Ravi Ahuja

Ravindra K. Ahuja (born February 20, 1956) is an Indian-born American computer scientist and entrepreneur. He is currently Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and CEO of the automation and optimization solutions provider Optym, which he founded in 2000 as Innovative Scheduling, Inc.

Ahuja specializes in mathematical modeling, state-of-the-art network optimization techniques and solving large-scale scheduling problems arising in logistics and transportation.[4] He has developed models and algorithms for scheduling and logistics problems in airline, trucking and railroad industries worldwide.Many of these industry-specific problems were previously considered intractable. Ahuja’s optimization solutions are implemented by Optym’s advanced decision support systems.

Ahuja has provided scholarly contributions to the theory and applications of network optimization .He co-authored more than 100 research papers and book chapters in the areas of Industrial Engineering, Operations Research and Computer Science. He also co-authored three textbooks and served as Associate Editor of three journals: Operations Research, Transportation Science and Networks.

Awards and honors

• 1993: Frederick W. Lanchester Prize for best publication of the year in Operations Research and Management Science, INFORMS, “Network Flows: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications”
• 2003: Pierskalla Award for best paper in Health Applications of Operations Research, INFORMS, “A Column Generation Approach to Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning using Aperture Modulation”
• 2006: Daniel H. Wagner Award for Excellence in Operations Research Practice, INFORMS, “Solving Real-Life Railroad Blocking Problems”
• 2007: Koopman Prize for outstanding contribution to Military Operations Research, INFORMS, “Exact and Heuristic Algorithms for the Weapon-Target Assignment Problem”
• 2007: Finalist for the Innovations in Curriculum Award for his role in developing curriculum that would integrate information technology skills within the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research curriculum, Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE)
• 2008: INFORMS Fellow Award for contributions to algorithmic research in network optimization, to the development of innovative methods in transportation scheduling and to the practice in the railroad industry
• 2010: Honorable Mention for the Transportation and Logistics Society Best Paper Competition, INFORMS
• 2013: Railway Application Section Distinguished Member Award, INFORMS
• 2015: Florida Governor's Business Ambassador Award
• 2017: Finalist for Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Florida region