A PhD studentship is available at G-SCOP lab, Grenoble, France.

The subject is in Operations Research for optimization of transportation 
networks with regards to a refine economical characterization. Details 
are provided at the end of this message.

For further information and applications, please, send a message to 
Pierre Lemaire ([log in to unmask])


Pierre Lemaire


* * *

PhD. proposal in Computer Sciences and Operations Research
Grenoble University, France

Subject: Optimization of a transportation system with respect to a 
refined economical characterization

Keywords: optimization, transportation networks, economics

Research team

The PhD. student shall be part of the ROSP team (Operations Research for 
Production Systems) of the G-SCOP (laboratory of Sciences for the 
Conception, Optimization and Production, Grenoble, France). Nine 
full/associate professors and as many PhD. students form the ROSP team, 
which is specialized on the conception and the optimization of 
industrial systems, and more particularly supply chain, scheduling and 
transportation systems.

The work shall be joint work with the GAEL lab, which conducts research 
in the areas of agriculture, consumption and environment. GAEL’s main 
research subject is economics, and in particular economical study of 
transportation systems.

Background

The ROSP team has been working for several year with Conseil Général de 
l'Isère and Chambre d'Agriculture de l'Isère (two local institutions 
which are, among other things, in charge of the local agricultural 
development). The purpose is to propose and optimize new local networks 
for farm produce. The aim is both to provide farmers with new and 
reliable incomes, and to provide consumers with high-quality products. 
Such networks require an appropriate logistical structure, to gather 
together various people (farmers, shipping companies, restaurants, ...) 
spread over the whole territory and with different objectives and costs. 
So as to ensure its viability, it is required to have a clear and 
refined economical representation of it.

Subject

The major purpose of this PhD. proposal is to conceive, develop and test 
methods and tools that allow to propose and optimize such networks, 
integrating their structural and economical specificities.
At first, models and algorithms from the operations research literature 
shall be extended to handle new and original constraints and/or 
objectives of local networks for farm produce.
Then, the main work shall be to integrate a refined economical knowledge 
into these models and algorithms. A particular attention shall be paid 
to cost models (functional forms, uncertainties, …), acceptability 
criteria (profitability threshold, opportunity costs, …) and aggregation 
models of individuals (e.g., what is a generic “farmer”?). The purpose 
is to find out, through mathematical analyses and/or a computer 
simulations, how to take into account, as best as possible the richness 
of the economical information while being capable of actually solving 
the optimization models.

Information and contacts

The applicant must have a Master degree (or equivalent). She/he must 
have a significant expertise in operations research, mathematical 
optimization and/or computer programming. Some knowledge in economy will 
be appreciated.
Applicant shall sent a curriculum vitae, a cover letter and 
recommendations.
3-year position; starting October, 2012.

Contact for further information and/or for application: Pierre Lemaire, 
G-SCOP / Grenoble-INP, [log in to unmask]




-- 
Pierre Lemaire
INP Grenoble - Génie Industriel
Laboratoire G-SCOP (bureau H317)
46, avenue Félix Viallet F-38031 Grenoble cedex 01
tel: (+33) 4.76.57.45.67
url: http://www.kamick.org/lemaire