Elena Fernández facts for kids

Elena Fernández Aréizaga was born on July 4, 1956. She is a Spanish expert in operations research. This field uses math and computer science to help organizations make better decisions. She used to be the president of the Association of European Operational Research Societies, which is a big group for operations researchers in Europe.

Her work helps solve real-world problems. For example, she studies how to choose the best places for new buildings (called facility location). She also works on designing efficient networks, like for transportation. Another area she researches is the vehicle routing problem, which helps figure out the best routes for delivery trucks. She also develops heuristic methods, which are smart shortcuts to solve complex math problems. Elena Fernández is a professor at the University of Cádiz, where she teaches statistics and operations research.

Her Journey in Education and Work

Elena Fernández studied mathematics at two universities in Spain. She earned her first degree from the University of Zaragoza in 1979. Then, she got another degree from the University of Valencia in 1985.

She continued her studies and earned a Ph.D. in computer science in 1988. She completed this advanced degree at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Her Ph.D. project was about creating computer programs to solve complex math problems related to organizing things into groups.

Elena Fernández started her teaching career in 1983 at the University of the Basque Country. In 1984, she moved to the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. She became a full professor there in 2007. In 2019, she moved to the University of Cádiz, where she teaches today.

Helping the Community

Elena Fernández has held important leadership roles. From 2015 to 2016, she was the president of the Association of European Operational Research Societies (EURO). This organization helps connect operations researchers across Europe.

She also worked with the Royal Spanish Mathematical Society (RSME). From 2009 to 2012, she led a committee focused on women in mathematics. In 2020, she became the head of the science committee for the RSME. This shows her dedication to both her field and encouraging others in science.

See also

In Spanish: Elena Fernández para niños