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Yi Zhou 周毅

Yi Zhou

Professor, School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Member of the Algorithms and Logic Lab, Chengdu, China.

I study combinatorial optimization, connecting theoretical analysis with practical performance through the design, implementation, and evaluation of efficient algorithms.

Email: zhou.yi [at] uestc [dot] edu [dot] cn

Google Scholar · DBLP · GitHub

Research interests

  • Graph optimization: exact algorithms and efficient search for clique problems, Steiner trees, and network control.
  • Industrial optimization: practical methods for satellite scheduling and two- and three-dimensional cutting-stock problems.
  • Optimization in AI: submodular optimization, decision trees, and applications of large language models to optimization algorithms.

Join the Algorithm Engineering Group

We welcome inquiries from undergraduate, master's, and PhD students interested in algorithms, programming, and AI search. Our work spans modeling, algorithm design, implementation, performance optimization, and experimental evaluation.

The group meets weekly to discuss research, and our lab hosts invited seminars. Alumni have continued their studies at universities in China and abroad, or pursued algorithm development at companies including Huawei, Alibaba, and ByteDance.

For prospective students

UESTC undergraduates can contact us throughout the year. Prospective master's and PhD students are encouraged to explore our research before writing. A useful first email introduces your background, relevant experience, and thoughts on a paper or problem that interests you. I may be unable to reply to every inquiry during peak application periods.

Members and joining guidance (Chinese)

Teaching

Course materials are available in Chinese.

  • Autumn 2025: Optimization Algorithms（最优化算法）, undergraduate course; Advanced Algorithm Analysis and Design, graduate course.
  • Previous courses: Optimization Algorithms (autumn 2018–2024); Selected Topics of Big Data (autumn 2018–2023); Advanced Algorithm Design and Analysis (spring 2022, autumn 2022 and 2023).

Background & support

I received my PhD in Computer Science from the Université d'Angers, France, in 2017, supervised by Jin-Kao Hao and Adrien Goëffon. I received my master's degree in 2013 and bachelor's degree in 2010 from UESTC.

My research has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Young Scientists and General programs), the CCF–Huawei Populus Grove Fund, and projects with research institutes and industry.

I also serve as an executive member of the CCF Technical Committee on Theoretical Computer Science and a member of the Operations Research Society of China.