Last updated 8/19/04

The purpose of the semester project is to move out of the textbook and into the wider literature, ongoing research and the real world.  It is an opportunity to identify and explore an application of network models and algorithms to problems of interest to the students.

At a minimum, the project must include:

Proposal Due Friday, October 1:

Hand in a single typed page proposing a problem or application area you are interested in.  Some aspect of this problem should be amenable to formulation and solution as a network flow problem (min cost flow, max flow, shortest path, dynamic program, etc.).  Locate at least one published article describing this problem, which may or may not contain a network formulation of it, and hand in a copy. 

I will be using these partly to set up project groups of 3-4 students.  If you want to work with someone else, you can work together on this proposal but you must find and turn in at least 1 article per person. 

Where to begin looking?

1. The course textbook has applications sprinkled throughout, generally in section 2 of each chapter.  Chapter 19 contains more applications.  Many of the homework problems are based on real applications as well.  You could also just scan the list of references at the back of the book.
2. The Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS) has a bibliographic database through 2001 at http://www.informs.org/Biblio/ACI.html.  The INFORMS online resource page at http://www.informs.org/Resources/ has a host of OR-related links.
3. Check the library databases such as Compendex as well for more engineering-oriented applications.
4. International Abstracts in Operations Research offers a 30-day trial access to their current issue.  If you join INFORMS for $30 as a student, you get free online access to all issues.

Progress Report Due Monday, November 1:

As a group, hand in 1-2 typed pages that include:

1. A specific description of the problem you are focusing on,
2. Identification of the network model(s) that are relevant (for example, minimum cost flow or vertex routing),
3. An outline of the work you plan to do to complete your project, how it will be allocated among the group members, and a time schedule for finishing it (remember the final report is due by 11/19),
4. A list of references.  You need not turn in the reference papers unless you want me to look at them.

A complete draft of the final report is due Friday, November 19.  

Consult the Final Report Grading Rubric as you prepare your project reports.

The final version is due Friday, December 10, 5 p.m.