“I used to think mathematicians discovered mathematical theories; now I firmly believe they invent them” – Irene Fabris ’20
Irene’s Question: How can mathematical thinking inform decision making?
You’ve got a paper being published and you’re presenting at a prestigious conference. Congratulations! Tell us about your research and your coming trip to Vienna.
Working on this research with my mentor, Richard Hoshino, has been a wonderful experience. Our goal was to develop an optimal timetable that assigns teachers and students to courses and time slots using two mathematical techniques called graph colouring and linear programming. We successfully implemented this program at a girls-only, STEM school in Victoria! Last week, I was excited to learn that Richard and I were officially invited to present our paper, Optimizing Student Course Preferences in School Timetabling, at CPAIOR 2020 in Vienna. This international research conference invites researchers from around the world in the fields of Constraint Programming (CP), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Operation Research (OR).
What’s your biggest takeaway from this experience?
My biggest takeaway is probably a shift in mindset. I used to think mathematicians discovered mathematical theories; now I firmly believe they invent them.
So you’re off to Vienna. Any personal plans?
The priority is the conference. It’s a great opportunity to explore related fields of research (e.g. planning, robotics, meta-reasoning, bioinformatics, etc.). I’m from Piovene Rocchette, a small village at the base of the Italian Alps just outside Venice. After exploring Vienna’s museums, I look forward to spending time with my family in Italy. I’m grateful for this opportunity to reunite with them.