USC Viterbi Professor Karmel S. Shehadeh Awarded Prestigious AFOSR Grant for Innovative Research
USC Viterbi’s Karmel S. Shehadeh Lands Prestigious AFOSR Grant
University Of Southern California
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Karmel S. Shehadeh, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering, has secured a nearly $400,000 grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) for her project on improving decision-making under uncertainty. This funding will support her innovative research in contextual stochastic optimization over the next three years.
- 01Karmel S. Shehadeh received a nearly $400,000 grant from AFOSR.
- 02Her research focuses on improving decision-making under uncertainty using data-driven optimization tools.
- 03The project has applications in healthcare, transportation, logistics, and national defense.
- 04Shehadeh emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty in decision-making.
- 05She joined USC in 2025 after faculty roles at Lehigh University and Carnegie Mellon University.
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Karmel S. Shehadeh, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering, has been awarded a three-year grant of nearly $400,000 from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Her project, titled “Advancing Contextual Stochastic Optimization via Distributionally Robust Optimization Techniques,” aims to enhance decision-making under uncertainty, a challenge relevant to various sectors including healthcare, transportation, and logistics. Shehadeh's research combines machine learning with distributionally robust optimization, allowing decision-makers to better adapt to changing conditions and uncertainties. This approach is particularly significant for national defense, where effective resource allocation and operational planning depend on managing uncertain information. Shehadeh, who joined USC in 2025, is passionate about research and enjoys mentoring students while tackling complex problems.
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Shehadeh's research can lead to more efficient resource allocation in hospitals, improved traffic management, and optimized supply chain logistics, benefiting both local communities and broader sectors.
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