Guest Talk ‘Applied Operations Research in Driving Sustainability’ by Dr. Sina Abdipoor
Introduction
On August 24th, our team welcomed Dr. Mr. Sina Abdipoor (سینا عبدیپور) to give the talk “Applied Operations Research in Driving Sustainability.” Dr. Abdipoor is a young and outstanding colleague from Sunway University, Malaysia who has a rich experience in Operations Research (OR), optimization, and local search for scheduling and other practical optimization tasks.
The talk started and ended inspiring and was overall very interesting and informative. It began with the incredible success story of Sunway University, which climbs the world rankings at an extremely high paces and offers a great environment for students and teachers. The main argument was that considering the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) in all steps of research, from project design to publications, leads to research that has a stronger real-world impact and actually helps people. It ended by showing how OR is not just a research field, but a way of thinking, and that always “thinking OR” can help us to make our world better in tiny steps.
Data
Who: Dr. Sina Abdipoor, Sunway University, Malaysia
Talk Title: Applied Operations Research in Driving Sustainability
When: 2026-08-24 Monday (星期一), 15:30
Where: Hefei University (合肥大学) 中德创新园七号楼401
Talk Abstract: Operations Research sits at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, and Management Science, directly impacting real-world systems. Recent advances in large language models have accelerated standard problem solving and mathematical modeling, placing renewed focus on practical, high-impact applications. This talk examines the current landscape of applied Operations Research. Through real-world project examples, it demonstrates how mathematical optimization addresses key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, the session outlines emerging research directions and highlights potential avenues for international research collaboration.
Short Bio: Dr. Sina Abdipoor is a Lecturer in the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Sunway University, Malaysia. His primary research interest lies in Operations Research (OR), where he specializes in utilizing metaheuristics to address various combinatorial optimization problems. Currently, his research focuses on applying hybrid approaches to tackle real-world OR challenges. In addition to his active role as a researcher, he serves as a reviewer for prominent journals, including Elsevier’s Expert Systems with Applications and Applied Soft Computing, as well as IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. Since 2016, he has pursued his passion for teaching, sharing his knowledge in a wide range of Computer Science subjects alongside General English and Academic English Writing. Dr. Abdipoor holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, and a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering. Beyond academia, he has extensive experience as an AI Engineer and consultant across various domains. He frequently discusses the applications of OR theory in real-world problems to save time and improve efficiency. He is an active member of the Canadian Operational Research Society and IEEE, passionate about advancing AI and its practical applications.
Joint Research
- Mingxuan LI (李明轩), Thomas Weise (汤卫思), Sina Abdipoor (سینا عبدیپور), Jourdan D'orville, Say Leng Goh, and Razali Yaakob: Integrative Hybrid Local Search with Luby's Restart Strategy for University Course Timetabling with Student Sectioning. 15th Conference on the Practice and Theory of Automated Timetabling (PATAT'2026), August 25-28, 2026, University of Nottingham, UK. UK/Belgium: EURO Working Group on Automated Timetabling, part of Association of European Operational Research Societies: Association of European Operational Research Societies (EURO).
- Thomas Weise (汤卫思), Sina Abdipoor (سینا عبدیپور), Mingxuan LI (李明轩), and Zhize WU (吴志泽): Solving the SpOC 4 Challenge 2 with a Multi-Step Permutation Encoding for the Keplerian Traveling Salesperson. Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO'2026) Companion, July 13-17, 2026, San José, Costa Rica, pages 33–34. New York, NY, USA: ACM.
- Mingxuan LI (李明轩), Thomas Weise (汤卫思), Sina Abdipoor (سینا عبدیپور), and Zhize WU (吴志泽): SpOC 4 Challenges 1 Beginner: Permutation Encodings and Challenge 3: Simulated Annealing for the Luna Tomato Advertising. Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO'2026) Companion, July 13-17, 2026, San José, Costa Rica, pages 31–32. New York, NY, USA: ACM.