Michael Ferris

Michael Ferris is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, holding the John P. Morgridge Chair in Computer Sciences and a courtesy appointment in Mathematics. His primary affiliation is with the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and he serves as Director of Hub Central at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. He earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1989.

His research focuses on algorithms, environments, and applications of optimization, with contributions to complementarity solvers, large-scale variational inequalities, and mathematical programming. Key areas include energy systems, economics, and engineering applications such as radiation therapy and transportation. Ferris has developed influential software tools like the PATH solver for complementarity problems and interfaces for optimization frameworks like AMPL and GAMS.

Notable awards include SIAM Fellow, INFORMS Fellow, and the Beale-Orchard-Hays Prize. He has advised numerous PhD students and contributed to significant projects, including optimizing Great Lakes fishery barrier removal and modeling the energy transition. His work bridges theoretical optimization with practical applications, impacting policy, technology, and environmental conservation.