Researchers, students, and industry leaders from around the world gathered this spring at the annual Optimization Days 2026 conference, one of the premier international events dedicated to optimization research, theory, and real-world applications.

Held at HEC Montréal and organized by GERAD and CIRRELT, the conference brought together experts across fields including machine learning, mathematical optimization, transportation, energy systems, robotics, finance, healthcare, and operations management.

Among the plenary speakers was Pascal Van Hentenryck, Director of AI4OPT and professor at Georgia Tech.

Van Hentenryck’s participation highlighted AI4OPT’s growing international impact in the fields of artificial intelligence and optimization. Through his leadership, AI4OPT continues to advance research that combines AI, machine learning, and optimization to address complex societal and industrial challenges in areas such as supply chains, energy systems, mobility, and decision-making under uncertainty.

Optimization Days 2026 featured presentations and discussions on a broad range of topics, including stochastic and robust optimization, data-driven optimization and machine learning, dynamic programming, smart grids, simulation, networks, and large-scale applications across science and industry.

The conference also showcased emerging student research through its poster competition and recognized graduate excellence through the François Soumis Award, reinforcing the event’s commitment to supporting the next generation of optimization researchers.