Department of Industrial Engineering

Faculty of Engineering

Ahmed Saif

Associate Professor, Graduate Coordinator

Department of Industrial Engineering , Clean Technologies Research Institute (CTRI)

Email: Ahmed.Saif@dal.ca
Phone: 902-494-6164
Mailing Address: 
Industrial Engineering PO BOX 15000 Halifax, NS B3H 4R2
 
Research Topics:
  • Large-scale Optimization
  • Decision Making under Uncertainty
  • Disaster Relief Logistics
  • Sustainable Supply Chains
  • Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems

Education

PhD (Management Sciences) - University of Waterloo

Research Interests 

My research focuses on developing new approaches to address complex decision problems tractably and realistically. I consider the four dimensions of complexity: size, nonlinearity, uncertainty, and dynamic behavior using a combination of tools that include: decomposition and approximation techniques, stochastic and robust optimization, metaheuristics, simulation, machine learning, and time-series analysis. Application-wise, I target logistics and energy problems.

Selected Publications:

  • Keyvandarian,,  A. and A. Saif, “An Adaptive Distributionally-Robust Optimization Approach for Optimal Sizing of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems”, Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, In Press.
  • Ghahtarani, A., A. Saif and A. Ghasemi, “Worst-Case Conditional Value at Risk for Asset Liability Management: A Novel Framework for General Loss Functions”, European Journal of Operational Research, 318(2): 500-519, 2024 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2024.05.034).
  • Ali, M.H., A. Saif, and A. Ghasemi, “Robust job shop scheduling with machine unavailability due to random breakdowns and condition-based maintenance”, International Journal of Production Research, 62(16):5654-5657, 2024 (DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2023.2294114)
  • Al-Jabouri, H., A. Saif, C. Diallo and A. Khatab, “Distributionally-robust chance-constrained optimization of selective maintenance under uncertain repair duration”, Expert Systems with Applications, 239: 122303, 2024 (DOI: 10.1016/j.eswa.2023.122303)
  • Al-Jabouri, H., A. Saif, A. Khatab, C. Diallo, and U. Venkatadri, “A critical review of selective maintenance for mission-oriented systems: Challenges and a roadmap for novel contributions”, International Journal of Production Research, 62(13): 4980-5015, 2024 (DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2023.2270689).
  • Lokhandwala, M., A. Saif and A. Ghasemi, “Machine Learning Models for Storm Damage Prediction in Nova Scotia, Canada”, The 2023 International Conference on Decision Aid Sciences and Applications (DASA), 16-17 September 2023, Annaba, Algeria, (DOI: 10.1109/DASA59624.2023.10286795)
  • Al-Jabouri, H., A. Saif and C. Diallo, “Robust selective maintenance optimization of series-parallel mission-critical systems subject to maintenance quality uncertainty”, Computational Management Science, 20: 29, 2023, (DOI: 10.1007/s10287-023-00464-0).
  • Pourmohammadi, P. and A. Saif, “Robust Metamodel-Based Simulation-Optimization Approaches for Designing Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems”, Applied Energy, 341: 121132, 2023 (DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121132).
  • Oguntola, I.O., M.A. Ülkü, A. Saif and A. Engau, “On the Value of Shipment Consolidation and Machine Learning Techniques for the Optimal Design of a Multimodal Logistics Network”, INFOR: Information Systems and Operational Research, 62(1): 1-52, 2024 (DOI: 10.1080/03155986.2023.2202079).
  • Ghahtarani, A., A. Saif, A. Ghasemi and E. Delage, “A Double-oracle, Logic-based Benders decomposition approach to solve the K-adaptability problem”, Computers & Operations Research, 155: 106243, 2023 (DOI: 10.1016/j.cor.2023.106243).
  • Mostafavi Sani, M., H. Afshari and A. Saif, “A Robust Framework for Waste-to-Energy Technology Selection: A Case Study in Nova Scotia, Canada”, Energy Conversion and Management, 284: 116965, 2022 (DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2023.116965).
  • Ash, C., U. Venkatadri, C. Diallo, P. VanBerkel and A. Saif, “PPE supply optimization under risks of disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic”, Operations Research Forum, 4(2): 23, 2023 (DOI: 10.1007/s43069-023-00209-4).
  • Al-Jabouri, H., A. Saif, C. Diallo and A. Khatab, “Branch-and-price algorithms for large-scale mission-oriented maintenance planning problems”, Computers & Operations Research, 153: 106191, 2023 (DOI: 10.1016/j.cor.2023.106191).
  • Keyvandarian, A. and A. Saif, “Optimal Sizing of a Reliability-Constrained, Stand-alone Hybrid Renewable Energy System using Robust Satisficing”, Renewable Energy, 204: 569-579, 2023 (DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2023.01.036).
  • Saif, A. and N. Madani, “Robust Design of Service Systems with Immobile Servers under Demand Uncertainty”, Computers & Operations Research, 148: 105965, 2022 (DOI: 10.1016/j.cor.2022.105965).
  • Pouraliakbari-Mamaghani, M., A. Saif and N. Kamal, “Reliable Design of a Congested Disaster Relief Network: A Two-Stage Stochastic-Robust Optimization Approach”, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 86: 101498, 2023 (DIO: 10.1016/j.seps.2022.101498).
  • Keyvandarian, A. and A. Saif, “Robust Optimal Sizing of a Stand-alone Hybrid Renewable Energy System using Dynamic Uncertainty Sets”, Energy Systems, 15: 297-323, 2024 (DOI: 10.1007/s12667-022-00545-0).
  • Al-Jabouri, H., A. Saif, A. Khatab, C. Diallo and U. Venkatadri, “Selective Maintenance Optimization: A Condensed Critical Review and Future Research Directions”, 10th IFAC Conference on Manufacturing Modelling, Management and Control, 22-24 June 2022, Nantes, France. Published in IFAC-PapersOnLine, 55(10): 1213-1218, 2022 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.09.555).
  • Ali, M.H., A. Saif and A. Ghasemi, “Robust Job Shop Scheduling with Condition-Based Maintenance and Random Breakdowns”, 10th IFAC Conference on Manufacturing Modelling, Management and Control, 22-24 June 2022, Nantes, France. Published in IFAC-PapersOnLine, 55(10): 1225-1230, 2022 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.09.557).
  • Saif, A. and N. Madani, “Robust Design of Service Systems with Immobile Servers, General Arrival and Service Patterns, and Demand Uncertainty”, International Journal of Systems Science: Operations & Logistics, 10(1), 2023 (DOI: 10.1080/23302674.2022.2092660).
  • Dolson, K., H. Sarhadi and A. Saif, “Goal Programming Approaches for Coordinating Flock Collection in the Poultry Industry”, INFOR: Information Systems and Operational Research, 60: 359-384, 2022 (DOI: 10.1080/03155986.2022.2063598).
  • Souza, R.C., A. Ghasemi, A. Saif and A. Gharaei, “Robust Job-Shop Scheduling under Unavailability due to Preventive and Corrective maintenance”, Computers & Industrial Engineering, 168: 108130, 2022 (DOI: 10.1016/j.cie.2022.108130).
  • Ghahtarani, A., A. Saif and A. Ghasemi, “Robust Portfolio Selection Problems:  A Comprehensive Review”, Operational Research, 22: 3203–3264, 2022 (DOI: 10.1007/s12351-022-00690-5).
  • Pouraliakbari-Mamaghani, M., A. Ghodratnama, S.H.R. Pasandideh and A. Saif, “A Robust Possibilistic Programming Approach for Blood Supply Chain Network Design in Disaster Relief Considering Congestion”, Operational Research, 22: 1987-2032, 2022 (DOI: 10.1007/s12351-021-00648-z) .
  • Delage, E. and A. Saif, “The Value of Randomized Solutions in Mixed-Integer Distributionally Robust Optimization Problems”, INFORMS Journal on Computing, 34(1), 333-353, 2022 (DOI: 10.1287/ijoc.2020.1042).
  • Saif, A., A. Keyvandarian and S. Elhedhli, “A New Lagrangian-Benders Approach for Concave Cost Supply Chain Network Design Problems”, INFOR: Information Systems and Operational Research, 59(3): 495-516, 2021 (DOI: 10.1080/03155986.2021.1923978).
  • Saif, A. and E. Delage, “Data-Driven Distributionally Robust Capacitated Facility Location Problem”, European Journal of Operational Research, 291(3): 995-1007, 2021 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2020.09.026).
  • Gillis, M., R. Urban, A. Saif, N. Kamal and M. Murphy, “A Simulation-Optimization Framework for Optimizing Response Strategies to Epidemics”, Operations Research Perspectives, 8: 100210, 2021 (DOI: 10.1016/j.orp.2021.100210).
  • Gillis, M., A. Saif, M. Murphy and N. Kamal, “Effects of Various Policy Options on COVID-19 Cases in Nova Scotia including Vaccination Rollout Schedule: A Modelling Study”, medRxiv, Available Online (DOI:10.1101/2021.07.28.21261219).
  • Saif, A. and S. Elhedhli, “A Benders Approach for Low-rank Concave Minimization over a Polyhedral Set”, The International Conference on Decision Aid Sciences and Applications (DASA-2020), 8-9 November 2020, Sakheer, Bahrain, 2021 (DOI: 10.1109/DASA51403.2020.9317297).
  • Saif, A. and S. Elhedhli, “Sterilization Network Design”, EURO Journal of Transportation and Logistics, 8(1): 91-115, 2019 (DOI: 10.1007/s13676-018-0118-y).
  • Elhedhli, S., Y. Wang, and A. Saif, “Service System Design with Immobile Servers, Stochastic Demand, and Concave-Cost Capacity Selection”, Computers & Operations Research, 94: 65-75, 2018 (DOI: 10.1016/j.cor.2018.01.019).
  • Saif, A. and S. Elhedhli, “A Lagrangian Heuristic for Concave Cost Facility Location Problems: The Plant Location and Technology Acquisition Problem”, Optimization Letters, 10(5): 1087-1100, 2016 (DOI: 10.1007/s11590-016-0998-4).
  • Saif, A. and S. Elhedhli, “Cold Supply Chain Design with Environmental Considerations: A Simulation-Optimization Approach”, European Journal of Operational Research, 251(1): 274-287, 2016 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2015.10.056).
  • Saif, A., V. Ravikumar Pandi, H.H. Zeineldin, and S. Kennedy, “Optimal Allocation of Distributed Energy Resources through Simulation-based Optimization”, Electric Power Systems Research, 104: 1-8, 2013 (DOI: 10.1016/j.epsr.2013.05.019).
  • Zeineldin, H.H., A. Saif, M.M. Salama, and A.F. Zobaa, “Three Dimensional Non-Detection Zone for Assessing Anti-Islanding Detection Schemes”, Electric Power Components and Systems, 38: 621-636, 2010 (DOI: 10.1080/15325000903489645).
  • Saif, A., H.H. Zeineldin, S. Kennedy, and J.L. Kirtley, “Multi-Criteria Design of a Hybrid Power System with Stochastic Supply”, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Probabilistic Methods Applied to Power Systems, 10-14 June 2012, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Saif, A., K.G. Elrab, H.H. Zeineldin, S. Kennedy, and J.L. Kirtley, “Multi-Objective Capacity Planning of Hybrid Power Systems”, Proceedings of the IEEE International Energy Conference (ENERGYCON 2010), 18-22 December 2010, Manama, Bahrain, 2011 (DOI: 10.1109/ENERGYCON.2010.5771679).
  • Saif, A., H.H. Zeineldin, and S. Kennedy, “A New Approach for Compensating Distributed Generation in a Deregulated Electricity Market”, Proceedings of the International Conference on Renewable Energy: Generation and Application, 8-10 March 2010, Al Ain, UAE.