Speaker
Description
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development presents an ambitious call to action for ending poverty, improving health and well-being, and addressing the climate emergency. These global challenges are especially acute in the Global South, where systemic vulnerabilities and resource constraints demand innovative, context-sensitive solutions. Operational Research, and optimisation in particular, can play a critical role in shaping data-driven, locally grounded interventions that build resilience and promote sustainable development.
In this talk, I will present some research projects that apply OR to real-world development challenges in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Specific examples include designing adaptive flood mitigation strategies for rapidly urbanising cities in Vietnam (the GCRF-OSIRIS project), building OR research capacity for sustainable development in Southeast Asia (CREST-OR project) and optimising health delivery in refugee camps in Ethiopia (a collaboration with Doctors with Africa CUAMM).
Rather than focusing solely on technical results, I will reflect on what these projects have taught us about the importance of people-centred, interdisciplinary approaches. The aim of the talk is to highlight how Operational Research, when embedded in real-world collaborations, can make a tangible difference to the lives of vulnerable communities and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future.
