I am Qi Luo, an Assistant Professor at

Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa

Curriculum Vitae

E-mail: qi-luo-1 (at) uiowa.edu

Biography

Dr. Luo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Analytics at the Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa and affiliated with Applied Mathematical & Computational Sciences. His primary research interests lie in (1) developing data-driven decision-making models in supply chain management, emerging mobility services, and healthcare systems, and (2) designing algorithms for online learning, dynamic games, and nonlinear optimization. His work has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the TRB Kikuchi-Karlaftis Best Paper Award, finalist placements for the INFORMS APS Best Student Paper, I-Sim Best Student Paper Award, IEEE-IV Best Paper (Finalist), and the IISE Best Paper Award (Work Systems Division). Dr. Luo’s research is supported by multiple federal grants, including funding from the National Science Foundation and Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

News

  • If you are interested in collaborating with Dr. Luo on data-driven optimization methods with applications in supply chain management, transportation, and healthcare, consider applying to one of the following graduate programs:

  • FY 2025-2026

    • September 2025: Dr. Luo received a U.S. Department of Defense (DEPSCoR) grant as the PI from the Department of the Air Force, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, for the project titled “Gradient-Based Algorithms for Constrained Stochastic Variational Inequalities on Networks.” The three-year project’s co-PI is Yuyuan (Lance) Ouyang of Clemson University.
      • We will design efficient first-order algorithms for constrained nonlinear optimization, with wide applications in network games and generative learning models.
    • May 2025: We organized the inaugural TALENT workshop for North America-based early-career researchers in transportation & logistics.

  • FY 2024-2025

    • December 2024: Dr. Luo received a SIC research grant titled “Exploring Passenger-Parcel Comodality Transportation in Rural Regions.” co-PI Xinwei Chen at the University of Tulsa.
      • To learn more about SIC (Social Impact Community) at the Tippie College of Business, a community of researchers working together with organizations to develop evidence-based solutions to the most pressing issues in our society.
    • October 2024: Dr. Luo is now affiliated with Applied Mathematical & Computational Sciences at the University of Iowa.
      • News on AMCS. To learn more about this interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, please contact AMCS-Contact@uiowa.edu.

  • FY 2023-2024

    • August 2023: Dr. Luo is co-PI for the CU Fellow project “Establishing an Interdisciplinary Center on 5G-enabled Autonomous Vehicle Systems,” a joint project with ECE, Econ, and IE at Clemson University.
    • Summer 2023: Dr. Luo co-chaired two NSF-funded workshops:
      • May 2023: Data-Driven Approaches to Transportation: Bridging Research and Practice
      • August 2023: Adapting to the Future of Robotic Surgery: Understanding Training and Design Environments for Human-Robot Teams
    • May 2023: Dr. Qi Luo (PI) received a research grant entitled “Early-Stage Clinical Trials with Patient Choice“ (CMMI-2308750, co-PI: Amin Khademi) from the National Science Foundation. We will innovate patient-centric clinical trials using information-based behavior models.

  • FY 2022-2023

    • rl-transport.org is released!
      • A group of students helped create two tools for disseminating the recent development of reinforcement learning methods in transportation research:
    • August 2022: Welcome Yan Wu to join our lab! She is co-advised by Dr. Yuyuan (Lance) Ouyang from SMSS. She obtained a M.S. degree in SMSS at Clemson University.
    • April 2022: Dr. Luo (co-PI) was awarded an NSF grant titled “Adapting to the Future of Robotic Surgery: Understanding Training and Design Environments for Human-Robot Teams.“
    • January 2022: Dr. Luo (co-PI) was awarded a SAGES Robotics grant titled “Enter Personalized Robotic Surgery Training to Optimize Learning Outcomes.“

  • FY 2021-2022

  • FY 2020-2021

  • FY 2019-2020

Current Graduate Students:

Hanwen Liu

Ph.D. student in Industrial Engineering (co-advise with Amin Khademi)

M.S. Industrial and Systems Engineering – University of Florida
B.A. Management – Shandong University

Research projects: sequential decision-making in evacuations and healthcare systems. 
Email: hanwen@clemson.edu

Yan Wu

Ph.D. student in Industrial Engineering (co-advise with Yuyuan Ouyang)

M.S. Mathematics – Clemson University
B.S. China Agricultural University

Research projects: reinforcement learning and transportation

Email: yw8@clemson.edu

Malik Sheetal

Ph.D. student in Applied Mathematical & Computational Sciences (co-advise with Ann Melissa Campbell and Jeffrey Ohlmann)

M.S. Mathematics – Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
B.S. Mathematics – University of Delhi (St. Stephen’s College)

Research projects: supply chain management and logistics
Email: sheetal-sheetal@uiowa.edu

Mansimran Singh

Ph.D. student in Applied Mathematical & Computational Sciences (co-advise with Ann Melissa Campbell)

M.S., and M.Phil. Mathematics – University of Delhi
B.S. – University of Delhi

Research projects: network games and nonlinear optimization

Email: mansimran-singh@uiowa.edu

Former Advisees and Students:

NameDegree/RoleYearFirst Placement
Sahand KhoshdelM.S. (Clemson University)2024Computer Science at Tufts University
Lu LiuM.S. (Clemson University)2024
Davin LorB.E. (Clemson University)2023
Janet TaylorB.E. (Clemson University)2023LPL Financial
Shidi DengM.S. (Université Clermont Auvergne)2022School of Management at Technical University of Munich
Ben WangPh.D. (University of Michigan),
visiting scholar		2022Tesla
Sanjana NarayanaM.S. (Clemson University)2021Western Digital
Akshay Ashwin ShahM.S. (Clemson University)2021OMP Supply Chain

Research & Publication

Innovations in People & Goods Transport

Efficiency & Productivity: [4][5][11][13][14][19][20][22][23]

Accessibility & Behavior: [3][4][8][9]

Privacy & Safety: [1][5]

Multimodal Mobility:[2][10][11][12][15][21]

Refereed Articles Published

  1. Qin, Guoyang, Shidi Deng, Qi Luo, and Jian Sun. “Privacy-Preserving Traffic Assignment for Multimodal Transportation Systems.” Communications in Transportation Research (2025).
  2. Banerjee, Siddhartha, Chamsi Hssaine, Qi Luo, and Samitha Samaranayake. “Plan Your System and Price for Free: Fast Algorithms for Multimodal Transit Operations.” Transportation Science (2024).
  3. Dong, Tingting, Qi Luo, Zhengtian Xu, Yafeng Yin, and Jian Wang. “Strategic driver repositioning in ride-hailing networks with dual sourcing.” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 158 (2024): 104450.
  4. Dong, Tingting, Xiaotong Sun, Qi Luo, Jian Wang, and Yafeng Yin. “The Dual Effects of Team Contest Design on On-Demand Service Work Schedules.” Service Science (2024).
  5. Sun, Ruixiao, Qi Luo, and Yuche Chen. “Optimizing dynamic wireless charging for electric buses: A data-driven approach to infrastructure planning.” Applied energy 373 (2024): 123912.
  6. Luo, Qi, Viswanath Nagarajan, Alexander Sundt, Yafeng Yin, John Vincent, and Mehrdad Shahabi. “Efficient Algorithms for Stochastic Ride-Pooling Assignment with Mixed Fleets.” Transportation Science (2023).
  7. Sun, Ruixiao, Qi Luo, and Yuche Chen. “Online transportation network cyber-attack detection based on stationary sensor data.” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 149 (2023): 104058.
  8. Dong, Tingting, Zhengtian Xu, Qi Luo, Yafeng Yin, Jian Wang, and Jieping Ye. “Optimal contract design for ride-sourcing services under dual sourcing.” Transportation Research Part B: Methodological 146 (2021): 289-313.
  9. Luo, Qi, Romesh Saigal, Zhibin Chen, and Yafeng Yin, “Accelerating the Adoption of Automated Vehicles by Subsidies: A Dynamic Games Approach. ” Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 129:226-243, 2019.
  10. Li, Shukai, Qi Luo, and Robert Hampshire. “Optimizing Large On-demand Transportation Systems through Stochastic Conic Programming.” European Journal of Operational Research (2021) 295.2 (2021): 427-442.
  11. Luo, Qi, Xuechun Dou, Xuan Di, and Robert Hampshire. “Multimodal Connections between Micro-Mobility and Micro-transit: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Evidence.” IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Magazine.
  12. Luo, Qi, Shukai Li, and Robert Hampshire. “Optimal Design of Intermodal Mobility Networks under Uncertainty: Connecting Micromobility with Mobility-on-Demand Transit.” EURO Journal on Transportation and Logistics (2021): 100045.
  13. Qin, Guoyang, Qi Luo, Yafeng Yin, Jian Sun, and Jieping Ye. “Optimizing matching time intervals for ride-hailing services using reinforcement learning.” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 129 (2021): 103239.

Refereed Conference Proceedings

  1. Khoshdel, Sahand, Fatemeh Afghah, and Qi Luo. “SkyGrid: Energy-Flow Optimization at Harmonized Aerial Intersections.” IEEE Conference on Vehicular Technology (VTC) (2024).
  2. Zeng, Zhaoming, Xiaotong Sun, and Qi Luo. “Dedicated Lane Planning for Autonomous Truck Fleets under Hours of Service Regulations.” In 2024 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), pp. 2890-2895. IEEE, 2024.
  3. Luo, Qi, Samitha Samaranayake, and Siddhartha Banerjee. “Multimodal Mobility Systems: Joint Optimization of Transit Network Design and Pricing.” Proceedings of the 12th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Cyber-Physical Systems (ICCPS). 2021.
  4. Luo, Qi, Xuechun Dou, Xuan Di, and Robert Cornelius Hampshire. ”Multimodal Connections between Dockless Bike-sharing and Ride-Hailing: An Empirical Study in New York City.” In 2018 21st International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), pp. 2256-2261. IEEE, 2018.
  5. Luo, Qi, Romesh Saigal, Robert Hampshire, and Xinyi Wu. ”A Statistical Method for Parking Spaces Occupancy Detection via Automotive Radars.” In 2017 IEEE 85th Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC Spring), pp. 1-5. IEEE, 2017.
  6. Wu, Xinyi, Kartik Balkumar, Qi Luo, Robert Hampshire, and Romesh Saigal. “An Evaluation of Information Sharing Parking Guidance Policies Using a Bayesian Approach.” Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Washington DC 2016.

Submitted/Working Papers:

  1. Zhang, Xinyuan, Qi Luo, and Xinwu Qian. “Enhancing Online Food Delivery with Transfer Points: A Decompose-Then-Optimize Approach via Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning.” Available at SSRN 5201175 (2025).
  2. Shi, Linxuan, Zhengtian Xu, Miguel Lejeune, and Qi Luo. “Dynamic Order Fulfillment in Last-Mile Drone Delivery Under Demand Uncertainty.” Available at SSRN 5393526 (2025).
  3. Wu, Yan, Qi Luo, and Yuyuan Ouyang, Mixture Model for Contextual Route Choice in Multimodal Transportation Systems.
  4. Liu, Yang, Qi Luo, Raga Gopalakrishnan, and Samitha Samaranayake. “A Framework for the Joint Optimization of Assignment and Pricing in Mobility-on-Demand Systems with Shared Rides.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.14297 (2021).
  5. Sundt, Alexander, Qi Luo, John Vincent, Mehrdad Shahabi, and Yafeng Yin. “Heuristics for Customer-focused Ride-pooling Assignment.”

Design of Learning & Optimization Algorithms

Online Learning: [1][2][11]

Deep Reinforcement Learning: [3][4] [6][7][8]

Learning in Games: [5][9]

Nonlinear Optimization: [10]

Refereed Articles Published

  1. Li, Shukai, Qi Luo, Zhiyuan Huang, and Cong Shi. “Online Learning for Constrained Assortment Optimization under Markov Chain Choice Model”. Operations Research (2024).
  2. Yuan, Hao, Qi Luo, and Cong Shi. “Marrying Stochastic Gradient Descent with Bandits: Learning Algorithms for Inventory Systems with Fixed Costs.” Management Science (2021) doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.3799.
    • INFORMS APS 2019 Student paper competition, finalist.
    • IOE at U-Mich Murty Prize 2019 for best paper on optimization.
  3. Qin, Guoyang, Qi Luo, Yafeng Yin, Jian Sun, and Jieping Ye. “Optimizing matching time intervals for ride-hailing services using reinforcement learning.” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 129 (2021): 103239.
    • TRB 2021 Kikuchi-Karlaftis Best Paper Award.

Refereed Conference Proceedings, Workshops, and Invited Presentations:

  1. Khoshdel, Sahand, Qi Luo, and Fatemeh Afghah “PyroTrack Belief-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning Path Planning for Aerial Wildfire Monitoring in Partially Observable Environments.” 2024 American Control Conference (ACC). 2024.
  2. Wang, Ben, Qi Luo, and Yafeng Yin. “Mean-Field Learning for Day-to-Day Departure Time Choice with Mode Switching.” In 2023 62nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC), pp. 4136-4141. IEEE, 2023.
  3. Qin, Guoyang, Qi Luo, Yafeng Yin, Jian Sun, and Jieping Ye. “Optimal Matching Time Interval Policy for Ride-hailing Services using Reinforcement Learning.” 100th Annual Meeting Transportation Research Board, Washington 2021.
  4. Yu, Fangzhou,  Qi Luo, Tayo Fabusuyi, and Robert Hampshire. “A Heuristic for Learn-and-Optimize New Mobility Services with Equity and Efficiency Metrics.” 99th Annual Meeting Transportation Research Board, Washington 2020.
  5. Yuan, Hao, Qi Luo, and Robert Hampshire. “Data-Driven Modeling of Ride-Hailing Trajectories.”  Workshop in ACM SIGIR conference, Ann Arbor 2018.

Submitted/Working Papers:

  1. Wang, Ben, Qi Luo, and Yafeng Yin. “Learning Multimodal Dynamic Departure Time Choice.’‘
  2. Wu, Yan, Qi Luo, and Yuyuan Ouyang. “First-Order Method for Convex Smooth Function Constrained Variational Inequalities“. SSRN abstract=5026369
  3. Chen, Boxiao, Stefanus Jasin, Qi Luo, and Mengxiao Zhang. “Managing Lost-Sale Inventory Systems under Unknown Demand and Return Distributions“. Working paper.

Analytics in Healthcare & Humanitarian

Public Policy & Regulations: [6][7][10]

Healthcare Management: [1][2][3][5][8][9][11]

Humanitarian Logistics: [4]

Referred Article Published

  1. Liu, Hanwen, Qi Luo, Alfredo M. Carbonell, Wes Love, and Jackie Cha. “Treatment effect estimation via optimization in robotic-assisted surgery: Insights from the Southeastern US.” IISE transactions on healthcare systems engineering 15, no. 3 (2025): 287-302.
  2. Kennedy, Sara, Patrick Fuller, Jackie S. Cha, Alfredo M. Carbonell, Qi Luo, and Anjali Joseph. “Exploring the Impact of the Physical Environment on Robotic-Assisted Surgery Outcomes and Processes: A Scoping Review.” Human factors (2025): 00187208251333907.
  3. Fuller, Patrick, Sara Kennedy, Matthew Ball, Holden Duffie, Melanie Gainey, Qi Luo, Anjali Joseph, Alfredo Carbonell, and Jackie S. Cha. “Understanding the challenges of robotic-assisted surgery adoption: Perspectives from stakeholders and the general population on human-interaction, built environment, and training.” Applied Ergonomics 122 (2025): 104403.
  4. Liu, Hanwen, Qi Luo, and Yongjia Song. “Adaptive opening times for evacuation shelters during disasters.” Optimization letters 19, no. 7 (2025): 1399-1420.
  5. Fuller, Patrick, Gainey, M., M. Ball, S. Kennedy, H. Duffie, Qi Luo, A. Jospeh, A. Carbonell, and J. S. Cha, “Understanding the Challenges of Robotic-Assisted Surgery Adoption: Perspectives from Stakeholders and the General Population on Human-Interaction, Built Environment, and Training“. Applied Ergonomics (2025).
  6. Luo, Qi, Yunlei Yin, Pengyu Chen, Zhenfei Zhan, and Romesh Saigal. “Dynamic subsidies for synergistic development of charging infrastructure and electric vehicle adoption.” Transport Policy 129 (2022): 117-136.
  7. Luo, Qi, Marissa Gee, Daniel Work, Benedetto Piccoli, and Samitha Samaranayakee. “Managing public transit during a pandemic: the trade-off between safety and mobility” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies (2022).
  8. Luo, Qi, Ryan Weightman, Sean T. McQuade, Mateo Díaz, Emmanuel Trélat, William Barbour, Dan Work, Samitha Samaranayake, and Benedetto Piccoli. “Optimization of vaccination for COVID-19 in the midst of a pandemic.” Networks and Heterogeneous Media 17, no. 3 (2022): 443.
  9. Luo, Qi, and Romesh Saigal. “Multiagent Incentive Contracts: Existence, Uniqueness and Implementation.” Mathematics (2021), 9, 19.

Refereed Conference Proceedings

  1. Luo, Qi, Zhiyuan Huang, and Henry Lam. “Dynamic Congestion Pricing for Ridesourcing Traffic: A Simulation-Based Approach.” Winter Simulation Conference 2019 Proceedings.
    • Winter Simulation Conference 2019 I-Sim Ph.D. Colloquium Best Student Paper Award, winner.
  2. Luo, Qi, Marissa Gee, Daniel Work, Benedetto Piccoli, and Samitha Samaranayakee. “Managing Public Transit in the Prevalence of Pandemic and Reopening the Economy.” 100th Annual Meeting Transportation Research Board, Washington 2021.

Submitted/Working Papers:

  1. Liu, Hanwen, Qi Luo, and Amin Khademi.Optimal “Enrollment Times in Early-Stage Clinical Trial“.

Teaching

  • Optimization and Simulation Modeling (BAIS:3800, University of Iowa), 2025 Fall
  • Operations and Supply Chain (MBA:8240, University of Iowa), 2024 Fall, 2025 Spring, 2026 Spring
  • Introduction to Game Theory (IE 8930, Clemson University), 2023 Fall.
  • Markov Decision Processes and Reinforcement Learning (IE 8490, Clemson University), 2022 Spring.
  • Deterministic Operations Research (IE 3800, Clemson University), 2021, 2022, 2023 Spring/Fall; 2024 Spring.
  • Introduction to Optimization Methods (IOE 310, University of Michigan), Instructor of Record
    • Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan. Winter, 2018. 
  • Transportation Network Modeling (CEE 559, University of Michigan), Guest Lecturer
    • Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan. Winter, 2019. 

Reinforcement Learning in Transportation Research

Here are useful references for researchers interested in using RL for transportation research (some are recommended by my students).

  • An Open-source platform from our lab: rl-transport.org includes open textbook for RL in transportation research.
  • IE 8490: Markov Decision Processes and Reinforcement Learning Syllabus (2022, 2023)
    1. Problem formulation (stochastic shortest path, inventory control)
    2. Finite-horizon MDP
    3. Infinite-horizon MDP
    4. Temporal difference learning and Q-learning
    5. Stochastic gradient descent
    6. Multi-armed bandit
    7. Deep-RL and Policy Gradient
    8. Multi-agent RL

Related open-access resources:

Services

Professional Societies

INFORMS Transportation Science & Logistics Urban Transportation (SIG) Vice Chair2023 – current

Journal Editorial Services (reviewer)

Operations Research2023 – current
Nature: Scientific Reports 2023 – current
Transportation Science2022 – current
Management Science2021 – current
Manufacturing and Service Operations Management2022 – current
Production and Operations Management2020 – current
European Journal of Operational Research2020 – current
Transportation Research Part B: Methodological2021 – current
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies2017 – current
Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review2018 – current
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives2022 – current
Service Science2020 – current
IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems2018 – current
IISE Transactions2022 – current
Networks and Spatial Economics2022 – current
Transport Policy2022 – current
ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering2022 – current
Omega2021 – current
EURO Journal on Transportation and Logistics2020 – current
Networks2021 – current
Transportation Research Record2020 – current
Journal of Systems Science and Complexity2017

Professional Society and Editorial Services

ISTDM 2021Organizing committee member, International Symposium on Transportation Data and Modeling
EM4SOrganizing committee member, Emerging Mobility Systems and Services Seminar
ISTTTReviewer, International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory
IEEEReviewer, Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)
IEEEReviewer, International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC)
INFORMSSession chair, INFORMS Annual Meeting
TRBTransportation Research Board Annual Meeting

Contact

Email

qi-luo-1 (at) uiowa.edu

Qi Luo 罗琪

Office

W322 John Pappajohn Business Building

Department of Business Analytics

Iowa City, IA 52242

Tel/Fax

(319) 467-1123