Title: Integration of Machine Learning and Optimization for Smart Decision-Making
Date and time: 13 March 2025 (Thursday), 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Venue: IEOR Seminar Room
Abstract: Machine learning (ML) algorithms pose significant challenges in predicting unknown parameters for optimization models in decision-making scenarios. Conventionally, prediction models are optimized independently in decision-making processes, whereas ML algorithms primarily focus on minimizing prediction errors, neglecting the role of decision-making in downstream optimization tasks. The pursuit of high prediction accuracy may not always align with the goal of reducing decision errors. I will highlight the idea of reducing decision errors that have been proposed to address these limitations. A key innovation lies in the simultaneous approach, where machine learning models are designed to train using downstream optimization to define as a loss function. Our model shifts the focus from merely reducing prediction error to minimizing decision error, ensuring more accurate and impactful outcomes. The combination of prediction and optimization not only enhances decision quality but also streamlines complex processes across industries. This approach provides a strategic framework for designing intelligent systems that meet the demands of modern industrial challenges in an increasingly automated world. By and large, it paves the way for a new era of data-driven, decision-centric industrial operations.
Bio: Puja Sarkar is working as a data scientist in the data science lab at Indian Institute of Management Mumbai. She completed her Ph.D. in 2025 from IIM Mumbai and M.Tech. degree in Computer Science and Data Processing from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Also, she did B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics. She has 42 months of work experience as a data scientist at Vehere Interactive Pvt. Ltd., a cyber security-based company. Her Ph.D. thesis title is ""Integration of Smart Prediction and Optimization for Selected Real-Time Business Decision."" She has published articles in renowned journals including European Journal of Operational Research (EJOR), International Journal of Production Research (IJPR), Computers & Industrial Engineering (CAIE), and the Information Sciences (INS) journal. Her research interest includes Supply Chain, Machine Learning, Optimization, Data Science, and Operations Research.