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Sheldon H. JacobsonUniversity of Illinois

shj@illinois.edushj.cs.illinois.edu

@shjanalyticsCS OR & BTRI

Operations Research: Simulation and Optimization Lab

& The Bed Time Research Institute

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What is Operations Research?

Mathematical modeling of complex systemswith the goal of optimal decision-making (the“Science of Decision-making”).

Methodologies* Discrete Optimization* Stochastic Models (CS481)

Motivated by Actual Problems* Aviation Security* Social Science and Medicine* Healthcare Scheduling

CS OR & BTRI

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What is Operations Research?Cross-disciplinary

Theory* Algorithms* Discrete Optimization* Integer Programming

Implementation* Heuristics* Data Analytics* Statistics

CS OR & BTRI

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My Research ActivitiesPh.D. Topics

Data-driven decision-making under uncertainty

BIG Data analytics using discrete optimization

B&B strategies for DOPs

CS OR & BTRI

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Data-driven decision-makingunder uncertainty

Online Optimization:Stochastic Sequential Assignment ProblemsInterval Scheduling

* Algorithm analysis (Theory)* Optimal decision-making under uncertainty

Applications: Aviation security, Ebola screening

CS OR & BTRI

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BIG Data Analytics UsingDiscrete Optimization

Balance Optimization Subset Selection (BOSS) for Causal Inference Experiments

* Exploit Discrete Optimization Structurewithin a Statistical Framework

* Making sense of BIG DATA

Applications: Medicine, social sciences, sports, marketing, …

CS OR & BTRI

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B&B Strategies for DOPsCyclic Best First Search

* Novel Approach to search the solutionspace for NP-hard DOPs.

* Using cycling across level sets / contours inthe search tree

Applications: Medical scheduling, service systems scheduling, …

CS OR & BTRI

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Bed Time Research Institute

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Conducts research on problems that impact society, informs policy, and/or are of broad societal interest.

Both graduate and undergraduate students work on such problems, resulting in research papers, conference presentations, and web sites launched.

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Why the Name?

CS OR & BTRI (C) 2016 Jacobson

Ph.D. students are conducting their dissertation research on fundamental problems.

BTRI problems are of societal and/or popular interest.* Research is conducted often before they turn in for the day (and hence, the name).

In some case, this research grows into mainline research activities, which become part of students’ dissertations and theses.

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Bed Time Research* Most of my Ph.D. students get involved in asecondary activity.

* Typically involves applied research, advising UGstudents, web development.

* Results in publications, conference presentations,websites, and news releases.

* Many of these activities have drawn the attention ofthe media (local, national)

CS OR & BTRI

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Sample of BTRI Topics* United States Presidential Election Prediction* NCAA Basketball “March Madness” Bracket Analysis* Obesity, Transportation, and Energy* Laws that Ban Cell Phones While Driving and Accident Rates* Trends in Murder Rates in the United States

CS OR & BTRI

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United States Presidential ElectionPrediction (electionanalytics.cs.illinois.edu)• Statistical analysis of state polling data• Probabilistic analysis of electoral college vote

distributions• Analyzed the 2014 midterm Senate races• Currently forecasting the 2016 Presidential and Senate

races.

CS OR & BTRI

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NCAA Basketball “March Madness” Bracket Analysis

* Statistical analysis of seed trends

* Probabilistic assessment of seed combinations

http://bracketodds.cs.illinois.edu

CS OR & BTRI

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c_obese_gas_061027.asf

Obesity, Transportation, and Energy

CS OR & BTRI

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Interested?Stop by my office (SC3224)

Sheldon H. JacobsonUniversity of Illinois

shj@illinois.eduhttp://shj.cs.illinois.eduTwitter: @shjanalytics