Shortest Path Problems Professors and Supervisors

Eranda Dragoti-CelaView profile

Associate Professor

Graz University of TechnologyAustria

Eranda Dragoti-Cela is an Associate Professor at the Department of Optimization and Discrete Mathematics, Graz University of Technology. She specializes in combinatorial optimization, focusing on polynomially solvable special cases of NP-hard problems like the Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP), portfolio optimization, and algorithmic graph theory. Education: M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics, University of Tirana (1992) Ph.D. in Technical Sciences, Graz University of Technology (1995) Habilitation in Applied Mathematics (2001) Her research spans combinatorial optimization (QAP, assignment problems, location problems), portfolio optimization (risk-return models, ordinal information integration), and graph theory (edge intersection graphs, network flows). Recent work includes linearization of quadratic shortest path problems and data arrangement on trees. She supervises bachelor's and master's theses in discrete mathematics and teaches courses like Combinatorial Optimization 1 and Risk Theory and Management , emphasizing algorithmic rigor and practical applications in finance and engineering.

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Eleni AkridaView profile

Associate Professor

Durham UniversityUnited Kingdom

Eleni Akrida is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Durham University and serves as Deputy Executive Dean (Academic Student Experience) in the Faculty of Science. She joined Durham in 2019 after studying Mathematics at Patra, Greece, and Computer Science at Liverpool, UK. Between 2020-2025, she held the role of Director of Undergraduate Studies for Computer Science. Research Focus Her research bridges theoretical computer science and education, with primary interests in: Computer Science Education : Pedagogical frameworks, neurodiversity inclusion, and abstraction skill development Algorithms & Complexity : Temporal networks, graph optimization, and stochastic processes Applied AI : Paraphrase generation/identification using deep learning She leads the Pedagogical Innovations in Computer Science and Algorithms & Complexity research groups. Publication Trends Recent works (2022-2025) demonstrate a dual focus: education research (developing pedagogical frameworks and addressing multi-track programming challenges) and technical innovations (temporal graph algorithms and NLP applications for plagiarism detection). Earlier work (2016-2021) established expertise in temporal network optimization and stochastic graph theory. Grants & Supervision Awarded grants include: CPHC Special Project (2025/26): Exploring Neurodivergent Student Experiences in UK CS Education CPHC Special Project (2022/23): Building a Theoretical CS Commons for hybrid learning She currently supervises postgraduate students Arwa Al saqaabi and Saira Richardson.

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Piotr HofmanView profile

Assistant Professor

University of WarsawPoland

Piotr Hofman is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics , University of Warsaw. His research focuses on theoretical computer science, particularly automata theory, formal verification, and computational complexity related to systems with infinite alphabets and data constraints. PhD in Computer Science (2014) from the University of Warsaw under Sławomir Lasota. Postdoc (2013-2014) at University of Bayreuth with Wim Martens. Postdoc (2014-2016) at LSV de Cachan with Stefan Göller. His work explores algorithmic problems in automata over infinite alphabets, including one-counter nets, Petri nets with data, and unambiguous vector addition systems (VASS). Key contributions include decidability results for bisimulation and simulation problems, complexity bounds for equivalence checking, and novel techniques for reachability and coverability analysis. Recent publications address orbit-finite linear equations, Parikh's theorem for infinite alphabets, and lower bounds for coverability in pushdown VAS. He has received grants like NCN UMO-2016/21/D/ST6/01368 for algebraic invariants in data nets. He supervises research projects and collaborates with institutions in Poland, France, and India. His teaching includes concurrency theory and software engineering courses.

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Hatem Ben AmorView profile

Associate Professor

Polytechnic School of MontrealCanada

Hatem Ben Amor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. With over two decades of academic experience since completing his Master's degree in 1997, he has established himself as a researcher in operations research and mathematical optimization. His research primarily focuses on: Operations Research and Mathematical Optimization Column Generation Algorithms and Stabilization Techniques Shortest Path Problems with Resource Constraints Vehicle Routing and Scheduling Linear and Integer Programming Professor Ben Amor's publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output in top-tier operations research journals including Operations Research, Transportation Science, and Computers & Operations Research. His work shows a progression from foundational research on column generation stabilization to more applied work in transportation optimization, reflecting both theoretical depth and practical relevance in the field. He has supervised graduate students, including at least one doctoral candidate whose research extended his work on shortest path algorithms. His research has practical implications for transportation logistics, manufacturing optimization, and resource allocation problems. Contact information: Email: hatem.ben-amor@polymtl.ca Phone: (514) 340-4711 ext. 6042 Office: AA-4431

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Olivier SerreView profile

Professor

ENSAE ParisFrance

Olivier Serre is a CNRS Research Director working at the Institute for Research in Fundamental Computer Science (IRIF), a joint research unit of CNRS and University of Paris. Since September 2021, he serves as Deputy Scientific Director at the Institute for Information Sciences and Technologies (INS2I) at CNRS. His research focuses on theoretical computer science with particular emphasis on automata theory and formal verification frameworks. Dr. Serre completed his education at ENS Cachan (1999-2003) and earned his PhD in Computer Science from Paris-Diderot University (now University of Paris) in 2004. Following a postdoctoral position at RWTH Aachen, he joined LIAFA (now IRIF) as a research fellow in 2005 and became a CNRS Research Director in 2016. His academic journey reflects deep engagement with foundational theoretical problems and their practical verification applications. His research centers on automata theory and formal languages, with particular expertise in games and logic, infinite structures, and verification of higher-order functional programs. Dr. Serre has made significant contributions to collapsible pushdown systems, recursion schemes, and parity games, bridging theoretical foundations with practical applications in program verification. His work demonstrates exceptional depth in developing decision procedures for complex verification problems previously considered intractable. Dr. Serre's extensive publication record in premier theoretical venues shows consistent contribution to advancing the state of the art. His research trajectory reveals a clear evolution from foundational automata theory toward increasingly sophisticated systems involving higher-order computation and imperfect information, with notable breakthroughs in establishing decidability results for complex verification problems.

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