Harun Avci
I am a fifth-year PhD student in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at Northwestern University. My research interest lies in methodology for simulation optimization and its application in energy systems.
After completing my PhD, I will be joining Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University as an Assistant Professor of Quantitative Analysis.
Education
Northwestern University – Evanston, IL, United States
- Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences, 2024 (expected)
- M.S. in Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences, 2020
Bilkent University – Ankara, Turkey
- M.S. in Industrial Engineering, 2018
- B.S. in Industrial Engineering (with Minor in Economics), 2016
Publications
Refereed Publications
- H. Avci, B. L. Nelson, E. Song, and A. Wächter. “Using Cache or Credit for Parallel Ranking and Selection.” ACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation. 2023.
- E. C. Karakoyun, H. Avci, A. S. Kocaman, and E. Nadar. “Deviations From Commitments: Markov Decision Process Formulations for the Role of Energy Storage.” International Journal of Production Economics. 2023.
- K. Gokbayrak and H. Avci. “A Voltage Drop Limited Decentralized Electric Power Distribution Network.” Computers & Operations Research. 2020.
- H. Avci, K. Gokbayrak, and E. Nadar. “Structural Results for Average-Cost Inventory Models with Markov-Modulated Demand and Partial Information.” Production and Operations Management. 2020.
Proceedings Papers (Refereed)
- H. Avci, B. L. Nelson, and A. Wächter. “Getting to ‘rate-optimal’ in Ranking & Selection.” Proceedings of the 2021 Winter Simulation Conference. 2021.
Submitted Journal Articles
- E. C. Karakoyun, H. Avci, W. Tim Huh, A. S. Kocaman, and E. Nadar. “Optimal Hour-Ahead Commitment and Storage Decisions of Wind Power Producers.” Under review for European Journal of Operational Research.
Working Papers
- H. Avci, B. L. Nelson, E. Song, and A. Wächter. “A Decomposition Approach for Large-Scale Discrete Simulation Optimization using Gaussian Markov Random Fields.” To be submitted to Operations Research.
- H. Avci, E. C. Karakoyun, A. S. Kocaman, E. Nadar, and P. Toufani. “Pumped Hydro Energy Storage: Structural Results and Solution Algorithms.” In final preparation for submission.
Presentations
Conferences
- Using Cache or Credit for Parallel Ranking & Selection (with B. L. Nelson, E. Song, and A. Wächter):
- INFORMS Annual Meeting, Oct 2022
- Getting to ‘rate-optimal’ in Ranking & Selection (with B. L. Nelson and A. Wächter):
- Winter Simulation Conference, Dec 2021
- Improving the Performance of Complete Expected Improvement in Stochastic Simulation Optimization (with B. L. Nelson, A. Wächter, and E. Song):
- INFORMS Annual Meeting, Nov 2020
- Optimal Structural Results for Average-Cost Inventory Systems with Partially Observed Markov-Modulated Demand (with K. Gokbayrak and E. Nadar):
- YAEM (Turkish OR /IE Society), Jul 2017
- YAEM (Turkish OR /IE Society), Jul 2016
Workshops
- “Is Object-Oriented Programming Worth Using?” May 2022, The Center for Optimization and Statistical Learning, Northwestern University
- “Mathematical Optimization via the Gurobi Python Interface,” Nov 2021, The Northwestern Transportation Club, Northwestern University
Teaching Experience
Northwestern University
- IEMS 317 Discrete-Event Systems Simulation
- Instructor: Winter 2024
Bilkent University
- IE 324 Simulation
- Teaching Assistant: Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Summer 2018
- Undergraduate Teaching Assistant: Fall 2015, Spring 2016
Honors & Awards
- Terminal Year Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2023
- Murphy Fellowship, Northwestern University, 2019-2020
- Graduate Scholarship, TUBITAK ARDEB 1001 (Scientific and Technological Research Projects Funding Program), 2018-2019
- Graduate Scholarship, TUBITAK BIDEB 2210 (National Scholarship Programme for MSc Students), 2017-2018
- Academic Excellence in M.S. Studies, Bilkent University Department of Industrial Engineering, 2017
- M.S. Comprehensive Scholarship, Bilkent University, 2016-2018
- Graduate Scholarship, TUBITAK ARDEB 1001, 2016-2017
- Undergraduate Research Award, Bilkent University Department of Industrial Engineering, 2016
- Undergraduate Scholarship, TUBITAK ARDEB 1001, 2015–2016
Sponsored Research
- “Mobility as a Service Network Optimization via Simulation,” General Motors Corporation
- Research Assistant, 2022–2023
- “Adaptive Gaussian Markov Random Fields for Large-scale Discrete Optimization via Simulation,” National Science Foundation Grant No. DMS-1854562
- Research Assistant, 2020–2022
- “Mobility as a Service Network Simulation Modeling,” General Motors Corporation
- Research Assistant, 2020–2021
- “Markov Decision Processes and Multi-Stage Stochastic Programs for Energy Commitment Decisions of a Hybrid System with Pumped Hydro Storage,” TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) Grant No. 118M419
- Graduate Scholarship, 2018–2019
- “Hidden Markov Model and Perturbation Analysis Applications in Inventory Control,” TUBITAK Grant No. 214M243
- Graduate Scholarship, 2016–2017
- Undergraduate Scholarship, 2015–2016
Industry Experience
General Motors Corporation, Warren, MI, United States
- Analytics Research Intern, Jun 2022 – Aug 2022
- Analytics Research Intern, Jun 2021 – Aug 2021
Nurd Innovation Center, Ankara, Turkey
- Data Scientist, Sep 2018 – Jul 2019