Ovidiu Daescu

Ovidiu Daescu is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), part of the College of Engineering. He leads the Laboratory of Algorithm Engineering and Development (LAED), focusing on computational geometry, optimization, and bio-medical computing. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, an M.S. from the same institution, and an Engineer Diploma in Computer Science and Automation from the Technical Military Academy in Bucharest, Romania.

His research emphasizes algorithms for weighted regions, geometric separation problems, and biomedical applications. Notable projects include the CPRIT-funded study on pediatric bone cancer imaging and the NSF-supported iPerform I/UCRC initiative for assistive technologies. He has authored numerous publications, including works on bichromatic separation algorithms and Voronoi diagram applications.

Daescu has advised over 20 graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom now work at tech companies like Facebook, Qualcomm, and Microsoft. His teaching spans courses such as Advanced Algorithms (CS4349) and Computational Methods in Structural Biology. He has secured significant grants totaling over $2 million, including NSF and CPRIT awards.

Key scientific contributions include the 'CeMeas' centrality measure library and algorithm visualization tools like AVS. His work highlights the transformative impact of algorithmic improvements, as demonstrated by a 43,000x efficiency gain in linear programming models between 1988 and 2003.