Basic background information on yourself, perhaps where you came from, former education, etc.
I came to the ORC after completing my undergrad studies in Electrical and Computer Engineering at UT Austin, and I am currently working as an Applied Scientist at Amazon, specifically on optimizing sortation in Amazon’s robotic warehouses.
What degree did you receive from MIT and when?
I received my PhD in Operations Research in May 2025, advised by Dimitris Bertsimas.
What was the research you did while at MIT?
I was thrilled to work with Prof. Bertsimas on two pivotal areas: energy and healthcare. In energy, we developed robust market clearing mechanisms for electricity markets under uncertainty in collaboration with the US grid operators, including ISO New England. In healthcare, we derived new frameworks for optimal treatment recommendation in surgical oncology in collaboration with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Dr. Antonis Margonis, MD, PhD.
Advice/guidance to students coming to the ORC?
The ORC is an amazing environment, so try to make the most of it: set ambitious goals (in and out of class), try out new research directions, learn from your peers. Moreover, grad school can be challenging at times, so it is highly recommended to have a support group, like your friends and classmates, that will help you by sharing the ups and downs. And imposter syndrome is common at the beginning, especially when comparing yourself to others. However, everyone comes in with their own strengths and you are all there to learn and grow together. In addition, both the ORC and MIT have excellent resources, like mentorship and counseling, to support you at every step of the way.
Why the ORC from your perspective?
ORC exemplifies MIT’s vision of addressing the world’s most pressing problems through research-driven innovation and collaboration, empowered by intellectual diversity. It also represents the MIT attitude that “everything is possible,” which creates a vibrant and vigorous atmosphere that is unmatched, even among other top institutions. In addition, ORC is an interdepartmental program, with strong horizontal integration, so you can take courses from different disciplines and you can work with faculty from the Sloan School of Management, the School of Engineering etc. Finally, the ORC is made up of its students, who are amazing individuals, with intellectual depth, humor and compassion.
How did the ORC contribute to your development as a scientist and as a person?
The ORC transformed me as both a researcher and a person through the interactions with faculty and classmates. I was also motivated by my advisor’s philosophy of improving the human condition, through research and teaching, and by his eagerness to bring research to implementation in industry. As a researcher, I benefited from taking challenging coursework, collaborating with industry partners, and working on a wide range of problems from energy to personalized medicine. I relied on my ORC classmates to strengthen my knowledge and learn about their areas and research. In addition, through serving as a Teaching Assistant, I reinforced my own knowledge and I developed my communication skills through interactions with the students.
What is the one memory about the ORC you will carry with you?
Too many to choose from: the annual retreat in Maine, the INFORMS events, the Open House parties! I still enjoy talking about the time when Thodoris and I wrapped up a 3-hour Zoom call with one of our collaborators at 1:00 am at the ORC and then we got takeout to continue working on our paper, somewhat unsuccessfully, since we ended up just messing around.
