The Intelligent Optimization Laboratory at the University of Udine studies and develops optimization methods for complex decision-making problems arising in industrial and organizational settings. Our research combines operations research and artificial intelligence, with particular emphasis on metaheuristics, hybrid optimization methods, and data-driven approaches.

Our main application areas connect optimization research with operational challenges: healthcare planning, from home-care services to emergency systems; sustainable logistics, including electric-vehicle routing and waste collection; industrial production, with energy-aware scheduling and process optimization; and educational and workforce timetabling. We also develop data-driven decision-support systems for safety-critical and socio-technical settings, including maritime operations.

A current research line led by Luca Di Gaspero investigates the use of large language models in optimization, exploring how LLM-based methods can complement established optimization techniques.

The lab is the evolution of the Scheduling and Timetabling Research Group, founded in 2000.