Satellite workshop 2: Learned methods for operations research

This workshop is part of the broader CWI research semester programme on learning enhanced optimization, contributing to its overarching mission of advancing cutting-edge research in theoretical computer science, operations research and beyond. In addition, it is the final workshop of the OPTIMAL project optimization for and with machine learning.

When
3 Nov 2025 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 Nov 2025 7 p.m. CET (GMT+0100)
Where
Turing Hall, CWI, Science Park 125, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Please register here

Background

Optimization problems appear everywhere in society. Think for example of vehicle routing, chip manufacturing, energy networks, pricing and drug design. Similar problems also appear in other scientific disciplines, for example biology and physics. The field of Operations Research aims to develop the mathematics and algorithmics needed to solve such optimization problems efficiently in practice. Traditionally, methods were developed purely based on mathematical models and analyzed with either worst-case scenarios or specific practical data sets. Recent research focuses on using large amounts of data in the development of optimization algorithms to develop methods that work well (in terms of accuracy as well as efficiency) for all or almost all data sets that may arise in practice. To achieve this, it is necessary to use machine learning within traditional optimization methods. Doing so, new challenges arise such as fairness, explainability, robustness and privacy.

About the workshop

This four-day workshop will bring together leading researchers in the field to discuss recent advancements, explore key challenges, and foster new collaborations.

The workshop aims to strengthen and widen research on all types of optimization, combined with any form of machine learning, both on a fundamental level as well as on direct applications, with an emphasis on the responsible use of machine learning. The main focus is on the use of machine learning within the algorithm design.

The programme will feature keynote lectures, contributed and lightning talks, and provide ample time for research discussions.

Speakers

We are delighted that the following speakers have accepted our invitation to give keynote lectures at the workshop:

  • Andrea Lodi (Cornell Tech, USA)
  • Bart van Parys (CWI, NL)
  • Çağıl Koçyiğit (University of Luxembourg, LU)
  • Dimitris Bertsimas (MIT, USA)
  • Francis Bach (INRIA, France)
  • Marleen Balvert (Tilburg University, NL)
  • more to be announced

Tentative Programme

  • 09:30–10:00 Registration & Coffee/Tea
  • 10:00–10:10 Welcome by Ilker Birbil
  • 10:10–11:00 Jannis Kurtz - Deep Learning Enhanced Robust and Bilevel Optimization
  • 11:00–11:30 Coffee/Tea
  • 11:30–12:00 Ward Romeijnders - Decomposition algorithms for stochastic mixed-integer programs
  • 12:00–12:30
  • 12:30–13:30 Lunch (provided)
  • 13:30–13:45 Christopher Hojny – Verifying Message-Passing Neural Networks Via Topology-Based Bounds Tightening
  • 13:45–14:00 Francesco Giliberto - Optimal Information Relaxation Bounds for Multi-Stage Stochastic Optimization
  • 14:00–14:15 Lennart Kauther - Fare Zone Assignment
  • 14:15–14:30
  • 14:30–15:00 Coffee/Tea
  • 15:00–16:00 Dimitris Bertsimas
  • 16:00–17:30 Reception at CWI Forum ('Dutch appetizers and drinks')
  • 09:50–10:00 Coffee/Tea
  • 10:00–11:00 Andrea Lodi
  • 11:00–11:30 Coffee/Tea
  • 11:30–12:00 Joaquim Gromicho
  • 12:00–12:30 Ilker Birbil
  • 12:30–13:30 Lunch (provided)
  • 13:30–15:00 Open problems / discussion / collaboration
  • 15:00–15:30 Coffee/Tea
  • 15:30–16:30 Çağıl Koçyiğit – Integrating Machine Learning and Optimization for Efficient, Fair, and Interpretable Allocation of Scarce Resources
  • 19:00–22:30 Social dinner
  • 09:50–10:00 Coffee/Tea
  • 10:00–11:00 Francis Bach
  • 11:00–11:30 Coffee/Tea
  • 11:30–12:00 Leo van Iersel - Reconstructing phylogenetic networks by combining cherry picking and machine learning
  • 12:00–12:30 Lennart Kauther - On the Approximability of Train Routing and the Min-Max Disjoint Paths Problem
  • 12:30–13:30 Lunch (provided)
  • 13:30–15:00 Open problems / discussion / collaboration
  • 15:00–15:30 Coffee/Tea
  • 15:30–16:30 Stefanie Jegelka
  • 09:50–10:00 Coffee/Tea
  • 10:00–11:00 Marleen Balvert
  • 11:00–11:30 Coffee/Tea
  • 11:30–12:30 Bart van Parys
  • 12:30–13:00 Lunch takeaway (packed)

Registration

Please note that participation in this workshop is by invitation only!

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.

Please register here

Organizers

  • Karen Aardal (TU Delft)
  • Ilker Birbil (UvA)
  • Dick den Hertog (UvA)
  • Leo van Iersel (TU Delft)
  • Etienne de Klerk (Tilburg University)
  • Guido Schäfer (CWI)
  • Leen Stougie (CWI)

Accommodation and venue

Please be aware that hotel prices in Amsterdam can be quite steep. We strongly recommend all participants to secure their hotel reservations as early as possible!

Hotel recommendations

From these hotels, the venue can be reached in 15-30 minutes with public transport. In all public transportation, you can check in and out with a Mastercard or Visa contactless credit card and also with Apple Pay and Google Wallet.

Venue

The conference will be held in the Turing Hall at the Congress Centre of Amsterdam Science Park, next to Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI).

Address: Science Park 125, 1098 XG Amsterdam

See here for location in Google Maps.

CWI research semester programme

This workshop is part of the broader CWI research semester programme on learning enhanced optimization, contributing to its overarching mission of advancing cutting-edge research in theoretical computer science, operations research and beyond.

See here for more information about the whole research semester programme

Financial support

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of CWI and OPTIMAL whose contributions helped to make this event possible.

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Poster of the RSP- Learning Enhanced Optimization