Hi there, my name is Bo Lin (林博). I’m a final-year PhD student at the University of Toronto, where I’m fortunately advised by Timothy Chan and Shoshanna Saxe. I also worked closely with Erick Delage. I am affiliated with the Applied Optimization Lab, Sustainable Systems Research Group, the Vector Institute, and Mila. Prior to joining UofT, I completed my M.A.Sc. at the University of Waterloo. I did my undergrad at Tsinghua University. I’ll be joining the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management at the National University of Singapore as an Assistant Professor.

I am interested in AI for sustainable cities. I develop predictive and prescriptive analytics tools that enable organizations to improve operational efficiency while promoting environmental wellness and the social good. With a particular focus on smart city operations and urban mobility, I address operational challenges from both practical and methodological perspectives. On the practical side, one line of my research involves developing data-driven approaches for urban bike network design, which I have applied to support Toronto’s 2025–2030 bike infrastructure planning. Our empirical findings have shaped policy decisions, leading to insights cited in policy documents and covered by mainstream media, including CBC News, Toronto Star, and UofT News. Motivated by challenges identified in this practical work, the other line of my research focuses on integrating machine learning and optimization, aiming to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and applicability of data-driven decision-making tools.

My research has been recognized by several awards, including INFORMS TSL Best Student Paper Award (winner), INFORMS Service Science Best Cluster Paper Award (finalist), INFORMS DMDA Workshop Best Theoretical Paper Award (finalist), and CORS Best Student Paper Award - Open Category (runner-up).

In June-Sep 2023, I interned at Uber as an Applied Scientist, researching online marketplaces and advertising platforms. Here is a Uber Engineering Blog that introduces what I did there. In Jan-Aug 2022, I was a research intern at Esri Canada under the SMART Mobility projects.

Contact

• Dept. of MIE, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University of Toronto
• Email: imbo DOT lin AT mail DOT utoronto DOT ca