Dr Andreas Ernst helps Australian industries improve resource efficiency and effectiveness.

Dr Andreas Ernst: maximising resource efficiency for industry

Dr Andreas Ernst leads the Modelling, Optimisation and Simulation group within CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics.

• 18 March 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

As the group leader of the Modelling, Optimisation and Simulation group, Dr Andreas Ernst leads a team of 12 researchers from the areas of:

• operations research
• statistics
• computer science.

The group is working to develop solutions for mining, manufacturing and service industries to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Australian companies.

Dr Ernst's research interests include network optimisation, hub location and combinatorial optimisation.

Background

Dr Ernst joined CSIRO in 1995. His most significant research contributions have been in the field of hub location.

In this area he has worked with CSIRO's senior researchers as well as university collaborators from around the world to develop formulations and algorithms that allow larger and more realistic hub location problems to be solved.

Many of the skills acquired in this specialised area apply more generally to combinatorial optimisation problems.

As part of the operations research group at CSIRO, Dr Ernst has also assisted Australian industries to ensure that resources are used effectively and efficiently.

These projects are from a wide range of application areas and include:

• rostering ambulance drivers and police officers
• recreational vehicle scheduling
• production scheduling for a wool processing company
• simulation of a remand centre
• web-based travel planning software
• operations scheduling of a coal terminal.

Academic qualifications

Dr Ernst has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Information Technology, 1992
• Doctor of Philosophy in Operations Research, 1995.

Achievements

Dr Ernst is a member of INFORMS, the professional society for operations researchers.

His publications listing are available on ResearcherID.  [external link]

Learn more about CSIRO's work in Optimising the Hunter Valley Coal Chain.