Welcome to the MELON Research Group

MachinE Learning and OptimizatioN (MELON) Lab works at the intersection of optimization and machine learning. Our research spans three interconnected areas: optimization theory and methods, efficient large language model (LLM) training, and AI for optimization. These directions inform and reinforce one another: theory guides the design of new algorithms; advances in training enable more capable and reliable LLMs; and LLMs, in turn, offer new tools for discovering, designing, and analyzing optimization methods. Our aim is to create a self-reinforcing cycle that advances both optimization and machine learning.