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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241108T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241108T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20241107T222313Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241107T222313Z
UID:1754-1731060000-1731063600@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Transform AI/OR Algorithms into Full-Fledged Web Applications in No Time
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Vincent Gosselin\, Co-founder of Taipy \nIn the Python ecosystem\, numerous packages are available to: \n\nBuild powerful AI and Operations Research (OR) algorithms\nVisualize data effectively\nManage back-end functions\n\nYet\, over 85% of Data Science Pilots fail to move beyond the pilot phase and into production. \nIn this tutorial\, we will showcase how Taipy empowers you to rapidly develop comprehensive Decision Support Systems in just a few hours. \nAfter exploring Taipy’s intuitive low-code and no-code GUI creation features\, we’ll dive into scenario management with real-world industry examples. \nOur aim is to facilitate the faster and smoother adoption of data science and OR solutions for end users. \nFeedback and potential collaborations welcome. \n  \nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. \nFollow the Forum on Twitter and LinkedIN \, and feel free to get in touch.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/transform-ai-or-algorithms-into-full-fledged-web-applications-in-no-time/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241206T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241206T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20241107T222812Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250115T211038Z
UID:1756-1733479200-1733482800@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:A Ride through Flix’ Optimization Universe
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sander Van Aken & Myriam Thömmes (Flix SE) \nFlix has rapidly become a global player in the long-distance passenger transportation market\, operating in 44 different countries across 4 continents with brands as FlixBus\, FlixTrain\, Greyhound (US) and Kamil Koc (Turkey). Being a travel-tech company at heart\, we harness the power of ML and OR to tackle the most complex business challenges. In this talk\, we will first give a brief overview of the business problems we are addressing with ML and OR solutions. We’ll then deep dive into one specific network planning use case to showcase how we deal with the real-world complexity of our global business model\, and how we turn this into our advantage to deliver pragmatic OR solutions. Beyond the methodological part\, we illustrate how approaching OR product development as a multi-disciplinary collaboration forms a key ingredient to succes­s. Finally\, we give some insight how we continuously iterate on both problem and solution space to deliver actual business value. \n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. \nFollow the Forum on Twitter and LinkedIN \, and feel free to get in touch.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/a-ride-through-flix-optimization-universes/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250117T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250117T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20241107T223149Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250115T212743Z
UID:1758-1737108000-1737111600@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Cornflow: a flexible open source deployment server for optimization engines
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Franco Peschiera\, PhD\, Baobab soluciones \nIn the last decade\, the cloud has motivated many business in OR to offer their optimization services through REST APIs. From modellers to solver suppliers\, each platform provides access to the owner’s product. Most of the times this access is tied to the use of the product. \nIn combinatorial optimization there is no silver-bullet (or free lunch)\, each solution method (MIP model\, CP model\, meta-heuristic\, add-hoc heuristic\, etc.) is suited to solve different problems. Only offering a limited range of solution methods risks losing the power to solve some problem efficiently. \nFinally\, except a few exceptions (VRP\, TSP)\, most problems do not have a clear data interface that is standardized. This makes it hard to benchmark different approaches to a given problem. \nTo address these problems (vendor lock\, no-free-lunch\, lack of standardization)\, Cornflow was created as a free (as in freedom) problem-agnostic and solver-agnostic deployment server for optimization problems. It hosts problems as flexible data-structures (json schemas) and solution methods as code (usually python code but not exclusively). This allows full customization of problems and their solution methods. For example a VRP-like problem can be solved with Concorde\, a CP-SAT model\, column-generation with gurobi or a 2-opt heuristic. While a Nurse-Rostering-like problem can be solved with a traditional MIP model\, Timefold or some clever matheuristic. \nWe believe that by keeping the deployment server open\, we will make it easier for problem providers (i.e.\, industry) and solution providers (i.e.\, academia) to build on top of each other’s work and collaborate more easily. \nAbout the speaker: \nFranco Peschiera is an engineer\, a programmer and a scientist. He loves solving puzzles\, organizing stuff and customer service. During his free (and not-so-free) time he’s a father\, a cyclist and a professional skeptic. \nFranco has a double degree in industrial engineering from the PUCP (Lima) and UPM (Madrid) universities and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from ISAE-SUPAERO (Toulouse). He founded a successful OR software (baobab soluciones) company based in Madrid where he worked 10 years as various roles\, including project leader\, chief technical officer\, and consultant in several optimization projects in the car\, aerospace\, oil and pharmaceutic industries\, among many others. \nHe also founded a yet-to-be-succesful clothing-rental company based in Lima/Rome (HackPacking)\, is the proud maintainer of the PuLP mathematical modelling library and maintains several other open source tools for Operations Research. You can find him in: LinkedIn and github. \n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. \nFollow the Forum on Twitter and LinkedIN \, and feel free to get in touch. \n\n\n 
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/cornflow-a-flexible-open-source-deployment-server-for-optimization-engines/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250207T150000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250207T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250206T214617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250206T214617Z
UID:1853-1738940400-1738944000@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Decision Diagrams for Optimization: Methodology and Applications
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Willem-Jan van Hoeve\, Carnegie Mellon University. \nOver the last decade\, decision diagram-based optimization has emerged as a novel and innovative approach to solving discrete optimization problems. This presentation provides an overview of this methodology\, focusing on three computational paradigms: (1) stand-alone decision diagram-based solvers\, (2) integration into constraint programming\, and (3) integration into linear and integer programming. Applications include graph theoretic problems\, scheduling\, and vehicle routing. In particular\, combining decision diagrams with network flow theory—via a process called `column elimination’—has resolved previously unsolved benchmark instances for problems such as graph multi-coloring\, vehicle routing with time windows\, and pickup-and-delivery with time windows. These advancements highlight the potential of decision diagram-based optimization as a powerful tool for addressing complex optimization challenges across domains. \nAbout the speaker: \nWillem-Jan van Hoeve is the Carnegie Bosch Professor of Operations Research at the Tepper School of Business\, Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on developing new methodologies for mathematical optimization with applications to network design\, scheduling\, vehicle routing\, data mining\, and others. He made notable contributions to the areas of constraint and integer programming\, and most recently pioneered the field of decision diagrams for optimization. Van Hoeve’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation\, the Office of Naval Research\, and two Google Faculty Research Awards. He has consulted for a variety of companies including FedEx Ground\, Exxon Mobil\, PNC Bank\, Bosch/Siemens\, and Charter Steel\, as well as a number of non-profit organizations. Van Hoeve is the recipient of the INFORMS Computing Society Harvey J. Greenberg Research Award\, the Tepper School’s MBA Teaching Award (twice) and MSBA Teaching Award\, and several best paper awards. His academic service includes the Board of Directors of the INFORMS Computing Society\, Chairperson of the INFORMS Student Competition Committee\, the Steering Committee of CPAIOR conference series\, and the Executive Committee of the Association for Constraint Programming. Van Hoeve is currently Associate Editor of the INFORMS Journal on Computing\, Associate Editor of Operations Research\, and Associate Editor of Artificial Intelligence.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/decision-diagrams-for-optimization-methodology-and-applications/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250307T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250307T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250306T210628Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250306T210628Z
UID:1868-1741341600-1741345200@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:OR in the Circular Economy: Applications in the European Project IS2H4C
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Dr. Alessio Trivella\, Assistant Professor of Operations Research\, University of Twente \nIn recent years\, the Circular Economy has gained increasing attention from both academia and practice as a sustainable approach to resource management. However\, the application of Operations Research (OR) methodologies to circular economy challenges has been relatively limited. \nThis seminar presents insights from the Horizon Europe project “IS2H4C: Industrial Symbiosis to Hubs for Circularity” (2024-2028)\, which aims to advance the concept of Hubs for Circularity (H4Cs) in four regions across Europe. H4Cs are innovative systems that go beyond industrial symbiosis networks by incorporating not only industrial clusters but also the surrounding urban and rural areas into a circular ecosystem. This shift to a more inclusive model presents unique challenges for resource allocation\, energy management\, and symbiotic matchmaking—areas where OR tools can play an important role. \nWe will explore early-stage work within the project\, where OR techniques such as integer programming\, stochastic optimization\, and reinforcement learning are being applied to optimize resource flows within an H4C\, manage its energy system\, and facilitate industrial symbiosis. The ultimate goal is to integrate these decision-support tools in a digital collaboration platform to be used by the hubs in the project and beyond. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. \nFollow the Forum on X and LinkedIN \, and feel free to get in touch. \n\n\n\n\nEURO Practitioners’ Forum webinars organisers: Sofiane Oussedik (IBM)\, Joaquim Gromicho (ORTEC)\, Torkel Haufmann (Sintef)\, Adisa Mujezinovic
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/or-in-the-circular-economy-applications-in-the-european-project-is2h4c/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250516T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250516T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250407T081119Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T081119Z
UID:1918-1747389600-1747393200@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Why puzzles are very interesting for OR consulting?
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Alex Fleischer\, Optimization Expert (IBM) \nTrying to solve puzzles\, practitioners can train themselves on OR techniques. (and other techniques)Puzzles are good ways for large and small companies to have OR practitioners from academia and consulting have a look at their specific issues. (ROADEF / Euro challenges) \nPuzzles can help challenge students to show motivation and skills. \nWhy puzzles are very interesting with regards to equivalent computational challenges ? \nWe need to map real world concepts to mathematical concepts and that’s useful! They tell a story so they’re very easy to share and explain. \nKaggle challenges are part of the buzz around data science and here I’ll mention other public challenges with examples:The IBM Ponder this challenge\, the Decision Management challenge\, and\, not to forget\, the “”Comité International des Jeux Mathématiques”. \nAnd I will challenge the audience with regards to deciding if challenges are good training paths for OR consulting and\, also\, if real-world business OR helps practitioners get better at challenges. \nI will also share some hybrid use of optimization and generative AI. \n  \nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. Follow the Forum on X and LinkedIN \, and feel free to get in touch.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/why-puzzles-are-very-interesting-for-or-consulting/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250613T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250613T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250516T063647Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250516T063647Z
UID:1940-1749808800-1749812400@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Empowering reliable automated decision making in ECCO with DecisionOps
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Matthias Als\, Lead Data Scientist\, ECCO Data & AI \nAbstract: \nThis webinar presents the concept of DecisionOps\, a systematic approach for developing and maintaining Operations Research (OR) algorithm software\, ensuring transparency and reliability throughout the development process. Utilizing their experiences from ECCO\, a global leather goods retailer with a comprehensive supply chain\, the speaker describes how ECCO has leveraged this approach to optimize their supply chain operations through the development of the Intelligent Auto Replenishment and Omni-Channel Fulfillment solutions. The webinar provides a walk-through of the DecisionOps development cycle\, from the initial research and development stages through to the productionalized solution\, and finally\, the crucial stage of continuous feedback. Looking ahead\, the speaker shares ECCO’s future plans for OR projects leveraging DecisionOps. By sharing ECCO’s experiences and future plans\, this webinar offers inspiration for businesses seeking to enhance their OR algorithm software development processes. \nAbout the speaker: \nMatthias Als is a Lead Data Scientist in ECCO. For more than 3 years in ECCO\, Matthias has built automated decision systems especially for inventory management problems combining the power of both machine learning and operations research. Matthias holds a MSc degree in computer science from the IT University of Copenhagen. Since April 2024\, Matthias is also on the board of the Danish Operations Research Society\, DORS.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/empowering-reliable-automated-decision-making-in-ecco-with-decisionops/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250622
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250626
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250306T235230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250307T102750Z
UID:1873-1750550400-1750895999@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Making an Impact - EURO 2025
DESCRIPTION:22 – 25 June 2025 in Leeds\, United Kingdom\n\n\n\n\nThe practitioners’ stream 2025 for everybody who uses modelling and analytics to help their organisation and their customers. \nThe details of the conference: MAKING AN IMPACT – EURO 2025 \nThe early registration (23% off) closes on 30 March 2025 \nThe Making an Impact stream is there to help you increase the impact of OR on real-world practical challenges – whether you are in a company\, commercial consultancy\, or in academia. Every session of the stream is designed to deliver value. \n\nDiscover! new techniques\, latest developments\, collaboration opportunities\, new ideas\nShare! Practical experiences\, successes\, challenges\, tips for better outcomes\nMeet! Practitioners from across Europe and across sector\, academic experts\, software suppliers\n\n\n\n\n\nThe stream is being put together by a pan-European group of practitioners and academics interested in practice\, led by the EURO Practitioners’ Forum. EURO Working Group on Practice of OR – Applying O.R. to make an impact \n\n\n\n\nSessions planned so far include tutorials\, presentations\, panel discussions and other participative activities: \n\nextend your repertoire of techniques\, tools and approaches on topics including: digital twins; generative AI\, next-generation solvers; system dynamics; systems thinking; agile practices\nexplore the many challenges of practical OR and ways of addressing them\, with sessions on: successful collaborations with academic partners; building convincing explanations for results and systems; persuading management and customers to invest in new OR projects and products; exploring what we are doing\, as practitioners\, when we are not actually modelling\nLightning talks and themed case study sessions\, spotlighting the ways other people are using OR\, to stimulate your own practical ideas\nto meet colleagues and exchange ideas through speed networking.\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to contribute to any of these sessions\, or find out more\, get in touch at makinganimpact01@gmail.com \n 
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/making-an-impact-euro-2025-leeds-uk/
LOCATION:University of Leeds\, UK\, United Kingdom
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250905T150000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250905T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250620T121954Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250620T122531Z
UID:1985-1757084400-1757088000@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Hexaly\, a new kind of global optimization solver
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Fred Gardi\, Ph.D.\, founder & CEO\, Hexaly \nAbstract: \nHexaly is a new kind of global optimization solver. During this webinar\, you will learn what makes Hexaly different from traditional Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) and Constraint Programming (CP) solvers like Gurobi and OR-Tools. We will explain the Hexaly difference regarding modeling features and the algorithmic techniques it embeds. Finally\, we will illustrate Hexaly’s unique performance on problems like routing\, scheduling\, packing\, and others arising in supply chain and workforce optimization. \n  \nAbout the speaker: \nFred Gardi is an Operations Research expert with 25 years of experience bridging research and industry applications. He founded Hexaly in 2012 to provide the market with a new kind of mathematical optimization solver. Before that\, he worked for 10 years delivering OR solutions in various industries like manufacturing\, transportation\, airports\, telecom\, advertising\, banking\, and energy. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and has won several awards in Operations Research. \n  \nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. Follow the Forum on Eventbrite\, X\, LinkedIN group and LinkedIN page\, and feel free to contact us.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/hexaly-a-new-kind-of-global-optimization-solver/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251003T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251003T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250905T121206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251003T062850Z
UID:1993-1759485600-1759489200@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Counterfactual optimization for fault prevention in complex wind energy systems
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Martina Fischetti\, tenure-track researcher at the University of Seville\, Spain \nAbout the speaker: \nMartina Fischetti is a tenure-track researcher at the University of Seville\, Spain. She holds M.Sc. degrees from the University of Padova (March 2014) and the University of Aalborg (June 2014) in Automation Engineering. In March 2018\, she finished her Industrial PhD in OR at the Technical University of Denmark in collaboration with Vattenfall (the lead energy company in North Europe). Her PhD thesis was titled Mathematical Programming Models and Algorithms for Offshore Wind Park Design. Her PhD work on the optimization of wind farm design and cable routing has been awarded various international prizes\, such as the Best Industrial PhD from Innovation Fund Denmark (2019)\, EURO Doctoral Dissertation Award (2019)\, Glover-Klingman Prize (2018)\, AIRO Best Application Paper award (2018)\, the Best Student Paper Award ICORES (2017)\, and finalist positions at the EURO Excellence in Practice award (2018) and the prestigious INFORMS Franz Edelman award (2019). She was also selected as a role model for young women in OR by the EURO WISDOM forum in 2021. After her PhD\, she worked in industry (lead engineer in Vattenfall BA Wind\, specializing in OR) and in government institutions (at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission in Seville\, Spain\, where she applied Operations Research to European transport challenges). \n\n\nAbstract: \nMachine Learning models are increasingly used in businesses to detect faults and anomalies in complex systems. In this work\, we take this approach a step further: beyond merely detecting anomalies\, we aim to identify the optimal control strategy that restores the system to a safe state with minimal disruption. We frame this challenge as a counterfactual problem: given a Machine Learning model that classifies system states as either “good” or “anomalous\,” our goal is to determine the minimal adjustment to the system’s control variables (i.e.\, its current status) that is necessary to return it to the “good” state. To achieve this\, we leverage a mathematical model that finds the optimal \ncounterfactual solution while respecting system-specific constraints. Notably\, most counterfactual analysis in the literature focuses on individual cases where a person seeks to alter their status relative to a decision made by a classifier—such as for loan approval or medical diagnosis. Our work addresses a fundamentally different challenge: optimizing counterfactuals for a complex energy system\, specifically an offshore wind turbine oil-type transformer. This application not only advances counterfactual optimization in a new domain but also opens avenues for broader research in this area. Our tests on real-world data provided by our industrial partner show that our methodology easily adapts to user preferences and brings savings in the order of 3 million euros per year in a typical farm. \n  \n\n\n\n\nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nVisit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. Follow the Forum LinkedIN group and LinkedIN page\, and feel free to get in touch. \n\n\n 
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/counterfactual-optimization-for-fault-prevention-in-complex-wind-energy-systems/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251107T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251107T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20251010T113449Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251030T114041Z
UID:2085-1762509600-1762513200@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Axis: planning and scheduling logistics to maximize margins
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Borja Menéndez Moreno\, PhD\, Lead Operations Research Engineer at Trucksters \nAbstract: \nTrucksters developed and implemented a simulation and optimization tool to maximize margins in European trucking operations. Combining graph theory\, heuristics\, and CP-SAT optimization\, the tool builds feasible multi-week route plans while suggesting new market routes. Implemented as production software\, it is used weekly by senior management. In 2024 alone\, it increased margins by 5 percentage points in a 25M€-revenue startup and reduced free capacity kms by 66%\, creating a positive organizational flywheel. It also opened a new revenue stream by selling the tool externally. During the talk\, we’ll talk about the tool\, how it’s been made\, and why it is so unique in the market. \nAbout the speaker: \nBorja is a PhD in Operations Research leading the Algorithms team at Trucksters\, a Spanish logistics startup. He has more than 11 years of experience in the field helping optimize decision making\, and is intellectually curious about solving complex problems at scale. Metaheuristics passionate\, he’s currently focused on mathematical modeling for the logistics industry. As he loves writing\, he also writes a newsletter about all things Operations Research called Feasible. \nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. Visit the website and register as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. Follow the Forum LinkedIN group and LinkedIN page\, and feel free to get in touch.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/axis-planning-and-scheduling-logistics-to-maximize-margins/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260109T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260109T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20251205T121656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251205T131928Z
UID:1996-1767952800-1767956400@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:AI and logistics – a strategic partnership?
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Dominik Berbig\, Professor of Logistics Operations Management at Pforzheim University \n  \nAbstract: \nArtificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping supply chains — but too often\, companies focus only on isolated tools or single use cases. Today\, there is a wide range of AI tools designed to support specific tasks e.g. within purchasing\, production\, or crisis management\, enabling faster and more informed decision-making. Numerous proof-of-concept projects and theoretical discussions demonstrate the potential benefits of these tools in their respective areas. However\, when taking a closer look\, it becomes clear that most approaches focus only on individual processes or isolated parts of the supply chain. What seems to be largely missing is a comprehensive\, practical strategy: How can companies implement AI tools in a reasonable and ideally sustainable way – in what order\, and for which use cases? Recent literature review confirms this gap. This leads us to the key question: What could a practical “hands-on guide to AI” for logistics look like\, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? In our speech\, we will share deeper insights from our research\, present initial strategy recommendations\, and outline the next steps necessary to ensure that AI becomes a real driver of value – not just a buzzword – in the logistics sector. \n  \nAbout the speaker: \nDominik Berbig has been Professor of Logistics Operations Management at Pforzheim University since 2021. He studied industrial engineering at the University of Karlsruhe\, and then worked as a research associate at the Institute for Material Handling and Logistics (IFL) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) where he earned his doctorate on the topic of developing a comprehensive approach for choosing proper load carriers. During his time at the IFL\, he led different industrial and scientific projects with renowned partners\, particularly in the automotive\, pharmaceutical and warehousing sector. \nPrior to his appointment\, Dominik Berbig worked at Robert Bosch GmbH in different areas and functions. Among others\, he was project manager worldwide for leveling\, as well as senior manager for warehousing\, packaging and transport in the Power Tools business unit. Most recently\, he managed the area Intralogistics and Material Flow as part of the project to introduce SAP S/4HANA & SAP EWM in the Mobility Solutions business unit. \n  \nEURO Practitioners’ Forum past and planned activities are available to the Forum members\, as well as the wider public. \nRegister as a member for free\, to get the regular updates on all activities: EPF Member registration page. The recordings and details from previous webinars are also available on this website. Follow the Forum LinkedIN group and LinkedIN page\, and feel free to get in touch.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/ai-and-logistics-a-strategic-partnership/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260306T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260306T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20260305T134821Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T134953Z
UID:2190-1772791200-1772794800@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:Trust but verify - testing optimization models in real life
DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Richard Oberdieck\, Banking Circle \n“Unless you magically find yourself endowed with limitless programming support\, sooner or later (most likely sooner) you are likely to need to do some coding.” (Paul Rubin) \nBetween a beautiful model on paper and real world impact lies the big gap of implementation. To bridge this gap confidently\, automated tests are a most important pillars on top of which your code rests. However\, many optimization professionals are not familiar with the ins and outs of automated testing. What makes this even more difficult is that writing tests for optimization models specifically is not trivial. Between licensing issues when one uses commercial solvers to run times being many hours\, it is not easy to find a good approach on how to build these solid pillars.In this talk\, I will share what I have learned about testing optimization models over the past 8 years. We will discuss the anatomy of a good test\, what types of testing exists and how property-based testing combined with ChatGPT and good data structures can provide a robust testing setup for code involving optimization models. \nAbout the speaker: \nSince getting his PhD from Imperial College in 2017\, Richard Oberdieck has spent his career at the intersection between code and optimization. First at Ørsted as a software developer for a cable design tool\, then at Gurobi as a technical account manager helping countless customers getting their optimization projects off the ground. Currently\, he works for a bank called Banking Circle as a data scientist\, where he works on a tool which\, if it breaks\, stops all payments in the bank\, leading to an even higher focus on testing than before.
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/trust-but-verify-testing-optimization-models-in-real-life/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260410T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260410T110000
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20260313T142357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260313T142357Z
UID:2196-1775815200-1775818800@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:A practical approach to replenishment optimization with extended (R\, s\, Q) policy and probabilistic models
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alva Presbitero (Senior Applied Scientist\, Zalando) and Shikhar Dev (Senior Machine Learning Engineer\, Zalando) \nIn the high-stakes world of e-commerce\, inventory management is a constant “Inventory Paradox”: carry too much stock and capital is trapped in liquidation; carry too little and you face the “silent killer” of retail—stock-outs. This webinar demonstrates how the ZEOS Inventory Optimization Tool addresses these challenges by unifying probabilistic demand forecasting with Monte Carlo discrete event simulation to drive optimal replenishment decisions. \nThe session is divided into two specialized deep dives: \nPart 1: Applied Science Deep Dive \nWe explore the research and methodology behind the engine\, focusing on these key technical learnings: \n● Extending classical (R\, s\, Q) policies: How we created recommendations that actually fit the fast-paced e-commerce landscape. \n● Probabilistic Demand Modeling: Why our backtest results suggest that modeling full demand probability distributions is far more effective than single-value forecasts. \n● Cost Profile Optimization: How combining probabilistic forecasting with the distribution of our cost profile (optimizing for the 75th percentile) yielded significantly better results than simply looking at the mean. \nPart 2: Machine Learning Engineering Deep Dive \nWe reveal the technical architecture and tools used to put the system into production at scale: \n● Monte Carlo Simulation at Scale: How we used discrete event simulation to stress-test policies across thousands of “alternate timelines” to find the optimal replenishment timing and quantities. \n● Modern ML Stack: A look at how we transitioned research code to scalable and efficient pipelines using AWS\, SageMaker\, and Databricks\, orchestrated by zFlow. \n● Scaling to Millions: Managing feature engineering\, online feature stores\, and real-time inference for millions of SKUs. \nReferences: \n1. AS: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-32537-2 \n2. MLE: https://engineering.zalando.com/posts/2025/06/inventory-optimisation-system.html \n  \nAbout the speakers: \nAlva Presbitero\, Senior Applied Scientist\, Zalando \nAlva is a Senior Applied Scientist at Zalando\, focusing on the research and data science that powers the ZEOS replenishment engine. She earned her PhD in Computational Science at the University of Amsterdam\, where her research focused on modeling the human innate immune system. Drawing on an extensive background in applied science\, her earlier work was rooted in complexity science\, agent-based modeling\, and computational immunology. \nToday\, she loves using that foundation in complex\, stochastic systems to build scalable and smart inventory solutions for the world of e-commerce. \nShikhar Dev\, Senior Machine Learning Engineer\, Zalando \nShikhar Dev is a founding member of the data and ML engineering team at ZEOS\, where he established the vision and technical foundations for the department’s ML infrastructure. With over a decade of experience and a Master’s in Computer Science from TU Delft\, Shikhar specializes in bridging the gap between research and production. Beyond his work at ZEOS\, Shikhar contributes to Zalando’s broader ML Engineering strategy while also laying the technical foundations for the next generation of GenAI solutions within the department. \n 
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/a-practical-approach-to-replenishment-optimization-with-extended-r-s-q-policy-and-probabilistic-models/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260427
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260429
DTSTAMP:20260404T055044
CREATED:20250620T063738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T133917Z
UID:1982-1777248000-1777420799@www.euro-online.org
SUMMARY:EURO Practitioners’ Forum 6th Annual Conference
DESCRIPTION:Unlocking OR for all: from Models to Business Impact\nMonday 27 April – Tuesday 28 April 2026 \nWarsaw University of Technology\, Poland\nConference programme \nThe theme of this year’s conference is the end-to-end process of designing\, developing\, and deploying optimization projects. We will discuss not only models and algorithms\, but how Operations Researchers can engage with end users\, stakeholders and work with other specialists to deliver impact in their work. The core focus of the conference is this intersection of research\, expertise and practical applications and how it affects OR projects in all stages\, from conceptualization to practical use. \nThe conference will explore how to make OR solutions more easily accessible to a wider\, non-expert audience\, and discussions and presentations will help us as practitioners better understand how we can bring our solutions into use. The goal is to increase the impact and usage of OR across industries and application domains. \nMore details can be found at https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/euro-practitioners-forum-6th-annual-conference/ \nImportant dates: \n\n11 January\, 2026: Submission deadline\n31 January\, 2026: Notification of acceptance\n20 February\, 2026: Final version of submissions\n5 March\, 2026: Author registration deadline\n20 March\, 2026: Early bird registration deadline (registration for the conference dinner no longer possible after this date)\n\n\nREGISTRATION\n  \nContact \nFor any inquiries\, please contact the conference organisers on this address: epf2026@pw.edu.pl \n  \nSponsors \n \n  \n \n  \n  \n\nKeynote speakers\n\n\nSylwester Ciodyk (Ortec Poland): Practical Optimization: Real-World Success Stories\nPaweł Lichocki (Google): An engineering perspective on mixed integer programming in computer systems\nMichał Kłos (PSE S.A. (the Polish Transmission System Operator)): Framing Fairness: A Practical Approach to Beyond-Cost Optimization for TSOs’ Mathematical Programming Problems\nGeoffrey De Smet (Timefold): How to build an open source solver and a company around it\nTomasz Stopa (IBM): Quantum computer – from holy grail to your favorite toy\n\n  \n  \n\nOrganisation committee: \nVladimir Fux\, Zalando (Germany)\, Michele Quattrone\, AirLiquide (France)\, Sander van Aken\, Flix SE (Germany)\, Torkel Haufman\, Sintef (Norway)\, Waldemar Kocjan\, Boeing (Sweden)\, Izabela Żółtowska\, Warsaw University of Technology (Poland)\, Mariusz Kaleta\, Warsaw University of Technology (Poland)\, Susanne Heipcke\, FICO (France)  chair \n\nHosted by:
URL:https://www.euro-online.org/websites/or-in-practice/event/euro-practitioners-forum-6th-annual-conference/
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