Regina BerrettaView profile
Professor
Professor Regina Berretta is an Honorary Professor at the University of Newcastle's School of Information and Physical Sciences, specializing in Computing and Information Technology. With expertise spanning computer science, mathematics, and applied optimization, she has established herself as a leading researcher in metaheuristic methods for solving complex combinatorial problems. Currently serving as a Chief Investigator at the ARC Training Centre for Food and Beverage Supply Chain Optimisation, she applies her mathematical modeling skills to address critical challenges in food industry supply chains, with the Centre receiving over $2 million in funding to train next-generation researchers. Professor Berretta earned her PhD, Master of Engineering (Electrical), Bachelor of Mathematics, and Teachers Certificate from Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Brazil. Her educational background in computational and applied mathematics has provided the foundation for her extensive research career focused on integer programming and metaheuristic approaches to optimization problems. Her academic journey includes progression from Lecturer at the University of Newcastle (2003-2007) to various leadership positions including Head of Discipline of Computer Science and Software Engineering (2011-2014) and Assistant Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (2019-2022). Her research expertise centers on the design of mathematical models and development of efficient computational techniques to tackle large and complex combinatorial optimization problems across diverse application areas. Professor Berretta has made significant contributions to bioinformatics through her work on genetic signature identification from gene expression datasets, and to supply chain optimization through her research on perishable food inventory management, lot sizing, and scheduling problems. Her methodological specialties include memetic algorithms, evolutionary computation, and integer programming approaches that have proven effective for problems that are otherwise computationally intractable. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong interdisciplinary focus, with optimization techniques increasingly applied to food supply chain challenges while maintaining connections to bioinformatics applications. Her work demonstrates a consistent pattern of translating theoretical optimization methods into practical solutions for industry problems, particularly in the agricultural sector. Additionally, her more recent publications show growing engagement with gender equity issues in STEM fields, reflecting her leadership in relevant initiatives. Co-founder of HunterWISE, promoting girls and women in STEM Leader of Google CS4HS project for five consecutive years Recipient of over $4 million in research funding through 35 grants Author of more than 80 papers and book chapters Chief Investigator at ARC Training Centre for Food and Beverage Supply Chain Optimisation Professor Berretta has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her administrative roles and community initiatives. As co-founder of HunterWISE, she has developed a comprehensive approach to increasing female participation in STEM through school programs and professional networking events. Her leadership of the Google CS4HS project has directly impacted high school computer science education in the Hunter region. Her research collaborations span multiple disciplines and institutions, reflecting her ability to bridge theoretical computer science with practical industry applications, particularly in the food supply chain sector where her optimization models have demonstrated significant cost and waste reduction potential.
