Thiago Serra
@thserra.bsky.social
Assistant professor at University of Iowa, formerly at Bucknell University, mathematical optimizer with an #orms PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, curious about scaling up constraint learning, proud father of two
Pinned
Thiago Serra
@thserra.bsky.social
· May 6
Optimization over Trained (and Sparse) Neural Networks: A Surrogate within a Surrogate
We can approximate a constraint or an objective function that is uncertain or nonlinear with a neural network that we embed in the optimization model. This approach, which is known as constraint learn...
arxiv.org
We have a new paper out, with some exciting results on how to solve optimization models embedding neural networks!
📝 Optimization over Trained (and Sparse) Neural Networks: A Surrogate within a Surrogate
🔗 arxiv.org/abs/2505.01985
🎤 Talk in Montreal tomorrow: www.crmath.ca/en/activitie...
1/N
📝 Optimization over Trained (and Sparse) Neural Networks: A Surrogate within a Surrogate
🔗 arxiv.org/abs/2505.01985
🎤 Talk in Montreal tomorrow: www.crmath.ca/en/activitie...
1/N
Reposted by Thiago Serra
It's been an absolute pleasure working with Ellen, Madeleine, and their amazing PhD students for the past year on making optimization more accessible with generative AI!
I am on the job market this year - check out my website (conlaw.github.io) for more details on what I've been up to.
I am on the job market this year - check out my website (conlaw.github.io) for more details on what I've been up to.
November 16, 2025 at 9:04 PM
It's been an absolute pleasure working with Ellen, Madeleine, and their amazing PhD students for the past year on making optimization more accessible with generative AI!
I am on the job market this year - check out my website (conlaw.github.io) for more details on what I've been up to.
I am on the job market this year - check out my website (conlaw.github.io) for more details on what I've been up to.
Reposted by Thiago Serra
Please keep an eye out for Connor Lawless (@lawlessopt.bsky.social) on the faculty job market! Connor is a Stanford Human-Centered AI Postdoc, co-hosted by myself and Madeleine Udell. His research combines ML, computational optimization, and HCI, with the goal of building human-centered AI systems.
November 16, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Please keep an eye out for Connor Lawless (@lawlessopt.bsky.social) on the faculty job market! Connor is a Stanford Human-Centered AI Postdoc, co-hosted by myself and Madeleine Udell. His research combines ML, computational optimization, and HCI, with the goal of building human-centered AI systems.
Reposted by Thiago Serra
The 2025 ICS Student Paper Award winner is Hao Hao (CMU) for the paper "Robust Paths: Geometry and Computation," co-authored with Peter Zhang.
November 1, 2025 at 10:37 PM
The 2025 ICS Student Paper Award winner is Hao Hao (CMU) for the paper "Robust Paths: Geometry and Computation," co-authored with Peter Zhang.
Reposted by Thiago Serra
The 2025 ICS Harvey J Greenberg Research Award was presented to Braden L. Crimmins, J. Alex Halderman, and Bradley Sturt for their paper "Improving the Security of United States Elections with Robust Optimization."
November 1, 2025 at 10:33 PM
The 2025 ICS Harvey J Greenberg Research Award was presented to Braden L. Crimmins, J. Alex Halderman, and Bradley Sturt for their paper "Improving the Security of United States Elections with Robust Optimization."
Reposted by Thiago Serra
The 2025 ICS Prize Committee recommended the recognition of two submissions as co-winners of the ICS Prize:
(1) Alper Atamtürk, Andrés Gómez, and Shaoning Han
(2) Jason Altschuler and Pablo Parrilo
(1) Alper Atamtürk, Andrés Gómez, and Shaoning Han
(2) Jason Altschuler and Pablo Parrilo
November 1, 2025 at 10:46 PM
The 2025 ICS Prize Committee recommended the recognition of two submissions as co-winners of the ICS Prize:
(1) Alper Atamtürk, Andrés Gómez, and Shaoning Han
(2) Jason Altschuler and Pablo Parrilo
(1) Alper Atamtürk, Andrés Gómez, and Shaoning Han
(2) Jason Altschuler and Pablo Parrilo
October 29, 2025 at 1:08 AM
In Hans Mittelmann’s presentation on optimization benchmark results at #informs2025, he raised the point that benchmarking enters a new era with AI being used under the hood by solvers in one way or another.
October 28, 2025 at 1:14 PM
In Hans Mittelmann’s presentation on optimization benchmark results at #informs2025, he raised the point that benchmarking enters a new era with AI being used under the hood by solvers in one way or another.
Thinking of my PhD days, my recollection of Shabbir Ahmed was as one of those senior professors who would come, chat, and give advice to other people’s PhD students in workshops and conferences. He was a nice guy who left this world too early.
October 28, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Thinking of my PhD days, my recollection of Shabbir Ahmed was as one of those senior professors who would come, chat, and give advice to other people’s PhD students in workshops and conferences. He was a nice guy who left this world too early.
Reposted by Thiago Serra
Group photo taken at the Resilient Networks session at #informs2025. My @isenbergumass.bsky.social PhD student @ismaelpour.bsky.social presented our paper published recently in ITOR on crop and cargo war risk insurance. This is joint work with Borys Kormych.
October 27, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Group photo taken at the Resilient Networks session at #informs2025. My @isenbergumass.bsky.social PhD student @ismaelpour.bsky.social presented our paper published recently in ITOR on crop and cargo war risk insurance. This is joint work with Borys Kormych.
Reposted by Thiago Serra
I’m recruiting a postdoctoral researcher on a fully funded 2-year contract. The topic is developing and implementing new parallel graph algorithms, with applications to data-driven transportation and logistics.
Details and application procedure below ⬇️ Reach out if you have any questions!
Details and application procedure below ⬇️ Reach out if you have any questions!
acme-mobidec.github.io
October 27, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I’m recruiting a postdoctoral researcher on a fully funded 2-year contract. The topic is developing and implementing new parallel graph algorithms, with applications to data-driven transportation and logistics.
Details and application procedure below ⬇️ Reach out if you have any questions!
Details and application procedure below ⬇️ Reach out if you have any questions!
The University of Iowa is launching a new ranking of business analytics departments (including equivalent departments in other business schools) at this year’s @informs.bsky.social Annual Meeting.
1/3
1/3
October 26, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The University of Iowa is launching a new ranking of business analytics departments (including equivalent departments in other business schools) at this year’s @informs.bsky.social Annual Meeting.
1/3
1/3
Had a fun pre-INFORMS Saturday.
First, I joined Kayse Lee Maass and Graeme Warren for the panel Learning and Teaching with Games at the Teaching Excellence and Networking workshop, hosted by Yaren Bilge Kaya.
1/3
First, I joined Kayse Lee Maass and Graeme Warren for the panel Learning and Teaching with Games at the Teaching Excellence and Networking workshop, hosted by Yaren Bilge Kaya.
1/3
October 26, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Had a fun pre-INFORMS Saturday.
First, I joined Kayse Lee Maass and Graeme Warren for the panel Learning and Teaching with Games at the Teaching Excellence and Networking workshop, hosted by Yaren Bilge Kaya.
1/3
First, I joined Kayse Lee Maass and Graeme Warren for the panel Learning and Teaching with Games at the Teaching Excellence and Networking workshop, hosted by Yaren Bilge Kaya.
1/3
Happening right now at INFORMS: Lucas Waddell is talking about our project, which improved how final exams are scheduled at Bucknell University at B406!
You can read more about it here: arxiv.org/abs/2509.11031
#informs2025
You can read more about it here: arxiv.org/abs/2509.11031
#informs2025
October 26, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Happening right now at INFORMS: Lucas Waddell is talking about our project, which improved how final exams are scheduled at Bucknell University at B406!
You can read more about it here: arxiv.org/abs/2509.11031
#informs2025
You can read more about it here: arxiv.org/abs/2509.11031
#informs2025
If the LLM that you use for preparing your job application is the same LLM used by the recruiter on the other side for identifying top candidates, does that improve your chances?
Jiannan Xu showed us at #informs2025 Data Mining workshop that YES, it does!
Paper: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Jiannan Xu showed us at #informs2025 Data Mining workshop that YES, it does!
Paper: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
October 25, 2025 at 8:39 PM
If the LLM that you use for preparing your job application is the same LLM used by the recruiter on the other side for identifying top candidates, does that improve your chances?
Jiannan Xu showed us at #informs2025 Data Mining workshop that YES, it does!
Paper: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Jiannan Xu showed us at #informs2025 Data Mining workshop that YES, it does!
Paper: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Thiago Serra
The 2026 Land-Doig Competition is open! This year’s topic is GPU-Accelerated Primal Heuristics for Mixed-Integer Programming. Details below.
www.mixedinteger.org/2026/competi...
www.mixedinteger.org/2026/competi...
MIPcc26: The 2026 Land-Doig MIP Competition
www.mixedinteger.org
October 20, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The 2026 Land-Doig Competition is open! This year’s topic is GPU-Accelerated Primal Heuristics for Mixed-Integer Programming. Details below.
www.mixedinteger.org/2026/competi...
www.mixedinteger.org/2026/competi...
Reposted by Thiago Serra
I’m reasonably confident that this is the first Disney song cover about machine learning conferences.
At least the first one so far.
Don’t tempt me.
#MLSky
youtu.be/kWkgl9Mb2p4?...
At least the first one so far.
Don’t tempt me.
#MLSky
youtu.be/kWkgl9Mb2p4?...
San Diego
YouTube video by PianoHamster
youtu.be
October 20, 2025 at 11:29 AM
I’m reasonably confident that this is the first Disney song cover about machine learning conferences.
At least the first one so far.
Don’t tempt me.
#MLSky
youtu.be/kWkgl9Mb2p4?...
At least the first one so far.
Don’t tempt me.
#MLSky
youtu.be/kWkgl9Mb2p4?...
Iowa City folks:
Tomorrow(Friday, October 17) I will be talking at the University of Iowa Computer Science's Colloquium @uiowacs.bsky.social about optimization over trained neural networks.
The talk is at 3:30 PM in room 110 MLH.
For more details: cs.uiowa.edu/event/34670/0
Tomorrow(Friday, October 17) I will be talking at the University of Iowa Computer Science's Colloquium @uiowacs.bsky.social about optimization over trained neural networks.
The talk is at 3:30 PM in room 110 MLH.
For more details: cs.uiowa.edu/event/34670/0
October 16, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Iowa City folks:
Tomorrow(Friday, October 17) I will be talking at the University of Iowa Computer Science's Colloquium @uiowacs.bsky.social about optimization over trained neural networks.
The talk is at 3:30 PM in room 110 MLH.
For more details: cs.uiowa.edu/event/34670/0
Tomorrow(Friday, October 17) I will be talking at the University of Iowa Computer Science's Colloquium @uiowacs.bsky.social about optimization over trained neural networks.
The talk is at 3:30 PM in room 110 MLH.
For more details: cs.uiowa.edu/event/34670/0
Reposted by Thiago Serra
@sophie.huiberts.me is featured in a Quanta magazine article about the simplex method.
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
Researchers Discover the Optimal Way To Optimize | Quanta Magazine
The leading approach to the simplex method, a widely used technique for balancing complex logistical constraints, can’t get any better.
www.quantamagazine.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:28 AM
@sophie.huiberts.me is featured in a Quanta magazine article about the simplex method.
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
AI is reshaping hiring—but how exactly?
In this IJHRM editorial with Melissa Intindola, Neil Boyd, and John Hunter, we explore why understanding AI’s impact on hiring requires both technical insight and HR expertise.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In this IJHRM editorial with Melissa Intindola, Neil Boyd, and John Hunter, we explore why understanding AI’s impact on hiring requires both technical insight and HR expertise.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Interdisciplinary narratives on artificial intelligence & personnel selection systems
Published in The International Journal of Human Resource Management (Vol. 36, No. 14, 2025)
www.tandfonline.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM
AI is reshaping hiring—but how exactly?
In this IJHRM editorial with Melissa Intindola, Neil Boyd, and John Hunter, we explore why understanding AI’s impact on hiring requires both technical insight and HR expertise.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In this IJHRM editorial with Melissa Intindola, Neil Boyd, and John Hunter, we explore why understanding AI’s impact on hiring requires both technical insight and HR expertise.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@jannisku.bsky.social is giving a very interesting talk on explainable (integer) optimization at the @euroorml.bsky.social seminar, highlighting counterfactual explanations before diving on new work with Coherent Local Explanations for Mathematical Optimization (CLEMO): arxiv.org/abs/2502.04840
October 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
@jannisku.bsky.social is giving a very interesting talk on explainable (integer) optimization at the @euroorml.bsky.social seminar, highlighting counterfactual explanations before diving on new work with Coherent Local Explanations for Mathematical Optimization (CLEMO): arxiv.org/abs/2502.04840
It was great having Joe Paat visiting The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business on Friday — and having a chance to further understand this work!
October 13, 2025 at 3:26 PM
It was great having Joe Paat visiting The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business on Friday — and having a chance to further understand this work!
Reposted by Thiago Serra
What do @ryanjoneil.bsky.social and @thserra.bsky.social think is worth knowing about translating operations research and decision science learnings into industry practice? Join this session to find out: www.nextmv.io/videos/what-...
#orms #informs #operationsresearch #decisionscience #datascience
#orms #informs #operationsresearch #decisionscience #datascience
What to know about practicing operations research and decision science in industry
Two operations research PhDs with varied real-world experiences explore skillsets, actions, and considerations for entering into and practicing in OR and decision science in industry analytics setting...
www.nextmv.io
October 9, 2025 at 3:03 PM
What do @ryanjoneil.bsky.social and @thserra.bsky.social think is worth knowing about translating operations research and decision science learnings into industry practice? Join this session to find out: www.nextmv.io/videos/what-...
#orms #informs #operationsresearch #decisionscience #datascience
#orms #informs #operationsresearch #decisionscience #datascience
Last week I had the immense privilege of giving the opening keynote talk of the BRACIS - Brazilian Conference on Intelligent Systems #bracis2025 and visiting the beautiful city of Fortaleza for the first time.
1/3
1/3
October 6, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Last week I had the immense privilege of giving the opening keynote talk of the BRACIS - Brazilian Conference on Intelligent Systems #bracis2025 and visiting the beautiful city of Fortaleza for the first time.
1/3
1/3
Closing #bracis2025 with mastery, Sandra Avila talked about her journey working on diagnosing melanomas (a type of skin cancer).
Interestingly, the story starts with winning a classification contest, and then evolves from her working backwards to figure out what the models actually predicted.
1/N
Interestingly, the story starts with winning a classification contest, and then evolves from her working backwards to figure out what the models actually predicted.
1/N
October 4, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Closing #bracis2025 with mastery, Sandra Avila talked about her journey working on diagnosing melanomas (a type of skin cancer).
Interestingly, the story starts with winning a classification contest, and then evolves from her working backwards to figure out what the models actually predicted.
1/N
Interestingly, the story starts with winning a classification contest, and then evolves from her working backwards to figure out what the models actually predicted.
1/N
Evangelos Papalexakis gave an interesting and accessible keynote about latent structure and tensor decomposition at #bracis2025
The identification of latent structure was motivated with the observation from Miller’s Law that we only keep “7 +/- 2” items in memory at any given time time.
1/N
The identification of latent structure was motivated with the observation from Miller’s Law that we only keep “7 +/- 2” items in memory at any given time time.
1/N
October 1, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Evangelos Papalexakis gave an interesting and accessible keynote about latent structure and tensor decomposition at #bracis2025
The identification of latent structure was motivated with the observation from Miller’s Law that we only keep “7 +/- 2” items in memory at any given time time.
1/N
The identification of latent structure was motivated with the observation from Miller’s Law that we only keep “7 +/- 2” items in memory at any given time time.
1/N