Original article by Diversity in Action.
Laura Mora
Operations Research Ph.D. Student, 3rd Year
What are you most excited to be working on?
This semester, I joined the Intelligent Data for Energy and Agriculture Logistics and Supply Chains laboratory at NC State under Dr. Daniela Jones. The lab’s focus is on applying advanced, data-driven solutions toward sustainability. My current project consists of evaluating the conversion of manure from swine and poultry sectors in North Carolina as a value-added nutrient in fertilizer. This is done through the development of a mixed integer programming model (MILP) to identify favorable technologies and adoption strategies that maximize adoption, minimize the cost of adoption and minimize emissions/impacts to air-water-soil systems.
What do you hope to do with your degree?
The flexibility of the Operations Research Program has allowed me the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects, from analyzing and integrating data sets in public health and safety to formulating optimization models in agricultural supply chains. I hope to use my acquired analytical and technical skills to solve modern and real-world problems in an industry setting.
What are you excited about in your field?
The power of operations research lies in its ability to deliver actionable insights. The translation of complex data into practical solutions is increasingly vital, particularly in sectors like agriculture. The potential to directly benefit local farmers through optimized resource allocation, accurate crop yield predictions and streamlined supply chains is truly compelling aspects of this field.
What are three fun facts about yourself?
- Audio books are my reading method of choice.
- I’ve trained in three different martial arts.
- I have visited 24 states.