Category: Uncategorized

Dear ORSNZ,

I am an expert member of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI). I am now actively involved in a program titled “Scaling RAI solutions.” This project aims at providing opportunities to deploy and scale Responsible AI solutions, showcasing results, encouraging cross-functional collaboration, and helping adopt performance metrics. Our intention is to contribute to tangible outcomes that can help operationalize the RAI framework within GPAI and beyond.

We just launched a call for participation addressed to organizations/AI initiatives that are facing challenges in either scaling or in implementing responsible AI. Upon selection, teams will be provided with mentorship and guidance from GPAI expertise and support to help with reaching sustainable deployment of such AI solutions over a period of three months (June 2023 to August 2023). Teams interested in this program can apply and find more information on our application platform. The application period closes on May 27, 2023, giving teams one month to submit their applications.

We would like to know more about your current projects and explore your potential interest in the Scaling RAI Solutions 2023 program. If you and your team are interested in applying to our Scaling RAI Solutions 2023 Challenge, please visit our website for more information and to fill out an application. Additionally, as we continue to build the community around this initiative, we are welcoming assistance with outreach efforts. If you know of any teams that may be interested in this opportunity, we encourage you to spread the word and share our call for participation. We would greatly appreciate your support.

You can also find out initiative on social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CEIMIA_mtl/status/1653041925799260163
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7058807287800328192

Let me know if you are interested in continuing this discussion. I would be pleased to arrange a call to delve deeper into the matter. We are hosting two webinars in May aimed at presenting this initiative and addressing any queries you may have.

Ngā manaakitanga,
Mike O’Sullivan on behalf of the Scaling RAI Solutions 2023 Project team

Kia ora koutou!

November 28 & 29 saw the return of the ORSNZ Annual Conference, very well organised by Tony Downward (ORSNZ Secretary) and Tom Adams (ORSNZ Treasurer). It was very nice to see people kanohe ki te kanohe (eye to eye), both those I know and those I met at the conference.

The conference began with a ½ day Healthcare Modelling cluster organised by the ORSNZ SIG on Healthcare Analytics (OSHA) with talks bookended by an excellent plenary address by Dr Melanie Reuter-Oppermann and a discussion panel with experts from academia and industry (Melanie, Ms Pieta Brown, Dr Isaac Cleland, Dr Tom Adams, Assoc Prof Ilze Ziedins, Assoc Prof Cameron Walker).

The sessions that followed included talks by both young and experienced practitioners covering topics from finding missing people with integer programming to teaching the next generation of OR students.

There were two prize highlights during the conference. First, Associate Professor Andrew Mason was awarded the Hans Daellenbach Prize, the ORSNZ prize awarded for a body of work in OR/MS that combines strong innovative methodology with a practical impact which has made a significant contribution and received international recognition. Second, the Young Practitioners’ Prize – sponsored by Optimity and the Supply Chain Company – was awarded for presentations and papers as follows:

• Paper
  • 1st place: Christina Lin – Modelling housing feature impacts on sale price in newly developed suburbs relative to a standard house. (Department of Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering, University of Auckland)
  • 2nd place: Dominic Keehan – Certainty equivalent model predictive control and distributionally robust stochastic dynamic programming. (Department of Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering, University of Auckland)
• Presentation
  • 1st place: Karl Zhu – Finding the missing with integer programming. (Department of Engineering Science and Biomedical Engineering, University of Auckland)
  • 2nd place: Uwe Langenmayr – Calculation of synthetic energy carrier production costs with high temporal and geographical resolution. (Institute for Industrial Production, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

The AGM saw the addition of one of the YPP people, Karl Zhu, in the Communications role. Your ORSNZ Council is as follows:

One of Karl’s first tasks might be introducing you to your Council members.

One of my colleagues remarked that this year’s conference was one of the best ORSNZ conferences he had been to. Ngā mihi nui to those who could attend the conference this year and a special thanks to those that presented. Ngā mihi to Optimity and the Supply Chain Company for sponsoring the YPP. I hope to see you some time soon at an ORSNZ event.

Noho ora mai, Mike (ORSNZ President)

Kia ora koutou,

You might want to listen in to the International Conference on Science, Engineering Management and Information Technology. Please see https://www.semit.refconf.com/ for more information.

Noho ora mai, Mike (ORSNZ President)

Kia ora koutou,

There is an opportunity to submit abstracts for a dedicated session on operational research for public health emergencies. Selected abstracts will be supported by WHO/WHE/SEARO for oral presentations at the conference.

Details:

1. Submission site: all abstracts must be sent to: Log in to EasyChair for APORS 2022. You will have to create an account and then follow the clear steps on the site.
2. Deadline extended
   15 July 2022, 23.59 Manila time
3. Abstracts format
   1. Abstracts should be in English, should not include mathematical notations, not exceed 500 words (the main text) and must contain the following:
      1. Paper/proposal title
      2. Author(s) name (s), affiliation, full mailing address, email address, with an indication of author(s) presenting the paper if accepted.
      3. One of the keywords must be “Public health emergencies”.
   2. Please see further details here: http://apors.org/13th-triennial-international-conference-of-the-association-of-asia-pacific-operational-research-societies-apors/

Noho ora mai, Mike (ORSNZ President)

Kia ora koutou, I hope the weather is not adversely affecting you and you are avoiding the seasonal colds and flu.

APORS has asked for nominations to 3 special interest groups:

1. Public Heath Emergencies – this group will be meeting with the World Health Organisation’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) soon;
2. Optimisation;
3. Youth Activity.

These groups are envisaged to work like SIAM activity groups:

“SIAM Activity Groups provide an intellectual forum for SIAM members interested in exploring a particular area of applied mathematics, computational science, or cross-disciplinary application. The subject of the SIAM Activity Group should be of current importance, broad enough to generate significant participation, yet focused enough to assure that the Activity Group’s goals are achieved.” – from https://www.siam.org/membership/activity-groups/related/start-an-activity-group.

This is a good opportunity for those looking to engage with global communities of researchers. If you would like to be nominated please email me by the end of day on August 12, 2022, at

michael DOT osullivan AT auckland DOT ac DOT nz

If I get a lot of nominations then I will run a selection process.

Noho ora mai, Mike (ORSNZ President)

Jonathan should be remembered as the original pioneer of OR applications in the New Zealand electricity sector, not just in demand forecasting, but optimisation and market issues, publishing in NZOR on using network flow models (first in 1977 then again in 1990), and optimal pricing (1983).

Subsequently he worked at Transpower and collaborated with colleagues at Massey, publishing extensively on topics related to biofuel developments. He was a friend, supervisor, and mentor to many who went on to establish national and international careers in the field of electricity sector optimisation and economics. He also served the Society long and well, as a Wellington Committee Member, National Council Member, Newsletter Editor, Vice-President, and President.

LERMIT, Dr Raymond Jonathan.

Noho ora mai, ORSNZ (posted on behalf of ORSNZ by Mike O’Sullivan with remembrance from Prof Grant Read)

We are sorry to report that Dr Hugh Barr died on 8 December 2021, aged 80 years. Hugh was a leading figure in the ORSNZ serving on Council for many years, as President between 1976-1980, and regularly wrote papers and presented at conferences. He studied at Auckland University and the University of Toronto.

He was OR section leader at the Applied Maths Division of the DSIR from 1968 to 1992 and then at Industrial Research Limited. The OR Section at AMD was one of the major OR groups in NZ during that time, attracting many top graduates from Canterbury and Auckland universities and further afield, who later became OR managers, consultants and academics.

Hugh led or contributed to many OR projects in diverse industries including energy, transport, meat, superannuation, and healthcare.  He had a high public profile, writing on many topics such as Comalco prices and NZED capacity in the early days, and after leaving IRL, continued as a private consultant dealing with many issues central to New Zealand’s prosperity and wellbeing. 

Outside work, Hugh’s real love was always tramping and skiing, which seemed to fill his every weekend. He was a life member of the Tararua Tramping Club and a leading conservation advocate within New Zealand.  He was President of the Federated Mountain Clubs from 1993 to 1995 and a member of the FMC Executive from 1976 to 1978, and again in 1991-1992, and often served as a spokesperson on outdoor adventure and conservation issues.  He also was politically active, as scientific advisor, lobbyist and as a local government and parliamentary candidate.

There is a memorial lunch being held for Hugh on September 6 in Wellington. Please email Prof Vicky Mabin at vicky DOT mabin AT vuw DOT ac DOT nz

Noho ora mai, ORSNZ (posted on behalf of ORSNZ by Mike O’Sullivan with remembrance from Prof Vicky Mabin and Bruce Benseman)

Kia ora koutou,

There is an opportunity to submit abstracts for a dedicated session on operational research for public health emergencies. Selected abstracts will be supported by WHO/WHE/SEARO for oral presentations at the conference.

Details:

1. Submission site: all abstracts must be sent to: Log in to EasyChair for APORS 2022. You will have to create an account and then follow the clear steps on the site.
2. Deadline extended
   15 July 2022, 23.59 Manila time
3. Abstracts format
   1. Abstracts should be in English, should not include mathematical notations, not exceed 500 words (the main text) and must contain the following:
      1. Paper/proposal title
      2. Author(s) name (s), affiliation, full mailing address, email address, with an indication of author(s) presenting the paper if accepted.
      3. One of the keywords must be “Public health emergencies”.
   2. Please see further details here: http://apors.org/13th-triennial-international-conference-of-the-association-of-asia-pacific-operational-research-societies-apors/

Noho ora mai, Mike (ORSNZ President)

The 25th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM2023) will be held at the Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin, Northern Territory, from Sunday 9 to Thursday 13 July 2023 with a workshop day on Friday 14 July.

You can already register for the conference here. Details will be provided about submissions or extended abstracts or full papers at a later time.