Faculty of Science and Information Technology

Professor Natashia L. Boland

• BSc (UWA), 1st class Honours, 1988
• PhD (UWA), 1992

• My research area falls within a broad field known as Operations Research, which primarily concerns the application of mathematical techniques to human and business activities. In particular, I am interested in solving mathematical optimization problems, which often arise in transport planning and logistics activities. While interested in some purely mathematical questions in the field, I am also deeply engaged in solving problems that are directly applicable in industry, and for the last four years I have been the director of a consulting and contract research practice operating within The University of Melbourne.
• My current research relates to a diverse range of activities, including airline planning, for example scheduling of aircraft and crew, open-pit mine scheduling, delivery of radiation treatment for cancer using multi leaf collimators, and military logistics deployment.
• Research Interests:
  • Theoretical, algorithmic and computational advances in discrete optimization and structured problems:
    • Integer programming and polyhedral theory
    • Column generation and dual methods
    • Shortest paths
    • Stochastic and robust optimization
    • Constraint programming, and hybrid methods
  • Applications of optimization in health, defence, mining, educational timetabling, logistics and transportation

• Computer Assisted Research Mathematics and its Applications (CARMA)

• 2003, $180,000, ARC Linkage Grant with BHP-Billiton, 1st CI + Prof Peter Taylor, Dr Gary Froyland (BHPB) and Dr Merab Menabde (BHPB)
• 2005-8 , $247,000, ARC Discovery Project, 1st CI + Prof Bob Johnston
• 2005-8, $370,000, ARC Linkage Grant with BHP-Billiton, Dr Gary Froyland (UNSW) + 2nd CI
• 2006-8, $240,000, ARC Linkage Grant with CTI, Prof Mark Wallace (Monash) + 2nd CI
• 2006-9, $590,000, ARC Linkage Grant with CTI, Prof Mark Wallace (Monash) + 2nd CI

• 1995, Cherry Ripe Prize for the best presentation by a non-student at ANZIAM meetings
• 1999, Universitas 21 Fellowship
• 1999, Australian University Teaching Award, Best Teacher in the Physical Sciences and Engineering, Finalist (one of only two)
• 2001, Recorded video interview with Australian Academy of Science for their 'Video Histories of Australian Scientists' in the 'outstanding young researchers' category
• 2003, Dean's Award for Best Teacher in the Science Faculty - Small Group category
• 2004, Glover-Klingman prize for the Best Paper published in Networks in 2003
• 2005, Plenary Speaker at the annual conference of the Australian Mathematics Society
• 2007, Plenary Speaker at the biennial Australian Society for Operations Research (ASOR) National Conference

• Since 1995, I have supervised 12 Honours students, and a number of undergraduate research projects. Four of my Honours students have gone on to do PhDs with me, and one other went on do a PhD with a colleague. All the others have had great success in finding employment post graduation. I have six successfully completed PhD supervisions and am currently supervising six more, with a seventh international student due to commence by mid-2008.

• Mar 2004 - Mar 2007 Honorary Professor The University of Western Australia
• Jan 1994- Dec 1994 Research Fellow The Logistics Institute, Georgia Inst. of Tech., USA
• Jan 1993- Dec 1993 Research Fellow Dept of Comb. and Opt., Uni. of Waterloo, Canada
• Jul 1992- Dec 1992 Mathematician Research & Development, The Preston Group Pty Ltd Melbourne, Australia
• Jan 1991- Jun 1992 Lecturer A Dept of Maths & Stats, Uni. of Western Australia