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In 2024, in support of our Gurobi Gives Back initiative, we hosted a roundtable webinar titled “Academics Changing the World with Optimization.” The panel featured three distinguished researchers who are making a meaningful impact in the world through mathematical optimization: Dr. Karen Smilowitz, Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at Northwestern University; Dr. Dick den Hertog, Professor of Operations Research at the University of Amsterdam; and Dr. Ozlem Ergun, Professor at Northeastern University and Co-Founder of the Center for Health & Humanitarian Systems at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Moderated by Gurobi CEO Duke Perrucci, the session explored how academic research is not only advancing the field of optimization, but also solving real-world problems that affect communities, governments, and global systems.
While optimization has long been associated with driving business efficiency, this webinar highlighted how it can also be a powerful tool for addressing humanitarian, environmental, and social challenges. Each panelist has applied their expertise to benefit the greater good — from optimizing disaster relief efforts, to designing robust climate adaptation strategies, to improving the delivery of essential services, such as healthcare and vaccines.
Dr. Karen Smilowitz shared her experiences working with organizations such as the American Red Cross, applying optimization to disaster logistics and public health challenges. Her work has helped emergency response teams determine where to pre-position supplies, how to route deliveries efficiently, and how to allocate limited resources fairly.
“We’re showing that optimization can do more than improve performance — it can support humanity,” said Dr. Smilowitz. “It’s about using the tools of operations research to address problems that affect people at the most vulnerable moments in their lives.”
Dr. Dick den Hertog has made significant contributions to robust optimization, a methodology that helps decision-makers account for uncertainty in complex environments.
In collaboration with institutions like the World Bank and the United Nations, Dr. den Hertog is helping governments and NGOs design strategies for climate adaptation and disaster resilience.
“When you’re dealing with climate change, there’s so much uncertainty,” he explained. “Robust optimization allows us to prepare for a wide range of future scenarios, ensuring that decisions made today will still be effective in 10, 20, or 30 years.”
By using data-driven approaches and optimization under uncertainty, Dr. den Hertog is enabling better long-term planning for infrastructure, agriculture, and disaster response.
Dr. Ozlem Ergun’s work has focused on large-scale supply chains, particularly in the public sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her research played a critical role in optimizing vaccine distribution and medical supply logistics. She also works with public health departments to design systems that ensure equitable access to healthcare services.
Dr. Ergun emphasized that optimization models must reflect real-world constraints and priorities: “It’s not just about minimizing costs. It’s about delivering services where they’re needed most, and sometimes that means challenging the assumptions of traditional models.”
Her collaborative approach ensures that optimization solutions are not only theoretically sound, but practically implementable. By working closely with government agencies and NGOs, she ensures that optimization is applied in ways that truly meet the needs of communities.
Gurobi CEO Duke Perrucci underscored the importance of bridging academic research with industry practice. Gurobi’s optimization solver, known for its speed and performance, enables researchers to scale their models and apply them to real-world problems with industrial-grade precision.
“We’re proud to support researchers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with optimization,” said Perrucci. “Their work has global impact, and it’s our mission to give them the tools they need to drive change.”
Panelists also discussed the value of partnerships between academia, government, and private organizations. These collaborations provide researchers with access to real data, practical challenges, and the opportunity to see their work implemented at scale.
The panelists shared a collective passion for mentoring students and inspiring the next generation of optimization professionals. They encouraged young researchers to pursue projects with real-world impact and to collaborate across disciplines.
“You don’t have to choose between theory and application,” said Dr. den Hertog. “The best research often comes from trying to solve real problems.”
Dr. Smilowitz added that today’s students are increasingly motivated by social impact. “They want to make a difference, and optimization gives them a framework to do that with rigor and precision.”
The full webinar, “Academics Changing the World with Optimization,” is available to watch on-demand here. Whether you’re an academic, a student, or a practitioner, the insights shared by these experts will inspire you to think differently about what optimization can achieve.
We believe optimization can change the world. By supporting academic research and promoting collaboration across sectors, we aim to empower people and organizations to solve the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow.
At Gurobi, we believe in giving back. That’s why we offer free, full-featured Gurobi licenses for qualifying non-profit organizations working to support at least one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about our Gurobi Gives Back program.
