Zijie Zhou (周子杰)

I am an assistant professor at HKUST IEDA, starting August 2025. My current research mainly focuses on using operations research to improve AI systems across the stack — from software to hardware. On the software side, I work on making Large Language Model (LLM) inference faster and more cost-efficient using online optimization, scheduling, queueing, and resource allocation. On the hardware side, I develop optimization algorithms for electronic design automation (EDA) and advanced semiconductor packaging, in collaboration with industry partners. I also work on classical OR topics like revenue management, online learning, and experiment design.

Before joining HKUST, I earned my PhD degree from MIT’s Operations Research Center (ORC) and Laboratory for Information & Decision Systems (LIDS) in 2025. During my PhD, I interned at Microsoft Research and Oracle Lab. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Honors Mathematics & Honor Statistics from Purdue University in 2021.

Here is my CV, and Google Scholar. You can also find my publications in the 'Research' page, and my teaching information in the 'Teaching' page.

Announcement

I have multiple openings for PhD students (starting Fall 2026) and Postdocs in HKUST IEDA. With strong computational resource support from my industry partners, you’ll have the flexibility to:

Pursue theoretical research in operations research, optimization, or related areas, or
Develop real-world impact on LLM systems: Design novel methods with industry collaborators to make LLM inference faster and cheaper, or
Develop real-world impact on AI hardware design: Develop optimization algorithms for EDA and chip design — using operations research to solve problems in advanced semiconductor packaging.

I welcome students with a strong background in mathematics/statistics/computer science/electrical engineering. If you’re interested to work with me, email me to introduce yourself—include your interests, skills, and goals. For details on my advising style, check out my Advising Document. Looking forward to hearing from you!

For Undergraduate Students: If you’re passionate about research, I’d love to mentor you! I actively support students in building their research profiles (See "Students" page).

Contact Information

Email: jerryzhou at ust dot hk

Room: 5537

Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

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