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Analytics for a Better World

This keynote will showcase the transformative potential of analytics in enabling non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to make a greater impact on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Analytics for a Better World Institute harnesses and advances cutting-edge analytics techniques to unlock this potential. Through real-world applications, this keynote will illustrate how data-driven solutions are revolutionizing humanitarian and environmental efforts, including:

  1. The optimization of the food supply chain for the World Food Programme (WFP). By leveraging advanced optimization models, WFP is now able to deliver critical food aid to millions more people.
  2. An innovative optimization model for The Ocean Cleanup that strategically steers their vessels to accelerate the removal of plastic from the world’s oceans, contributing to the fight against marine pollution.
  3. Innovative projects to optimize geospatial accessibility to healthcare services, such as optimizing primary healthcare facility locations in Timor-Leste, determining stroke center placements in Vietnam, planning COVID-19 test centers in Nepal, and identifying ideal water well sites in Sudan. These efforts are driven by collaborations with leading organizations such as the World Bank, World Health Organization, Amref, and the American Red Cross.

In addition to presenting these impactful projects, this keynote will touch on the novel research challenges they have sparked, some of which remain open and ripe for exploration. Critical enablers for analytics to achieve meaningful, scalable impact within the NGO sector will be discussed, setting the stage for further innovation and collaboration.

Dick den Hertog

About the speaker

Dick den Hertog is professor of Operations Research at University of Amsterdam. His research interests cover various fields in prescriptive analytics, in particular linear and nonlinear optimization. In recent years, his main focus has been on robust optimization, and recently he started research on Optimization with Machine Learning. He is also active in applying the theory in real-life applications. In particular, he is interested in applications that contribute to a better society. He received the INFORMS Franz Edelman Award twice: in 2013 for his research on optimal flood protection, and in 2021 for his research on optimizing the food supply chain for the UN World Food Programme. He has been Visiting Professor at MIT for several years now. He is Science-to-Impact Director of the Analytics for a Better World Institute, that he co-founded in 2022.