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SCCS Colloquium

The SCCS Colloquium is a forum giving students, guests, and members of the chair the opportunity to present their research insights, results, and challenges. Do you need ideas for your thesis topic? Do you want to meet your potential supervisor? Do you want to discuss your research with a diverse group of researchers, rehearse your conference talk, or simply cheer for your colleagues? Then this is the right place for you (and you are also welcome to bring your friends along).

Upcoming talks

David Zambrano: Optimizing the Dial-a-Ride Problem Using Quantum-Informed Heuristics

SCCS Colloquium |

This thesis addresses the computational challenges posed by the Dial-a-Ride Problem (DARP), a vehicle routing problem characterized by pickup and drop-off requests subject to time windows and vehicle capacity constraints. This work investigates whether quantum-informed heuristics – leveraging quantum correlations derived from the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) – can enhance the performance of classical algorithms in solving the DARP. To this end, we formulated a Mixed-Integer Quadratic Program (MIQP) capable of modeling time window constraints without continuous variables through novel penalty terms. The formulation was further translated into a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) model, enabling compatibility with quantum algorithms. Building upon this, we adapted the Quantum-Informed Recursive Optimization (QIRO) algorithm to the DARP and incorporated quantum-derived operators into a custom ALNS implementation. Experimental results demonstrate that the MIQP formulation effectively promotes time-window adherence, and the QIRO algorithm yields feasible solutions across problem sizes using shallow QAOA circuits. While the quantum-enhanced ALNS showed no significant improvement over the classical baseline, the quality of quantum correlations was identified as a limiting factor. These findings suggest that even with current hardware limitations, quantum-informed heuristics have potential to augment classical optimization techniques, particularly in domains like logistics, where partial quantum advantage could translate into operational efficiency. Further improvements in quantum devices or hybrid integration schemes may unlock tangible benefits for real-world transportation systems.

Master's thesis presentation. David is advised by Peter Eder, and Prof. Christian Mendl.

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Contribute a talk

To register and schedule a talk, you should fill the form Colloquium Registration at least four weeks before the earliest preferred date. Keep in mind that we only have limited slots, so please plan your presentation early. In special cases, contact colloquium(at)mailsccs.in.tum.de.

Colloquium sessions are now on-campus. We have booked room MI 02.07.023 for WS24/25. You can either bring your own laptop or send us the slides as a PDF ahead of time. The projector only has an HDMI connection, so please bring your own adapters if necessary.

Do you want to attend but cannot make it in person? We now have a hybrid option. Simply join us through this BBB room: https://bbb.in.tum.de/shu-phv-eyq-rad

We invite students doing their Bachelor's or Master's thesis, as well as IDP, Guided Research, or similar projects at SCCS to give one 20min presentation to discuss their results and potential future work. The time for this is typically after submitting your final text. Check also with your study program regarding any requirements for a final presentation of your project work.

New: In regular times, we will now have slots for presenting early stage projects (talk time 2-10min). This is an optional opportunity for getting additional feedback early and there is no strict timeline.

Apart from students, we also welcome doctoral candidates and guests to present their projects.

During the colloquium, things usually go as follows:

  • 10min before the colloquium starts, the speakers setup their equipment with the help of the moderator. The moderator currently is Ana Cukarska. Make sure to be using an easily identifiable name in the online session's waiting room.
  • The colloquium starts with an introduction to the agenda and the moderator asks the speaker's advisor/host to put the talk into context.
  • Your talk starts. The scheduled time for your talk is normally 20min with additional 5-10min for discussion.
  • During the discussion session, the audience can ask questions, which are meant for clarification or for putting the talk into context. The audience can also ask questions in the chat.
  • Congratulations! Your talk is over and it's now time to celebrate! Have you already tried the parabolic slides that bring you from the third floor to the Magistrale?

Do you remember a talk that made you feel very happy for attending? Do you also remember a talk that confused you? What made these two experiences different?

Here are a few things to check if you want to improve your presentation:

  • What is the main idea that you want people to remember after your presentation? Do you make it crystal-clear? How quickly are you arriving to it?
  • Which aspects of your work can you cover in the given time frame, with a reasonable pace and good depth?
  • What can you leave out (but maybe have as back-up slides) to not confuse or overwhelm the audience?
  • How are you investing the crucial first two minutes of your presentation?
  • How much content do you have on your slides? Is all of it important? Will the audience know which part of a slide to look at? Will somebody from the last row be able to read the content? Will somebody with limited experience in your field have time to understand what is going on?
  • Are the figures clear? Are you explaining the axes or any other features clearly?

In any case, make sure to start preparing your talk early enough so that you can potentially discuss it, rehearse it, and improve it.

Here are a few good videos to find out more:

Did you know that the TUM English Writing Center can also help you with writing good slides?

Work with us!

Do your thesis/student project in Informatics / Mathematics / Physics: Student Projects at the SCCS.

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