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Network Flow Optimization: Efficient Algorithms for Transportation, Social Networks, and the Unrelated

The systems we’ve designed for learning rarely consider what drives individual growth or how learners might feel in the classroom; yet decades of educational research show that motivations and emotions have powerful influences on engagement, persistence, performance and, ultimately, the well-being of learners. In this talk, we will explore the  fundamental tension between what we label “academic performance” and the affective conditions that promote deep learning.

We all rely on networks every day for energy, communication, and transportation. Network flow optimization is fundamental to the optimal design and operation of these critical systems and has applications in a rich array of seemingly unrelated fields. In this presentation, we highlight the role that network flow optimization plays across a range of research projects at the Lyle School, addressing problems in logistics, social network analysis, image matching, and even determining how close (or far) the Dallas Mavericks really are from making the playoffs.

Eli V. Olinick is an associate professor in the Department of Engineering Management, Information, and Systems at SMU-Lyle. He is a past chair of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) technical section on telecommunications, past president of the Dallas/Fort Worth INFORMS’ chapter, associate editor of Networks and Spatial Economics, and editorial review board member for the International Journal of Interdisciplinary Telecommunications and Networking.

Dr. Olinick’s research interests include applied optimization, network design problems, and operations research/management science applications in sports. He has received over $1.6 million in grant funding from government and industry for his research activities.

Professor Olinick completed his B.S. in applied mathematics at Brown University. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in industrial engineering and operations research at the University of California‒Berkeley.