Dr Philip Kilby has worked in solving real-world optimisation problems for more than 30 years. Philip has specialised in the transport area, particularly in solving last-mile logistics problems. He has also looked at transport problems arising in the mining, defence, public transport, agriculture and maritime areas. Outside transport, he has worked on problems arising in the areas of education, healthcare, environment, telecommunications, manufacturing, and biology, to name a few.

Philip has recently retired from CSIRO’s Data61, and is now pursuing interests in community transport optimisation, and fly fishing.

Title: Optimisation in Transport: Opportunities, Implementation, and the Challenges in between.

Abstract

The field of transportation – by land, sea or air – has many opportunities for optimisation. Whether it is finding better routes for last mile logistics, locating distribution centres to minimise lifetime costs, assigning pilots and crews to flights, or choosing the right speed profile for a container ship to arrive at a port with sufficient draft, the possibilities are boundless.  However, the path from idea to implementation has some tripping hazards to watch out for.

This talk will discuss some of the ways optimisation can be used in the transportation area, and identify some of the elements that make for a successful project. We will look at how AI and even quantum computing are starting to make an impact on the area, and identify some of the other technologies that can be used to take these potential benefits from a possibility into a reality.

Samantha Taylor brings over 30 years of extensive experience in transport, traffic, mobility, data analytics, and freight transport. Recently, she served as the Head of Transport Analytics at Transurban, where she led a team of analysts focused on demographics, travel behavior, and macroeconomics to advance traffic modeling innovations. Prior to this, Sam held key leadership roles, including Chief Technology Leader and National Partnerships Leader at the National Transport Research Organisation, overseeing stakeholder engagement and business development in transport technology, sustainability, and resilience.

Throughout her career, Sam has been instrumental in advising organisations on transport-related research and development in the national interest. She has published influential research findings and shaped government planning and policy through her expertise. Leveraging data, cutting-edge intelligence, and stakeholder collaboration, she provides strategic guidance on transport system decisions.

Driven by a forward-thinking vision that aligns societal aspirations with emerging trends, Sam is dedicated to building high-performing teams and sustainable long-term business strategies. Her passion for innovative transport solutions and collaborative leadership continues to influence the evolution of transport systems at the intersection of academia

Abdallah Abuaisha recently completed his PhD in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Monash University, Australia, where his research focused on optimisation methods for public transport journey planning. His work covers fast and optimal routing algorithms, dynamic frameworks for handling delays, and system-level approaches to improve passenger outcomes. He has published on optimisation of transport systems in leading international conferences and journals, including IJCAI, SoCS, and Sustainability. He also serves as a Teaching Associate at Monash University, contributing to several units in both the Faculty of Information Technology and the Faculty of Engineering. Abdallah holds a Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and several years of professional experience in civil and transport engineering. His work lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, optimisation, and transport systems, bridging academic innovation and real-world industry challenges

Michael recently completed an 11-year role as Director Urban Freight in TfNSW. He started with the CBD transformation and development of Light rail in Sydney CBD focusing on the crucial tasks to ensure the CBD never ran out of beer, building materials or bread.

Michael and his team also undertook lots of transformative work with kerbside management, loading dock compliance in DAs, industrial land planning and advocacy and supported logistics innovation. Work that has gained national and global recognition and awards. This has all been documented and incorporated into various plans for NSW Government including the publication of the Last-Mile Toolkit.

The goal is always to ensure there is considered approaches for efficient freight that integrates into urban planning and contributes to successful places. As such, Michael continues to be involved with Austroads and chair their Technical Reference Group for Urban Freight.

Prior to joining TfNSW, Michael worked in Australia for AECOM, Australia Post and IBM. His previous logistics experience spans Europe, South-East Asia and the Middle East in operational, planning and logistics system roles.

Title: Optimising loading dock provision for efficient freight operations

Christopher Cano is the National Business Improvement & Implementation Manger at Australia Post’s StarTrack Courier division and is known for driving innovation and operational excellence. With over 14 years of industry experience, he has led national initiatives spanning technology, analytics and customer strategy – delivering tangible improvements in efficiency, profitability and service quality. His leadership is defined by a hands-on approach, strategic foresight and a deep commitment to building safe & high-performing teams.

Beyond the workplace, Chris is a passionate advocate for learning and mentoring. He actively supports emerging talent through internal programs and his involvement with the Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia’s Mentor Program. He collaborates with academic institutions like Swinburne University on Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) projects, bridging industry and research to shape the future of logistics. Chris also contributes to community governance as a member of the Risk & Governance Board at St Bernard’s College, reflecting his dedication to leadership, education and long-term impact.

Richard Savoie is the co-founder and CEO of Adiona, which uses AI to power millions of efficient, lowest-carbon deliveries around the world for brands such as Coca-Cola and Amazon. Richard is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on transport, mobility and AI.

Dr Joyce is an Associate Professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics. She has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Southeast University, China, and a PhD in Operations Research from UoM. Her areas of expertise are broadly mathematical modelling and optimisation, traffic flow theory, Monte Carlo simulation, scheduling theory, Operations Research, City Logistics, and time series analysis. She is an Associate Investigator of ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS) and a Chief Investigator of ARC Training Centre in Optimisation Technologies, Integrated Methodologies, and Applications (OPTIMA). She is involved in Physical Internet Lab at UoM. She also has research collaborations with several industries in logistics, transport and healthcare, including Toll, Transport of Victoria, and Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.

Title: Collaborative and Intelligent Solutions for Urban Freight: Optimising Routes, Sharing Resources, and Coordinating Access

Abstract

Urban freight in central city areas faces rising challenges from congestion, scarce curb space, and demand for fast deliveries. This talk reviews optimisation models and intelligent systems for courier routing, data-driven and reservation-based curb management, stochastic coordination across multiple couriers, and dynamic auction-based delivery service trading platforms. Together, these innovations demonstrate how shared resources, real-time information, and cooperative systems can create more efficient, sustainable, and resilient urban logistics.