About me
I am a 4th-year PhD student in Applied Math & Operations Research at Rice University. My research focuses on stochastic optimization and mixed integer programming. I am advised by Dr. Sebastian Perez-Salazar and Dr. Andrew J. Schaefer.
Education
- Ph.D. Computational & Applied Mathematics, Rice University, May 2024 (expected)
- M.A. Computational & Applied Mathematics, Rice University, May 2022
- B.A. Mathematics (General Honors), University of Chicago, March 2018
Research Interests
- Stochastic mixed integer programming & computational discrete optimization
- Theory of mixed integer programming
Research Experience
- Visiting Graduate Student, Argonne National Laboratory: Mathematics & Computer Science Division, Current
- Givens Associate PhD Intern, Argonne National Laboratory: Mathematics & Computer Science Division, Summer 2022
- Research Assistant, University of Chicago: Booth School of Business, Summer 2019
- Research Assistant, University of Chicago: Dept. of Public Health Sciences, Summer 2018
Awards and Honors
- Best Poster Award (tied), AWM-SIAM AN22 Poster Session, July 2022
- Student Chapter Award for Scientific Excellence, Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), June 2022
- Sallyport Award Nominee, Association of Rice Alumni, Apr 2022
- Robert Lowry Patten Award for Service & Achievement, Rice Graduate Student Association, Apr 2021
- Honorable Mention, Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Program, Mar 2021
- Undergraduate Summer Research Grant, University of Chicago, June 2018
Publications
- R.M. Alfant, T. Ajayi, A.J. Schaefer. Evaluating Mixed-Integer Programming Models over Multiple Right-hand Sides. Submitted for publication. Preprint available on Optimization Online.
- R.M. Alfant (2022). “To My Younger Self”: Bridging the Mentorship Gap for Underrepresented Students. Available on the INFORMS Diversity Community Blog.
Presentations
- Multistage Stochastic Mixed Integer Programming using Decomposition of Structured Programs (DSP)
- Texas Women in Math Symposium, Mar 2023
- Rice CAAM Graduate Seminar, Feb 2023
- Summer Argonne Students Symposium, Aug 2022
- Absolute and Relative MIP Gap Functions & Their Properties
- INFORMS Annual Meeting, Oct 2022
- Rice CAAM Graduate Seminar, Sept 2022
- Periodicity of MIP Gap Functions
- SIAM AN22: AWM Poster Session, July 2022
- Mixed Integer Programming Workshop: Poster Session, June 2022
- An Intro to Rice CAAM & Mixed Integer Programming
- Rice CAAM Visiting Student Lecture, Feb 2022
- Evaluating MIP Models over Multiple Right-hand Sides
- Rice CAAM Graduate Seminar, Oct 2021
- An Introduction to Set Theory
- Chicago Academic Achievement Program, Aug 2018
Teaching
- Teaching Assistant, Rice University: Industrial Engineering Master’s Program
- INDE 501: Fundamentals of Industrial Engineering, Fall 2022
- INDE 597: Revenue Management & Dynamic Pricing, Fall 2022
- INDE 572: Stochastic Processes & Simulation, Spring 2022
- Teaching Assistant, Rice University: Dept. of Computational & Applied Mathematics
- CAAM 378: Intro to Optimization & Operations Research, Fall 2021, Spring 2023
- Teaching Assistant, University of Chicago
- Chicago Academic Achievement Program, Honors Calculus with Proofs, Summer 2016/2018 (Evaluations: 4.8/5.0)
- College Core Tutoring Program, Calculus & Linear Algebra, Winter 2017
- Dept. of Mathematics, Math 131-132-133: Introduction to Calculus, Fall 2015-2016
Service
- Forum for Women in Operations Research/Management Science (WORMS)
- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Liaison (Jan 2023 - Current)
- Rice Dept. of CAAM
- Graduate Seminar Chair (Aug 2022 - Current)
- Graduate Advisory Committee Member (June 2020 - Dec 2022)
- Rice Chapter of AWM
- Rice Chapter of SIAM
- President (Aug 2020 - Aug 2021), Secretary (Aug 2019 - Aug 2020)
- University of Chicago Young Scholars Program
- Teaching Assistant Volunteer (Jan 2015 - Mar 2017)