On the morning of April 8, 2024, Professor Feng CHU from Université Paris-Saclay was invited to give an academic report titled "Stochastic and multi-criteria optimization for remanufacturing industry" in the 214 lecture hall of the School of Management. The report was chaired by Professor Hong Zhaofu from the School of Management, with the participation of graduate students and some faculty members from the School of Management.
In this report, Feng CHU started with her research on stochastic multi-objective optimization in the remanufacturing industry, advocating a step-by-step research approach. This method involves fully understanding the mechanisms of simple problems before gradually delving into more complex issues. Not only does this approach help to build a solid theoretical foundation, but it also provides a clear thought process for solving real-world complex problems. In terms of identifying research gaps, Feng CHU emphasized the importance of extensive reading of existing academic papers and related materials to discover issues within the research field that have not been fully explored or deficiencies in existing studies. She pointed out that a good research topic often supplements or challenges the existing body of knowledge.
Furthermore, Feng CHU shared the evolution of her research process, which transitioned from deterministic to stochastic problems, from the study of single products to multi-product scenarios, and from fully informed environments to partially informed environments. This evolution not only demonstrates the deepening and broadening of the research field but also reflects the adaptation and mastery of increasing complexity. At the same time, Feng CHU detailed how she applied mathematical models and algorithms to solve optimization problems in the remanufacturing process.
Lastly, when discussing how to conduct academic research, Feng CHU pointed out that researchers should find new discoveries from traditional methods, identify patterns from real-world scenarios, and discover hot topics from everyday problems.
During the Q&A session, Feng CHU provided detailed answers and explanations to a series of questions raised by the participants. She further addressed how to conduct research and how to identify valuable new questions. She emphasized that continuous questioning and skepticism are important drivers for the advancement of knowledge. She pointed out that researchers should be brave enough to challenge existing theories and constantly raise new questions. Only in this way can researchers continuously surpass themselves and reach new heights in the journey of academic exploration. By doing so, researchers can not only bring new insights to the academic community but also create more value for society. This lecture was the 3rd session of the 2024 Overseas Lecture Series by the School of Management, bringing new insights and reflections to the attending faculty and students in terms of research topics and academic studies.
(Written by Liu Yuxin, Reviewed by Shao Jing and Zhang Shuang)
Introduction to the Speaker:
Feng CHU is a distinguished professor in France and the head of the AROBAS research team at the IBISC laboratory, Université Paris-Saclay, as well as the department head of OLI0. She is a recipient of the French Ministry of Education's Technology Elite Award (PES) and the Outstanding Doctoral Supervisor Award (PEDR). She currently serves as an associate editor for the International Journal of Production Research, IEEE Transactions Intelligent Transportation Systems, and IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering. Her main research areas include operations research, multi-objective optimization, and stochastic optimization. Her research outcomes are applied to the management of intelligent transportation systems, the design, optimization, and risk management of sustainable logistics and supply chains, and the planning and scheduling optimization of production systems under a circular economy. She has published over 200 papers in international high-level journals and has led multiple international collaborative research projects, projects funded by the French central and local governments, and projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
