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Robust Markov decision processes (RMDPs) extend standard Markov decision processes (MDPs) to account for uncertainty in the transition probabilities. RMDPs have an uncertainty set that defines a set of possible transition functions, each of…

This paper studies consensus-based decentralized stochastic optimization for minimizing possibly non-convex expected objectives with convex non-smooth regularizers and nonlinear functional inequality constraints. We reformulate the…

Differential dynamic programming (DDP) is a direct single shooting method for trajectory optimization. Its efficiency derives from the exploitation of temporal structure (inherent to optimal control problems) and explicit…

Robust Markov decision processes (MDPs) have attracted significant interest due to their ability to protect MDPs from poor out-of-sample performance in the presence of ambiguity. In contrast to classical MDPs, which account for…

Solving large-scale multistage stochastic programming (MSP) problems poses a significant challenge as commonly used stagewise decomposition algorithms, including stochastic dual dynamic programming (SDDP), face growing time complexity as…

The problem of synthesizing stochastic explicit model predictive control policies is known to be quickly intractable even for systems of modest complexity when using classical control-theoretic methods. To address this challenge, we present…

This paper investigates accelerating the convergence of distributed optimization algorithms on non-convex problems. We propose a distributed primal-dual stochastic gradient descent~(SGD) equipped with "powerball" method to accelerate. We…

Dynamic optimization problems involving discrete decisions have several applications, yet lead to challenging optimization problems that must be addressed efficiently. Combining discrete variables with potentially nonlinear constraints…

Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP) is one of the indirect methods for solving an optimal control problem. Several extensions to DDP have been proposed to add stagewise state and control constraints, which can mainly be classified as…

We introduce distributional dynamic programming (DP) methods for optimizing statistical functionals of the return distribution, with standard reinforcement learning as a special case. Previous distributional DP methods could optimize the…

We extend a primal-dual fixed point algorithm (PDFP) proposed in [5] to solve two kinds of separable multi-block minimization problems, arising in signal processing and imaging science. This work shows the flexibility of applying PDFP…

We consider risk-averse convex stochastic programs expressed in terms of extended polyhedral risk measures. We derive computable confidence intervals on the optimal value of such stochastic programs using the Robust Stochastic Approximation…

Semidefinite programming (SDP) provides a principled framework for convex relaxations of nonconvex geometric constraints in motion planning, yet existing solvers are too computationally expensive for real-time control, particularly on…

There are no computationally feasible algorithms that provide solutions to the finite horizon Risk-sensitive Constrained Markov Decision Process (Risk-CMDP) problem, even for problems with moderate horizon. With an aim to design the same,…

Our work focuses on stochastic gradient methods for optimizing a smooth non-convex loss function with a non-smooth non-convex regularizer. Research on this class of problem is quite limited, and until recently no non-asymptotic convergence…

Semidefinite programs (SDP) are one of the most versatile frameworks in numerical optimization, serving as generalizations of many conic programs and as relaxations of NP-hard combinatorial problems. Their main drawback is their…

Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) are a formal framework for modeling and solving sequential decision-making problems. In finite-time horizons such problems are relevant for instance for optimal stopping or specific supply chain problems,…

High-level penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources (RESs) has introduced significant uncertainties into modern power systems. In order to rapidly and economically respond to the fluctuations of power system operating state,…

Data-driven predictive control (DDPC) has been recently proposed as an effective alternative to traditional model-predictive control (MPC) for its unique features of being time-efficient and unbiased with respect to the oracle solution.…

Safety in stochastic control systems, which are subject to random noise with a known probability distribution, aims to compute policies that satisfy predefined operational constraints with high confidence throughout the uncertain evolution…