Korina N. Olivas Melendez, a Chemical Engineering graduate and member of the Process Systems Engineering Lab at the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, has been selected as a finalist for the 2026 SMIO Best Thesis Award, a national distinction granted by the Mexican Society of Operations Research.

Her thesis, “Optimal Planning of End-of-Life Management for Electric Vehicle Batteries Considering Second-Hand Vehicle Imports in a Mexico–U.S. Context,” addresses one of the emerging challenges associated with the transition toward electric mobility. Her research applies mathematical optimization to the planning of end-of-life management strategies for electric vehicle batteries, considering the particular conditions of Mexico and its close relationship with the U.S. second-hand vehicle market.

As part of this recognition, Korina will present her research during the XIV Congress of the Mexican Society of Operations Research (CSMIO 2026), which will take place in Monterrey, Nuevo León, from October 7 to 9, 2026. There, she will participate in the special session for finalists of the Best Thesis Award, presenting her work before the evaluation committee. Finalists also receive registration and accommodation support to participate in the congress.

The SMIO Best Thesis Award recognizes outstanding research in Operations Research developed at Mexican higher education institutions and research centers, considering aspects such as originality, methodological rigor, contribution to the field, applicability, and relevance of the problem addressed. Korina's research demonstrates how optimization tools can contribute to anticipating the infrastructure and management strategies required for the growing number of electric vehicle batteries that will reach the end of their useful life in Mexico.

Korina's selection also represents another important achievement for the Process Systems Engineering Lab, following Melissa García Hernández's second place in the undergraduate category of the 2025 SMIO Best Thesis Award. These recognitions reflect the Lab's continued efforts to train Chemical Engineering students in the application of process systems engineering and mathematical optimization to challenges related to energy transition, electric mobility, circular economy, and sustainability in Mexico.