Nonsmooth optimization

The activities around nonsmooth optimization are driven by application problems (in operation research, numerical mechanics, decision making, robotics, identification...), which require the development of algorithms, the latter motivating in turn fundamental research. These three aspects are interspersed in our research work.

Within the Bipop team, the main applications we consider are robots control and contact mechanics. Generally speaking, we are working on the fruitful connection between nonsmooth optimization and nonsmooth dynamic systems. Besides, the project has an «expertise» aspect, consisting mainly in consulting or software release. If you want more information, please contact Jérôme Malick - see his web page.

Main research themes

• Connexion between continuous and combinatorial optimization - via duality in convex optimization.
• Optimization methods over the cone of positive semidefinite matrices - applications in combinatorial optimization, in control theory.
• Robust decision-making tools in finance and engineering.
• Second-order approximation of structured nonsmooth functions.

International and industrial relations

• Industrial firms: EDF, meteorological and geophysical institutes, Raise Partner.
• Other INRIA projects as Idopt, Mystis in particular.
• Academic laboratories: Operations Research Department of Cornell University, Math departments of Guelph University and Barcelona Autonoma Univeristy, LAAS (CNRS Toulouse), Leibniz Institute (Grenoble University)...