Hi, I am Lauren Durrell, a current PhD student at STOR-i, Lancaster University.
My PhD project
My project looks at ways to solve big, complex operational problems more efficiently, such as when deciding the best locations for factories or warehouses. Current methods work well but can be slow and impractical to solve to optimality when problems get too large. One approach is Lagrangian Relaxation, which simplifies the problem of getting a reasonable estimate but is not always perfect. A newer method, Semi-Lagrangian Relaxation, improves on Lagrangian Relaxation and gives better results, but its theory and applications are underdeveloped. I will apply Semi-Lagrangian Relaxation to different combinatorial optimisation problems and identify ways to improve the method’s effectiveness further.
My academic and industry experience
My enjoyment of solving operational problems was sparked at A-level while taking decision mathematics modules. I carried this forward into my BSc in Mathematics and Psychology at Royal Holloway, where I took elective courses on graphs and optimisation.
After my degree, I worked for a number of years in transport research, where I specialised in transport safety research and active travel infrastructure evaluation. More recently, I’ve worked in market research for the energy and regulated industries. It was during this work that my interest in statistics grew.
The STOR-i programme appealed to me as it offered a way to re-engage in academia, explore a range of both statistics and operational research topics and their intersection, and work alongside industry partners on cutting-edge problems.
Hobbies
Outside of academics, I have a wide range of hobbies. Living in the Lake District, I enjoy running, hiking, wild camping and swimming in the fells.
