Sample Optimization Applications
Many of these problems can be formulated as one of the standard paradigms in optimization, such as linear programming, network optimization, nonlinear programming, stochastic optimization, or complementarity or variational inequality. In their research, optimization specialists develop algorithms for these and other types of optimization problems, study their mathematical properties and practical performance, implement them in high-quality software, and apply them to practical problems, including some of the applications mentioned below.
Radiotherapy for Cancer Treatment
Optimized narrow X-ray beam that delivers a specified radiation dose to a tumor that minimizes radiation exposure in surrounding healthy tissue.
Global Optimization in Computational Biology
A proteins function may be determined by specific folding conformation in the presence of water. This conformation can be determined by minimizing a function that defines the potential energy of the molecule.
Operations Research
Design production schedules that harness personnel, raw materials, and transportation systems in a way that optimizes productivity and profit.
Predict Traffic Flow in a Congested Road Network
Each driver chooses the fastest route between his or her origin and destination. The resulting flow pattern from these individual decisions is that all routes actually used will take the same time to travel.
Design Telecommunications Networks
Capacity is added in a way that maximizes the expected future network performance while meeting budgetary limitations.
