Optimisation is an increasingly crucial field for industry to drive growth and profitability. AMSI Optimise, the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute’s (AMSI) newest flagship networking and research training event, was launched in 2017 to strengthen mathematical optimisation research collaboration and its applications across industry.

In 2018, AMSI Optimise was hosted by The University of Melbourne School of Mathematics and Statistics with additional support from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS) from 18-22 June.

95 participants from industry, academia and students from across Australia attended the five day event which consisted of a three day industry-focused conference followed by a two day research workshop.

The diverse program included international guest speakers, expert and end-user talks, tutorials, collaboration showcases and industry challenge events and well as the following networking events;

Opening Business Breakfast

AMSI Optimise kicked off with the Opening Business Breakfast on Monday morning at University House. Attendees heard from

• Dr Alysson Costa, AMSI Optimise 2018 Event Director, The University of Melbourne
• Professor Kate Smith-Miles, The University of Melbourne
• Professor Peter Taylor, ACEMS
• Professor Geoff Prince, AMSI
• Joe Forbes, Biarri Co-Founder

Women in Optimisation Panel

A panel made up of three generations of women in optimisation was held on the middle day of the conference. The panel line up consisted of

• Chair: Professor Kate Smith-Miles, The University of Melbourne
• Associate Professor Maria Antónia Carravilla, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
• Associate Professor Marie-Ève Rancourt, HEC Montréal, Canada
• Maths pioneer Alison Harcourt, co-author of the seminal 1960s optimisation paper An Automatic Method of Solving Discrete Programming Problems

Networking Drinks

To cap off the three-day conference, and as a welcome to the academic workshop part of the event, an evening networking event was held on Wednesday.

AMSI Optimise is jointly funded by the Department of Education and Training and the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute with support from The University of Melbourne, ACEMS, Biarri, APR.Intern and the BHP Billiton Foundation

“As the event starts to consolidate itself in the Australian calendar, our expectation is that AMSI Optimise will continue to provide a meeting venue for the national optimisation community.”

Dr Alysson M. Costa
AMSI Optimise 2018 Director
The University of Melbourne

THEMES

DAY 1: Optimisation under risk

• Decisions Making Under Uncertainty
• Finance and Risk Management

International guest speaker: Professor Emeritus R. Tyrrell Rockafellar, University of Washington, USA

DAY 2: Disaster management

• Humanitarian Applications
• Emergency Management and Public Safety

International guest speakers: Associate Professor Marie-Ève Rancourt, HEC Montréal, Canada and Associate Professor Maria Antónia Carravilla, Universidade do Porto, Portugal

DAY 3: Optimisation Practice

• Optimisation Applications
• Women in Optimisation

International guest speaker: Associate Professor Maria Antónia Carravilla, Universidade do Porto, Portugal

DAYS 4 & 5: Research workshop

• Optimisation Under Uncertainty
• Continuous Optimisation
• Healthcare Applications
• Transportation and Logistics
• Disaster Management
• Continuous Optimisation
• Optimisation Applications

International guest speaker: Associate Professor Marie-Ève Rancourt, HEC Montréal, Canada

MEDIA COVERAGE

• 18 June 2018 – Gizmodo, 88 Year Old Statistics Pioneer Says Some Barriers For Women In STEM ‘Haven’t Changed Since The 60’s’
  National Reach: 1 093 014
• 27 June 2018 – The Australian, Maths pioneer Alison Harcourt sees progress for women
  National Reach: 1 324 814

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