Jésica De Armas is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain. She holds a prestigious Ramon y Cajal Fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, recognizing her outstanding research contributions. Her academic career spans multiple institutions, with previous postdoctoral positions at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and the University of La Laguna (ULL). PhD in Computing (Cum Laude) from University of La Laguna (2012) Computer Engineering degree with special award for best academic record Ramon y Cajal Fellowship recipient (2022) PhD Extraordinary Award from University of La Laguna (2012) PhD Award from Spanish Association of Artificial Intelligence (AEPIA) (2014) Her research focuses on developing and applying optimization techniques to solve complex real-world problems. She specializes in combinatorial optimization, metaheuristics, and machine learning approaches applied to logistics, transportation, and health care systems. Her work bridges theoretical advancements with practical implementations, particularly in vehicle routing, scheduling, and resource allocation problems. She has established herself as a leading researcher in optimization for social good, with significant contributions to humanitarian logistics and health care delivery systems. Dr. De Armas's publications reveal a strong trajectory in operations research with applications spanning multiple domains. Her research shows a clear evolution from theoretical optimization methods toward increasingly complex real-world applications, particularly in health care and social services. Her most recent work demonstrates a sophisticated integration of simulation, machine learning, and optimization techniques to address challenges in refugee resettlement, home care services, and public infrastructure planning. The consistent publication in high-impact journals reflects her growing influence in the field of operations research. Ramon y Cajal Fellowship (2022) Best Paper Award from Energies (2019) Luis Azcárraga Award from ENAIRE Foundation (2017) PhD Award from Spanish Association of Artificial Intelligence (2014) PhD Extraordinary Award from University of La Laguna (2012) HPC-Europa2 Fellowship (2011) Dr. De Armas has successfully secured multiple competitive research grants and has advised numerous students across various academic levels. She has served as Principal Investigator for projects including REASON (2024-2027) on optimizing health care delivery in rural areas, and previously led the EPHoCaS project (2020-2022) focused on sustainable home care services for the elderly. Her advising portfolio includes three PhD students to completion and numerous master's and undergraduate thesis students, demonstrating her commitment to mentoring the next generation of researchers. Her research has led to tangible industry applications, particularly in vehicle routing optimization where her algorithms have been implemented by companies as key business tools. Dr. De Armas maintains an active international research network with collaborations spanning institutions in Edinburgh, Nottingham, Cosenza, Boulder, Hamburg, and Montreal. Her work on the ROAR-NET research network demonstrates her leadership in advancing optimization algorithms research across European institutions. She has also contributed significantly to the academic community through conference organization, including the International Conference on Computational Logistics (ICCL2022) and the Metaheuristics International Conference (MIC 2017).
