ProfessorVicky Mak
Professor
Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment/School of Information Technology
Orcid identifier0000-0002-9306-5780 (opens in a new tab)
- ProfessorFaculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment/School of Information Technology
- +61 3 925 17670 (Work)
- Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Fundamental research:
Novel solution algortihms for large-scale complex mixed-integer linear
programming problems
Meta-heuristics and Metheuristics approaches
Integrating AI and Optimization
Multi-objective search algorithms
APPLICATIONS OF INTEREST AND RECENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Energy
Smart grid optimization probelms
Hycel / EV infrastructure optimization problems
SATCOM
Downlink scheduling problems
Scheduling and planning
Workforce optimization and analytics
Knowledge Areas
Combinatorial Optimisation; Integer Programming; Matheurisitcs; Meta-
heuristics; Byspoke solution methods; Scheduling and planning; Routing;
Resource allocation; Timetabling
Prof Mak-Hau's main area of expertise is in mixed-integer linear programming
solution algorithms. She is experienced in developing problem-specific
decomposition and relaxation approaches custom-designed for her industry
partners. Besides exact algorithms, she has also designed and implemented
bespoke heuristic or meta-heursitic approaches. Her current focus is in
integrating Artificial Intelligence and Optimization and developing multi-
objective search algorithms.
Projects
CURRENT PROJETS
Defence
Project 1: Optimization engine and analytics tools in defence automatic
workforce planners
Building optimization engines and analytics tools for these systems. For this
work we were short listed as a semi-finalist of the Franz Edelman Award in
2020.
Project 2: Scaling force effectiveness modelling and assessment methods
The main research question for this project is to develop computationally
feasible approaches for solving very large scale many-objective combinatorial
optimization problems where some objectives may be inter-related, and the
objective functions may be expensive to calculate
Project 3: SATellite Dynamic REsrouce Management (SAT-DREAM)
Energy
Project 1: Electric vehicle routing (2nd place: IEEE WCCI 2020 competition)
Project 2: Optimization in smart grid
Flexibility management of home appliance to support DSO requests and Bi-level
optimization of bidding strategies in local energy markers
Project 3: Optimisation of refuelling logistics for a hydrogen bus network
Industry partner: Warrnambool Bus Lines.
As the company prepares to introduce a new fleet of 12 hydrogen buses, this
project uses mathematical modelling to support WBL to determine the optimal
configuration of a hydrogen refuelling network.
Project 4: Digital Microgrid Digital Twin
This project aims to develop a web-based Digital Twin for the newly
commissioned Renewable Energy Microgrid ("Deakin Microgrid") located on the
Deakin Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus.
PAST PROJECTS
Health
Project 1: Kidney exchange
* Impact story * [My model](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10878-015-9932-4), among others, has been asessed by [French researchers](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jules-Baudet/publication/340903056_Designing_the_French_Kidney_Exchange_Program_Algorithmic_and_Organizational_Challenges/links/5ea3570145851553faacce62/Designing-the-French-Kidney-Exchange-Program-Algorithmic-and-Organizational-Challenges.pdf) who work with the French Agency of Biomedicine. It was recommended by these researchers to be used by the agency for the French Kidney Exchange Program
Project 2: Radiotherapy and treatment planning optimization
Research partners: Barwon Health and PeterMac
* Impact story * We have demonstrated that it is acceptable to replace cone-beam CTs with portable bladder scanners in measuring bladder volumes in post-prostatectomy patients undergoing radiotherapy. Using portable bladder scanner at the bedside / point of care results in no radiation exposure as opposed to CT scanning--a significant benefit for patient health [[paper](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1754-9485.12171/full)]
Project 3: Redesigning medical wards by optimally allocating specialties to
minimize outliers
Research partner: Monash Health
Transportation
Project 1: Aircraft rotation problems
We designed the [Lagrangean relaxation-based BNB
algorithm](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166218X07001527),
and implemented it on real airline data with up to 519 flight legs, 42,732
connections.
Project 2: Simultaneous vehicle routing and packing
Novel solution algortihms for large-scale complex mixed-integer linear
programming problems
Meta-heuristics and Metheuristics approaches
Integrating AI and Optimization
Multi-objective search algorithms
APPLICATIONS OF INTEREST AND RECENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Energy
Smart grid optimization probelms
Hycel / EV infrastructure optimization problems
SATCOM
Downlink scheduling problems
Scheduling and planning
Workforce optimization and analytics
Knowledge Areas
Combinatorial Optimisation; Integer Programming; Matheurisitcs; Meta-
heuristics; Byspoke solution methods; Scheduling and planning; Routing;
Resource allocation; Timetabling
Prof Mak-Hau's main area of expertise is in mixed-integer linear programming
solution algorithms. She is experienced in developing problem-specific
decomposition and relaxation approaches custom-designed for her industry
partners. Besides exact algorithms, she has also designed and implemented
bespoke heuristic or meta-heursitic approaches. Her current focus is in
integrating Artificial Intelligence and Optimization and developing multi-
objective search algorithms.
Projects
CURRENT PROJETS
Defence
Project 1: Optimization engine and analytics tools in defence automatic
workforce planners
Building optimization engines and analytics tools for these systems. For this
work we were short listed as a semi-finalist of the Franz Edelman Award in
2020.
Project 2: Scaling force effectiveness modelling and assessment methods
The main research question for this project is to develop computationally
feasible approaches for solving very large scale many-objective combinatorial
optimization problems where some objectives may be inter-related, and the
objective functions may be expensive to calculate
Project 3: SATellite Dynamic REsrouce Management (SAT-DREAM)
Energy
Project 1: Electric vehicle routing (2nd place: IEEE WCCI 2020 competition)
Project 2: Optimization in smart grid
Flexibility management of home appliance to support DSO requests and Bi-level
optimization of bidding strategies in local energy markers
Project 3: Optimisation of refuelling logistics for a hydrogen bus network
Industry partner: Warrnambool Bus Lines.
As the company prepares to introduce a new fleet of 12 hydrogen buses, this
project uses mathematical modelling to support WBL to determine the optimal
configuration of a hydrogen refuelling network.
Project 4: Digital Microgrid Digital Twin
This project aims to develop a web-based Digital Twin for the newly
commissioned Renewable Energy Microgrid ("Deakin Microgrid") located on the
Deakin Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus.
PAST PROJECTS
Health
Project 1: Kidney exchange
* Impact story * [My model](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10878-015-9932-4), among others, has been asessed by [French researchers](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jules-Baudet/publication/340903056_Designing_the_French_Kidney_Exchange_Program_Algorithmic_and_Organizational_Challenges/links/5ea3570145851553faacce62/Designing-the-French-Kidney-Exchange-Program-Algorithmic-and-Organizational-Challenges.pdf) who work with the French Agency of Biomedicine. It was recommended by these researchers to be used by the agency for the French Kidney Exchange Program
Project 2: Radiotherapy and treatment planning optimization
Research partners: Barwon Health and PeterMac
* Impact story * We have demonstrated that it is acceptable to replace cone-beam CTs with portable bladder scanners in measuring bladder volumes in post-prostatectomy patients undergoing radiotherapy. Using portable bladder scanner at the bedside / point of care results in no radiation exposure as opposed to CT scanning--a significant benefit for patient health [[paper](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1754-9485.12171/full)]
Project 3: Redesigning medical wards by optimally allocating specialties to
minimize outliers
Research partner: Monash Health
Transportation
Project 1: Aircraft rotation problems
We designed the [Lagrangean relaxation-based BNB
algorithm](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166218X07001527),
and implemented it on real airline data with up to 519 flight legs, 42,732
connections.
Project 2: Simultaneous vehicle routing and packing
GRANTS
- CONTRACT RESEARCHOptimisation and Data Analytics Solutions for Defence Workforce Planning (part 2)10 Sep 2025 - 1 Oct 2026People funded by this grant:
- Vicky Mak
- GRANTAn intelligent machine modelling assistant for combinatorial optimisation1 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2024People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J,
- Ofoghi B,
- Zhang L,
- Molla-Aliod D
- CONTRACT RESEARCHPlanning and Optimisation of Resources in Defence Satellite Communication Systems - Satellite Dynamic Resource Management (SAT-DREAM).2 Aug 2021 - 30 Aug 2024People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Beliakov G,
- Arora C
- CONTRACT RESEARCHExplainable Analytics for Simulated Maritime Surveillance Mission Data.27 Oct 2020 - 30 Jun 2021People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Caelli T
- CONTRACT RESEARCHDevelopment of mathematical models and algorithms for Defence resource allocation problems, scheduling and optimisation problems.13 Oct 2020 - 31 May 2021People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J
- CONTRACT RESEARCHSimulation, Optimisation and Data Analytics solutions for Defence Workforce.16 Sep 2020 - 30 Jun 2025People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J,
- Caelli T,
- Hill B,
- Ofoghi B
- CONTRACT RESEARCHSimulation, Optimisation and Data Analytics Solutions for Defence Submariners.6 Nov 2019 - 31 May 2020People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J
- CONTRACT RESEARCHScaling Force Effectiveness Modelling and Assessment Methods.15 Mar 2019 - 31 Dec 2021People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J,
- Beliakov G,
- Dazeley R,
- Wilkin T
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTTimetabling and Data Analytics solutions for Defence - Co-funded Post doc MyIP: 83661 Aug 2018 - 31 May 2019People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTTimetabling and Data Analytics solutions for Defence. MyIP: 83081 Aug 2018 - 31 May 2019People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Yearwood J
- CONTRACT RESEARCHDemonstrating the benefits(s) of 7-minute Point of Care (POC) White Blood Cell Analyser in Day Oncology Units16 Oct 2017 - 20 Nov 2017People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Carter C
- CONTRACT RESEARCHTimetabling solutions for defence21 Sep 2017 - 1 Jun 2018People funded by this grant:
- Mak V,
- Novak A,
- Nguyen V,
- Pash K,
- Caelli T
- GRANTCapturing Dance: Using Motion Capture to enhance the creation of innovative Australian dance.15 Oct 2008 - 30 Jun 2012People funded by this grant:
- Vincs K,
- Mak V,
- Smith R
- GRANTChannel Assignment in Cellular Communication Systems and Optical Networks17 Nov 2004 - 30 Jun 2008People funded by this grant:
- Zhou S,
- Mak V