People
The people advancing computation and algorithms for people and the planet. Our team's expertise spans operations research, computer science, and ecology.
Principal Investigator
Lily Xu
Lily Xu is Sun-Wu Assistant Professor at Columbia University in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR), with affiliations in Computer Science (CS) and Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B). Her work provides novel algorithms to enable practitioners to make effective decisions in the face of limited data, taking actions that are robust to uncertainty, effective at scale, and future-looking. Since 2020, she co-organizes the EAAMO research initiative, committed to advancing Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization.
Lily holds a PhD in computer science from Harvard University and was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Oxford with the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery. Her research has been recognized with best paper runner-up at AAAI, the INFORMS Doing Good with Good OR award, a Google PhD Fellowship, a Siebel Scholarship, and AAMAS best dissertation runner-up.
Lab members
Icey Siyi Ai
Columbia IEOR · 1st year PhD student
Passionate about applying operations research and optimization to real-world problems involving animals, ecological management, and hopefully a lot more.
Hi! I'm a first-year IEOR PhD student at Columbia University, advised by Lily Xu and Cliff Stein. I'm interested in using optimization and operations research to tackle real-world problems involving animals and ecosystems. Currently, I’m working with Lily on how to use bandits to more effectively remove invasive species in Florida. Before Columbia, I studied math at Princeton, where I worked with Maria Chudnovsky on structural graph theory. I love research that combines rigorous mathematical thinking with ecological and social impact.
tahda queer
Columbia IEOR · 1st year PhD student
Passionate about researching and collaborating for a more just and sustainable world. Works on multi-armed bandits and lives in Chinatown with Kino the cat.
Hi! My name is tahda queer, and I go by any gender-neutral pronouns. I am passionate about researching and collaborating for a more just and sustainable world. My research interests include multi-armed bandits, algebraic statistics, biodiversity, and civic engagement. I’m fortunate to have Lily as my PhD advisor, and I also feel lucky to have been guided by many generous mentors when I majored in mathematics and interdisciplinary studies at CUNY. Some other facts about me: I am a Chinatown resident living with Kino the cat, and I love that I can get freshly made tofu from neighborhood delis!
Anson Shyu
Columbia IEOR · 1st year PhD student
Interested in the intersection of Operations Research techniques and applications to social good.
Anson Shyu is a PhD student in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University. Anson joined the department in 2025 after earning a Sc.B. in Applied Mathematics–Economics from Brown University and working in the professional services industry. He is advised by Professor Lily Xu, and his research interests include OR methods and applications that serve social impact goals, such as disaster relief and government policies.
Noah Krever
Columbia CS · Incoming PhD student
Enthusiastic about machine learning in incomplete information and strategic settings. Balancing researching games with playing them–ask me about poker and chess theory!
Hello! I’m an incoming computer science PhD student at Columbia University advised by Lily Xu and Rachel Cummings. My research interests lie at the intersection of machine learning and computational economics, drawing on tools from game theory, statistics, and optimization. I am particularly interested in the foundations of algorithmic decision-making in strategic and incomplete-information settings, as well as their responsible applications in society. In my spare time, I love playing and studying strategy games like poker and chess, as well as playing soccer, volleyball, and Rocket League. I also enjoy watching and writing about movies, check out my Letterboxd!
Vihaan Akshaay
Data scientist @ industry · Advisee
Loves building tech for conservation and everyday use, with interests in reinforcement learning and real-world decision systems.
Hi! I’m Vihaan, a research engineer with a background in computer science and robotics. I enjoy building tech for conservation work and for myself and people around me. I’ve worked on projects combining satellite data, ecological signals, and human behavior to support real-world decisions. As I struggle to keep up with how fast AI evolves, I like to step away by speedsolving the Rubik’s cube, playing chess, and going on road trips where I record videos and share them on my website and YouTube channel.
Luveen Wadhwani
Columbia E3B · 1st year MS
Bio.
Long bio.
Donovan Barcelona
Columbia IEOR · Undergrad
Bio.
Long bio.
Hannah Park
UChicago CS · Undergrad
Bio.
Long bio.
Alumni
Rachel Guo
Harvard CS/stats · undergrad '22
Thesis '22, now PhD student @ Stanford ICME
Emilia Cabrera
Harvard CS · undergrad '21
Thesis '21, now Duolingo
Ezenia Diaz-Lembert
Harvard CS · undergrad '23
April Chen
Harvard CS/gov · undergrad '22
Now OpenAI
Christopher Ong
Harvard CS/econ · undergrad '23
Now OpenAI
Alejandra Perea Rojas
Harvard CS · undergrad '24
Vincent Börsch-Supan
Harvard CS/math · undergrad '25
Now QuantCo
Kyran Flynn
Columbia IEOR · MS '25
See the join page to learn about opportunities to get involved.