INFORMS Open Forum

Dear INFORMS community,

I am looking for an academic partner to collaborate on a paper on the districting problem. My goal is to explore how different methodologies can be used in a business setting to improve an existing territory clustering. I will provide the industry context and the practical constraints that come with "brownfield" adjustments to existing networks. 

<mat-icon _ngcontent-ng-c2359566075="" role="img" fonticon="link" class="mat-icon notranslate symbol gds-icon-s google-symbols mat-ligature-font mat-icon-no-color ng-star-inserted" aria-hidden="true" data-mat-icon-type="font" data-mat-icon-name="link"></mat-icon>If you are interested in working together on this topic, please reach out. 

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Marianna Vydrevich
Manager, Operations Research and Network Optimization
GAF
Cedar Knolls NJ
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Hi Marianna,

This is a very interesting topic. I would be glad to explore a potential collaboration on the districting problem, particularly around methodological approaches for improving existing territory structures under real-world constraints.

My background is in analytics, management science, and applied optimization in business settings, and I'm especially interested in how analytical models can be adapted for brownfield environments where legacy structures and practical constraints matter.

Happy to connect and discuss fit and next steps.

Best regards,
Praveen Manimangalam
Doctoral Researcher (DBA)
Florida International University

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Praveen ManimangalamFLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITYpmani006@fiu.edu
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Dear Dr. Vydrevich,

Thank you for sharing this opportunity with the INFORMS community. I would be very interested in collaborating with you on the districting problem project.

My background includes dual PhDs in Operations Management and Applied Mathematics, with research and teaching experience in operations research, optimization, graph and network modeling, and transportation and territory analysis. I have worked extensively with mathematical programming, clustering and partitioning approaches, and metaheuristic methods applied to logistics, supply chain, and network design problems. Several of my recent publications involve optimization of transportation systems and network-based decision problems that closely relate to districting and territory design.

Your focus on improving existing "brownfield" networks particularly resonates with my applied work connecting methodological development with practical business constraints. I would be glad to explore appropriate modeling frameworks and solution approaches together.

If this aligns with what you are looking for, I will welcome the chance to connect further and discuss ideas. I am happy to review any contextual materials you can share.

Warm regards,

Michael C. Agarana
Ottawa, ON, Canada
mcdecker777@gmail.com
Member, INFORMS

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Michael Agarana
Professor
Lambton College
OTTAWA ON
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Hi Marianna,

I have been actively working on districting/territory deign problems for the past twenty years, developing models, heuristic/metaheuristic algorithms, and exact optimization algorithms for many classes of territory design problems in commercial districting, waste management, healthcare, finance, and so on.  I also have a postdoc under my supervision that could help us out.  Please take a look at my work:

http://yalma.fime.uanl.mx/~roger

We would love to collaborate and find out a bit more about the goals of your project and

see if we can find common ground.

Kind regards,

Roger

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Roger Z Rios
Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon
roger@yalma.fime.uanl.mx
http://yalma.fime.uanl.mx/~roger
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