Dr. Abhay Sobhanan

Dr. Abhay Sobhanan

Assistant Professor

About

I am an Assistant Professor in the Decision Sciences area and a Young Faculty Research Chair at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. My research focuses on developing operations research and machine learning techniques to address complex optimization problems in transportation, warehousing, and supply chain management.

I completed my PhD in Industrial Engineering at the University of South Florida in July 2025, where I conducted my doctoral research under the guidance of Dr. Hadi Gard and Dr. Changhyun Kwon. My dissertation research centered on solving large‑scale vehicle routing problems by developing new methodologies and tackling real‑world issues such as equitable workload allocation. I hold a BS-MS dual degree in Mathematics from the National Institute of Technology Agartala (2019).

📢 Recent News & Updates

  • [Apr 2026] Awarded ANRF Prime Minster Early Career Research Grant.
  • [Jan 2026] Paper on workload equity in crowdshipping accepted for publication in Production and Operations Management journal.
  • [Aug 2025] Joined the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore as an Assistant Professor!
  • [Jun 2025] Successfully defended my PhD in Industrial Engineering at the University of South Florida.

Research Directions

My research encompasses methodological advancements and practical applications in operations research and machine learning, with a focus on the following areas:

Transportation Networks

Optimization of routing and complex logistics.

Warehouse Operations

Efficiency, storage, and facility management.

Deep Learning

Applications in deep learning and reinforcement learning.

Optimization Algorithms

Exact, heuristic, and multi-objective optimization.

I welcome opportunities for academic and research engagements, including invited talks, seminars, collaborations, and other scholarly activities. If you are interested in discussing potential opportunities, please feel free to reach out.

🎓 Prospective Students

Students interested in working with me on mathematical optimization or machine learning, please read this page before reaching out.

📬 Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Prof. Abhay Sobhanan
Faculty Block B-204
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Bannerghatta Road
Bengaluru, KA 560076
India

Office Phone: +91 (80) 2699 3200

Email: abhay.sobhanan@iimb.ac.in