Ravindra K. Ahuja

Dr. Ravindra K. Ahuja (born February 20, 1956) is an Indian-born American computer scientist and entrepreneur. He is currently Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and CEO of the automation and optimization solutions provider Optym, which he founded in 2000 as Innovative Scheduling, Inc.[1][2][3]

Ravindra K. Ahuja
Dr. Ravindra K. Ahuja
Born
Ravindra K. Ahuja

(1956-02-20)February 20, 1956
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India
EducationIndian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
Occupation

Ahuja specializes in mathematical modeling, state-of-the-art network optimization techniques and solving large-scale scheduling problems arising in logistics and transportation.[4] He has developed models and algorithms for scheduling and logistics problems in airline, trucking and railroad industries worldwide.[2][5] Many of these industry-specific problems were previously considered intractable.[4] Ahuja’s optimization solutions are implemented by Optym’s advanced decision support systems.[6]

Ahuja has provided scholarly contributions to the theory and applications of network optimization .[7][5] He co-authored more than 100 research papers and book chapters in the areas of Industrial Engineering, Operations Research and Computer Science.[7] He also co-authored three textbooks [8][9][10] and served as Associate Editor of three journals: Operations Research, Transportation Science and Networks.

Early life and education

Dr. Ravindra K. Ahuja was born in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

In 1972, Ahuja entered the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), to study mechanical engineering. He earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1977 and continued his education as a graduate student at his alma mater.[11] Between 1977 and 1979, he studied maximal arc-disjoint and node-disjoint flow in multicommodity networks [12] and earned a Master of Science in Industrial & Management Engineering.[11] In 1982, he earned a Ph.D. in Industrial & Management Engineering [11] (BB) for his work on the role of parametric programming in network flow problems.[13]

Career

Professor

Ahuja has held positions at several prestigious universities, including at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management as Visiting Professor from 1986 to 1998, at the Rutgers University School of Management as Visiting Professor from 1996 to 1997 and at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), in India as a faculty member from 1982 to 1996.[11][14][6][5] Since 1998, Ahuja has served as Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.[11][1]

Throughout his academic career, Ahuja mentored several doctoral students [15] and taught graduate and undergraduate courses, including Operations Research for Management, Introduction to Management Science, Introduction to Computing and Programming Languages, Network Flow Algorithms, Network Optimization, Combinatorial Optimization, Database Management Systems, Design of Production Systems and Operations Management.[16]

Ahuja has contributed to the theory and applications of network optimization and specializes in network flows and network flow modeling.[6][7][17] Specifically, Ahuja is a specialist in the domains of airline network planning, railroad planning and scheduling, less-than-truckload (LTL) optimization, pickup and delivery, network optimization, supply chain management and the modeling and optimization of large-scale logistics problems.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] He co-authored more than 100 research papers and book chapters in prestigious, peer-reviewed research journals.[7] Ahuja founded the SCaLE (Supply Chain and Logistics Engineering) Center at the University of Florida, which encourages joint research and applied projects among faculty from Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration in conjunction with industry participants.

Entrepreneur

While conducting research for transportation and logistics companies, Ahuja discovered a large discrepancy between academic theory and prevailing industry practices.[6] He observed that advances taking place in optimization and computer science were not benefitting the transportation and logistics industry, which continued to use rudimentary techniques.[1] Determined to change that, Ahuja founded Innovative Scheduling, Inc. in 2000, which changed its name to Optym in 2014, to bring the latest advances from academic theory into the business world.[27][2]

Over the years, Ahuja has played a key role in Optym’s evolution from a local start-up to a global provider of ground-breaking decision automation and optimization solutions in the fields of transportation and logistics.[6] As Founder & CEO of Optym, he is a hands-on innovator and leader who works with colleagues to solve business problems, design algorithms and create effective user interfaces. He also performs consulting work and oversees new product development, partnership opportunities and business development initiatives.[6][3]

Author

Ahuja co-authored three books: “Network Flows: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications”, first published in 1993;[8] “Developing Spreadsheet-Based Decision Support Systems”, published in 2007,[9] and “Developing Web-Enabled Decision Support Systems”, also published in 2007.[10] The textbook “Network Flows: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications” has sold more than 20,000 copies.[5]

Awards and honors
  • 1993: Frederick W. Lanchester Prize for best publication of the year in Operations Research and Management Science, INFORMS, “Network Flows: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications” [28]
  • 2003: Pierskalla Award for best paper in Health Applications of Operations Research, INFORMS, “A Column Generation Approach to Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning using Aperture Modulation” [28]
  • 2006: Daniel H. Wagner Award for Excellence in Operations Research Practice, INFORMS, “Solving Real-Life Railroad Blocking Problems” [28]
  • 2007: Koopman Prize for outstanding contribution to Military Operations Research, INFORMS, “Exact and Heuristic Algorithms for the Weapon-Target Assignment Problem” [28]
  • 2007: Finalist for the Innovations in Curriculum Award for his role in developing curriculum that would integrate information technology skills within the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research curriculum, Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) [28]
  • 2008: INFORMS Fellow Award for contributions to algorithmic research in network optimization, to the development of innovative methods in transportation scheduling and to the practice in the railroad industry [28]
  • 2010: Honorable Mention for the Transportation and Logistics Society Best Paper Competition, INFORMS
  • 2013: Railway Application Section Distinguished Member Award, INFORMS [29]
  • 2015: Florida Governor's Business Ambassador Award [28]
  • 2017: Finalist for Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Florida region [11]

References
  1. Anthony Clark (April 18, 2016). "Gainesville company Optym to host logistics conference". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  2. Peter Torrellas (April 21, 2014). "Innovative Scheduling changes its name to Optym, LLC". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  3. Daniel Smithson (August 28, 2017). "Optym announces campus expansion, plans for new employees". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  4. "New network scheduling solutions from Amadeus and Optym could see airlines unlock millions of dollars". November 3, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  5. Anthony Clark (April 4, 2014). "Gainesville-based Optym adding 100 jobs, investing $4.8 million in area". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  6. "Ravindra K. Ahuja, Ph.D." Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  7. "Research". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  8. Ahuja, Ravindra; Orlin, James; Magnanti, Thomas (1993). Network Flows: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0136175490.
  9. Ahuja, Ravindra; Şeref, Michelle; Eksioglu, Sandra; Winston, Wayne (2007). Developing Spreadsheet-Based Decision Support Systems. Dynamic Ideas. ISBN 978-0975914656.
  10. Ahuja, Ravindra; Pol, Abhijit (2007). Developing Web-Enabled Decision Support Systems: Using Access, VB.NET, and ASP.NET. Dynamic Ideas. ISBN 978-0975914649.
  11. Giovanni Albanese Jr. (May 8, 2017). "Slew of Indian Americans named EY Entrepreneur of the Year Regional Finalists". India West. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  12. Ahuja, R.; Mittal, A. (1981). "Maximum arc-disjoint and node-disjoint flows in two-commodity networks". Opsearch. 18: 92–103.
  13. Ahuja, R.; Batra, J.; Gupta, S. (1984). "A parametric algorithm for the convex cost flow and related problems". European Journal of Operational Research. 16: 222–235. doi:10.1016/0377-2217(84)90076-6.
  14. Karima Kouidri (November 13, 2016). "A mathematician cracks the code to help airlines capture millions in new revenues". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  15. "Students". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  16. "Teaching". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  17. "Ravindra K. Ahuja, Ph.D." Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  18. Bill Mongelluzzo (May 11, 2017). "YRC's Welch: LTL truckers need aide in residential delivery". JOC. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  19. "Optym's SkySYM software deployed by Southwest Airlines to strengthen reliability of flight schedules". December 8, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  20. Nemani, A.; Jha, K.; Ahuja, R. (2011). "Iterative Algorithms for the Curfew Planning Problem". Journal of the Operational Research Society. 62 (4): 593–607. doi:10.1057/jors.2010.1. S2CID 26222178.
  21. Ahuja, Ravindra; Hochbaum, Dorit (2008). "Solving Linear Cost Dynamic Lot-Sizing Problems in O(n log n) Time". Operations Research. 56 (1): 255–261. doi:10.1287/opre.1070.0508.
  22. Ahuja, Ravindra; Huang, Wei; Romeijn, H. Edwin; Romero Morales, Dolores (2007). "A Heuristic Approach to the Multi-Period Single-Sourcing Problem with Production and Inventory Capacities and Perishability Constraints". INFORMS Journal on Computing. 19 (1): 14–26. doi:10.1287/ijoc.1050.0151.
  23. Kumar, A.; Vaidyanathan, B.; Jha, K.; Ahuja, R. (2009). "Railroad Crew Scheduling". In Floudas, C.; Pardalos, P. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Optimization (2nd ed.). Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 3227–3236. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-74759-0_554. ISBN 978-0-387-74758-3.
  24. Kumar, A.; Vaidyanathan, B.; Ahuja, R. (2009). "Railroad Locomotive Scheduling". In Floudas, C.; Pardalos, P. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Optimization (2nd ed.). Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 3236–3245.
  25. Altner, D.; Ahuja, R.; Ergun, O.; Orlin, J. (2009). "16.8: Very large-scale neighborhood search". In Rosen, K. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics (Second ed.). CRC Press. pp. 1232–1240. ISBN 978-1584887805.
  26. Vaidyanathan, B.; Ahuja, R. (2010). "Fast Algorithms for Specially Structured Minimum Cost Flow Problems with Applications". Operations Research. 58 (6): 1681–1698. doi:10.1287/opre.1100.0846.
  27. "Transportation leaders converge to make the world more efficient". April 19, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  28. "Recognition". Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  29. "Distinguished Member Award". INFORMS Railway Applications. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
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