Bio.
Sebastian Pokutta is the Vice President of the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB) and a Professor of Mathematics at TU Berlin with a research focus on Artificial Intelligence and Optimization. Having received both his diploma and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, Pokutta was a postdoctoral researcher and visiting lecturer at MIT, worked for IBM ILOG, and Krall Demmel Baumgarten. Prior to joining ZIB and TU Berlin, he was the David M. McKenney Family Associate Professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and an Associate Director of the Machine Learning @ GT Center at the Georgia Institute of Technology as well as a Professor at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. Sebastian received the Gödel Prize in 2023, a STOC Test of Time award (10 years) in 2022, the David M. McKenney Family Early Career Professorship in 2016, an NSF CAREER Award in 2015, the Coca-Cola Early Career Professorship in 2014, the outstanding thesis award of the University of Duisburg-Essen in 2006, as well as various Best Paper awards.
Pokutta’s research is situated at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Optimization, combining Machine Learning with Discrete Optimization techniques as well as the Theory of Extended Formulations, exploring the limits of computation in alternative models of complexity. A particular focus are so-called Frank-Wolfe methods and conditional gradient methods due to their versatility in the context of constrained optimization and structured learning. Pokutta has also worked on applications of Optimization and Machine Learning, leveraging data in the context of pressing industrial and financial challenges. These areas include Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing, Cyber-Physical Systems (incl. Industrial Internet, Industry 4.0, Internet of Things), and Finance. Examples of Pokutta’s applied work include stowage optimization problems for inland vessels, oil production problems, clearing of electricity markets, order fulfillment problems, warehouse location problems, simulation of autonomous vehicle fleets, portfolio optimization problems, optimal liquidity management strategies, and predictive pregnancy diagnostics.
Education.
- Diploma in Mathematics University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, 2003
- Ph.D. in Mathematics University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, 2005
- Postdoctoral Researcher Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006
Honors & Awards.
- Gödel Prize, 2023
for “Linear vs. Semidefinite Extended Formulations: Exponential Separation and Strong Lower Bounds”, S. Fiorini, S. Massar, S. Pokutta, H.R. Tiwary, R. de Wolf - Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC) Test of Time award (10 years), 2022
for “Linear vs. Semidefinite Extended Formulations: Exponential Separation and Strong Lower Bounds”, S. Fiorini, S. Massar, S. Pokutta, H.R. Tiwary, R. de Wolf - David M. McKenney Family Early Career Professorship, 2016
in the H. Milton School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech - NSF CAREER Award, 2015
- EGRIE Annual Meeting Best paper award, 2014
for “Convergence of Capital and Insurance Markets: Pricing Aspects of Index-Linked Catastrophic Loss Instruments”, N. Gatzert, S. Pokutta, and N. Vogl - Coca Cola Early Career Professorship, 2014
in the H. Milton School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech - Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC) Best paper award, 2012
for “Linear vs. Semidefinite Extended Formulations: Exponential Separation and Strong Lower Bounds”, S. Fiorini, S. Massar, S. Pokutta, H.R. Tiwary, R. de Wolf - Energy-Finance Best paper award, 2010
for “On clearing coupled day-ahead electricity markets”, A. Martin, J. Müller, S. Pokutta - DAAD Postdoctoral fellow, 2006-2007
- GIF Postdoctoral fellowship, 2006
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