Related papers: Simulating classification models to evaluate Predi…
Robust Optimization has traditionally taken a pessimistic, or worst-case viewpoint of uncertainty which is motivated by a desire to find sets of optimal policies that maintain feasibility under a variety of operating conditions. In this…
This paper studies an integrated learning and optimization problem in which a prediction model estimates the right-hand-side parameters of a linear program (LP) using a contextual vector. Considering that such a prediction alters the…
We consider stochastic optimization problems with the dual tasks of (i) effectively finding the optimizer and (ii) reliably conducting statistical inference for the optimal objective function value. We find that classical simulation…
Classification is one of the most important tasks in Machine Learning (ML) and with recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) it is important to find efficient ways to implement it. Generally, the choice of classification…
Improvements in return forecast accuracy do not always lead to proportional improvements in portfolio decision quality, especially under realistic trading frictions and constraints. This paper adopts the Smart Predict--then--Optimize (SPO)…
An algorithm is proposed, analyzed, and tested for solving continuous nonlinear-equality-constrained optimization problems where the objective and constraint functions are defined by expectations or averages over large, finite numbers of…
Designing effective model-based reinforcement learning algorithms is difficult because the ease of data generation must be weighed against the bias of model-generated data. In this paper, we study the role of model usage in policy…
With the rise of computers, simulation models have emerged beside the more traditional statistical and mathematical models as a third pillar for ecological analysis. Broadly speaking, a simulation model is an algorithm, typically…
Mathematical optimization is a fundamental tool for decision-making in a wide range of applications. However, in many real-world scenarios, the parameters of the optimization problem are not known a priori and must be predicted from…
This contribution examines optimization problems that involve stochastic dominance constraints. These problems have uncountably many constraints. We develop methods to solve the optimization problem by reducing the constraints to a finite…
Given a learning problem with real-world tradeoffs, which cost function should the model be trained to optimize? This is the metric selection problem in machine learning. Despite its practical interest, there is limited formal guidance on…
Stochastic simulation aims to compute output performance for complex models that lack analytical tractability. To ensure accurate prediction, the model needs to be calibrated and validated against real data. Conventional methods approach…
Chance constraints are frequently used to limit the probability of constraint violations in real-world optimization problems where the constraints involve stochastic components. We study chance-constrained submodular optimization problems,…
A set of probabilistic predictions is well calibrated if the events that are predicted to occur with probability p do in fact occur about p fraction of the time. Well calibrated predictions are particularly important when machine learning…
Stochastic processes offer a flexible mathematical formalism to model and reason about systems. Most analysis tools, however, start from the premises that models are fully specified, so that any parameters controlling the system's dynamics…
In this paper, we study the predict-then-optimize problem where the output of a machine learning prediction task is used as the input of some downstream optimization problem, say, the objective coefficient vector of a linear program. The…
Pre-conditioning is a well-known concept that can significantly improve the convergence of optimization algorithms. For noise-free problems, where good pre-conditioners are not known a priori, iterative linear algebra methods offer one way…
Missing covariates in regression or classification problems can prohibit the direct use of advanced tools for further analysis. Recent research has realized an increasing trend towards the usage of modern Machine Learning algorithms for…
The efficacy of robust optimization spans a variety of settings with uncertainties bounded in predetermined sets. In many applications, uncertainties are affected by decisions and cannot be modeled with current frameworks. This paper takes…
Dynamic and evolving operational and economic environments present significant challenges for decision-making. We explore a simulation optimization problem characterized by non-stationary input distributions with regime-switching dynamics…