Qimeng (Kim) Yu

About Me

I am an assistant professor in DIRO at Université de Montréal. I received my PhD in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University, where I was advised by Dr. Simge Küçükyavuz. I received my B.A. in Mathematics from Carleton College. 

I'm passionate about tackling mixed-integer nonlinear/linear programming problems with applications in healthcare, sensor placement, machine learning, and many other areas. I have developed theory and algorithms for generalized submodular optimization. I'm also broadly interested in stochastic optimization and large-scale optimization. 

I love teaching! I believe that it is my responsibility to foster a diverse and inclusive learning environment. I'm proud to be a Peer Inclusion Educator in the Social Justice Education program.

The best way to reach me is via email: kimberly [dot] yu [at] umontreal [dot] ca.

• Q. Yu and S. Küçükyavuz, On Constrained Mixed-Integer DR-Submodular Minimization, forthcoming in Mathematics of Operations Research, 2024+.

  • Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) Workshop Student Poster Prize Honorable Mention, 2022.

• S. Küçükyavuz and Q. Yu, Mixed-Integer Programming Approaches to Generalized Submodular Optimization and its Applications, INFORMS TutORials in Operations Research (eds. E. Bish and H. Balasubramanian), 1-30, 2023. 

• Q. Yu and S. Küçükyavuz, Strong Valid Inequalities for a Class of Concave Submodular Minimization Problems under Cardinality Constraints, Mathematical Programming, 201(1-2):803-861.

  •  Nemhauser Student Paper Prize, 2023.

• Q. Yu and S. Küçükyavuz, An Exact Cutting Plane Method for k-submodular Function Maximization,  Discrete Optimization 42: 100670, 2021.

• Q. Yu and S. Küçükyavuz, A Polyhedral Approach to Bisubmodular Function Minimization, Operations Research Letters 49.1: 5-10, 2021.

• P. Illig, R. Thompson, and Q. Yu, Application of integral invariants to apictorial jigsaw puzzle assembly, Journal of Mathematical Imaging and Vision, 2022.

• On constrained mixed-integer DR-submodular minimization. 

  • Discrete Optimization Talks (DOT), Apr 2024. [video]

  • CORS/Optimization Days, Montréal, May 2023.

  • INFORMS Annual Meeting, Indianapolis IN, Oct 2022. 

  • MIP Workshop (honorable mention for the poster award), New Brunswick NJ, May 2022.

  • INFORMS Optimization Society Conference, Greenville SC, Mar 2022.

• An exact cutting plane method for k-submodular function maximization.

  • Rising Stars Workshop, Albuquerque NM, Apr 2022.

  • INFORMS Annual Meeting, Anaheim CA, Oct 2021. [video]

• Strong valid inequalities for a class of concave submodular minimization problems under cardinality constraints 

  • GERAD seminar, Groupe d'études et de recherche en analyse des décisions, Montréal QC, Mar 2024.

  • Mixed Integer Programming Workshop, online, May 2021.

  • Integer Programming and Combinatorial Optimization poster session, online,  May 2021.

• A polyhedral approach to bisubmodular function minimization

  • Mixed Integer Programming Workshop, online, May 2020.

  • INFORMS Annual Meeting, Seattle WA, Nov 2020. [video]

• Automated jigsaw puzzle assembly and signature invariant

  • with P. Illig, MathFest, Mathematical Association of America, Chicago  IL, Jul 2017.

• IFT6551 Integer Programming/Programmation en nombres entiers

• Teaching Assistant, IEMS313 Foundation of Optimization. 

• Mentor, INFORMS Mentorship Program, Northwestern University, 2022.

• Panelist (on graduate school application), Carleton College, 2022.

• Teacher, Splash at Northwestern, 2022. 

• Panelist (on navigating graduate school), Women in Science and Engineering Research at Northwestern, 2021. 

• Guest lecturer, IEMS313 graphical method, Northwestern University, 2021.

• Guest lecturer, IEMS450-1 Python-Gurobi tutorial, Northwestern University, 2019.

• Instructor, IEMS Ph.D. Boot Camp on Linear Algebra, Northwestern University, 2019 and 2022.

• Reader, IEMS450-I Linear Optimization. Northwestern University, 2019- 2020.

• Panelist, INFORMS Student Chapter, Northwestern University, 2019-2021. 

• Nemhauser student paper prize (2023)

• Terminal Year Fellowship, Northwestern (2022-2023)

• Honorable mention, MIP Workshop Student Poster Competition (2022)

• Selected attendance to the Rising Stars in Computational and Data Sciences event (2022)

• IISE Future Faculty Fellow (2021-2022)

• Bayer Scholarship for Women in OR, INFORMS (2021)

• INFORMS Doctoral Student Colloquium selected attendee (2021)

• Finalist for the MIP Workshop student poster competitions (2020, 2021) 

• INFORMS 2020 Student Chapter Magna Cum Laude Award (my role: Treasurer), INFORMS (2020)

• Royal E. Cabell Fellowship, Northwestern University (2018)

• Steven P. Galovich Prize in Mathematics, Carleton College (2017)

• Outstanding Presentation Award, MathFest, Mathematical Association of America (Jul 2017)

• Co-chair, Gender Equity in Academic Research Symposium, Northwestern University, 2022. 

• Peer Inclusion Educator, Northwestern Social Justice Education Program, 2021.

• Session chair (Generalized Submodularity in Optimization) at INFORMS Annual Meeting 2022. 

• Session chair (Submodularity and Aggregation) at INFORMS Optimization Society Conference 2022.

• Session chair (Submodularity in Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming) at INFORMS Annual Meeting 2021.  

• Graduate Liaison Committee Member, Northwestern University, 2020.

• Treasurer of INFORMS Student Chapter at Northwestern University from 2019 to 2020.

• Co-founder of a reading group on Integer Programming and Combinatorial Optimization at Northwestern University since 2019.

• Member of Women in Operations Research and Management Science at Northwestern University since 2018.

• Member of Women in Science and Engineering Research at Northwestern University since 2018.

• Volunteer for the IEMS Information Weekend  in Mar 2019.

• Participant, Leadership Coaching, Center for Leadership, Northwestern University, 2022.