The EEPA 2010 is sponsored by IBM. Its Jury consisting of M Bierlaire, F. Burke, R. Eglese, O. Madsen, G. Speranza (Chair), selected the three finalist papers here under:

1 - Billerud optimizes its bleaching process using online optimization

Mikael Ronnqvist, Department of Finance and Management Science, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, NO-5045 , Bergen, Norway, mikael.ronnqvist@nhh.no, Patrik Flisberg, Stefan Nilsson

The company Billerud is a leading packaging company and has four integrated pulp and paper mil!s. Since 2004, the paper mill Skärblacka is using an online process control system, OptCab, for its bleaching operations. The core of OptCab is an online optimization system that dynamical!y updates a process description and establishes an optimized bleaching control. Between 2004 and 2008, the use of chemicals has decreased by about 10% which corresponds to a saving of 2 million Euros. Additional savings are less negative environmental impact and that the final brightness quality is more stable.

2 - Game Theory for Security: Lessons Learned from Deeployed Applications

Milind Tambe, Computer Science and Industrial & Systems Engineering Departments, University of Southern California, 3737 Watt Way, PHE 410,90089, Los Angeles, CA, United States, tambe@usc.edu, Fernando Ordonez, Manish Jain, Christopher Kiekintveld, Jason Tsai, Shyamsunder Rathi, James Plta

Intelligently allocating limited security resources to protect important terrorrist targets is a key concern around the world. Game theory is ideally suited for such security allocation, as it accounts for differences in target priorities and adversary responses to security strategies. We present our research on fast game-theoretic algorithms and its deployed applications: (1) ARMOR, deployed at Los Angeles Airport (LAX) since 2007 to randomize checkpoints and canine patrols. (2) IRIS, in use since 2009 by the US Federal Air Marshals Service to generate random flight schedules for air marshals.

3 - Catch-Up Scheduling for Childhood Vaccination

Pinar Keskinocak, Georgia Tech, United States, pinar@isye.gatech.edu, Faramroze Engineer, Larry Pickering

We developed a decision support tool for constructing catch-up schedules for childhood immunization, to ensure that a child receives timely coverage against vaccine-preventable diseases. We show that the catch-up scheduling problem is NP-hard, and develop a dynamic programming algorithm that exploits the typical size and structure of the problem. Our approach is unique in methoddology, information, strategy, and advice it offers to the user. The tool is being advocated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arnerican Academy of Pediatrics.

The prize has been conferred at the EURO 2010 Conference taking place in Lisbon (Portugal)

EURO Excellence in Practice Award 2009

The winners of the 2009 edition of the EEPA are:

Carlo Mannino, Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza"
and
Alessandro Mascis, Bombardier Transportation Italy

Report of the chair of the jury, Geir Hasle