme Leader, John Yin, Optimization Fellow, Rebecca Willett, LEL alumna, Carrie Roy, and new LEL Principal Investigator, Karen Schloss explain their innovative research. Sit back, relax and massage your brain with WID science.
Seminars Showcase the Best of WID’s Collaborative Environment
The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery’s SILO and Qbio Seminars pull researchers from across campus for engaging interdisciplinary talks in mathematics and quantitative biology.
Learning Like Humans, Machines Extend the Reach of Research
WID Optimization researchers have partnered with faculty across campus to work on ways to use computers to make better use of human brain power.
Olvi Mangasarian reflects on pioneering career in optimization
Singing the praises of and reflecting upon a career rooted in optimization.
NEOS Optimizes Itself: New Solvers and Authentication Services Added
Within the past year NEOS has made its services more resilient, sophisticated and diverse.
Optimization of Energy Systems
Victor Zavala, WID Optimization Affiliate and Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, spoke at the Discovery Seminar Series in February, 2016, about optimization of energy systems.
The Strategic Value of Carbon Tariffs
Professor Thomas Rutherford, WID Optimization, and colleagues used numerical models to examine whether the threat of carbon tariffs might lower the cost of reductions in world carbon emissions in a paper published in the February issue of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy.
Q&A: What’s so punk rock about operations research? Plenty, says UW’s Laura Albert McLay
Discovery Fellow Laura Albert McLay talks to the Cap Times about military maneuvers, the lottery, March Madness and the satisfaction she derives from teaching.
Tools for Discovery: Laura Albert
With the holiday bowl games and College Football Playoff upon us, we profile Laura Albert, who successfully did the math on predicting the finalists.
The Science of Funny: Active Machine Learning & Cartoons
The New Yorker is using a machine learning system developed by WID Optimization researchers to sort through captions for their weekly cartoon caption contest.
The Algebraic Revolution: Solving for Chocolate
UW-Madison and WID are on the front lines of the applied algebra movement, changing the way scientists in a wide range of disciplines solve problems.
Tools for Discovery: Laurent Lessard
Tools for Discovery is a monthly profile series that inspects the computer programs, gadgets and methods behind WID’s ideas and discoveries.
Sound Engineering: UW-Madison’s burgeoning optimization community
Discovery Fellow, Jim Luedtke, discusses the growing field of Optimization and addresses some criticism of the discipline in this June 8, 2015 edition of UW College of Engineering podcast.
The Natural Order and Divine Law of Optimization
Michael Ferris and Stephen Wright, principal investigators in the WID Optimization Theme comment on New York Times Magazine article “A Sucker is Optimized Every Minute”.
Going With the Flow: Optimizing Ecology
WID Optimization teams with local wildlife agencies to improve Great Lakes basin habitat.
Researchers Search for New Ways to Balance Big Data and Privacy
How can researchers extract useful information from patient data to develop life-saving treatments while making sure records stay private and protected? A WID collaboration looks for an answer.