Education:

M.S. (exp. 2011), Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Ph.D. (2003), Computational and Applied Mathematics, Rice University, Houston, Texas.

Thesis Advisors: John Dennis and Charles Audet
M.A. (2001), Computational and Applied Mathematics, Rice University, Houston, Texas.
M.S. (1994), Applied Mathematics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
M.S. (1994), Operations Research, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Thesis Advisor: Jim Chrissis
B.S. (1987), Computational Mathematics (minor in Statistics), Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

Employment:

Professional Memberships:

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)
SIAM Activity Group on Optimization (SIAG/OPT)
Mathematical Programming Society (MPS)
Omega Rho
Tau Beta Pi

Publications:

Submitted (under review or revision):

Abramson, Mark A., Lennart Frimannslund, and Trond Steihaug.  A subclass of generating set search with convergence to second-order stationary points,  Under revision.

Abramson, Mark A., Thomas J. Asaki, J. E. Dennis, Jr., Raymond Magallanez, and Matthew J. Sottile.  Solving computationally expensive optimization problems with CPU time-correlated functions,  Under revision.  Also appears as Rice CAAM Technical Report #TR08-06.

Pingel, Rachael L., Mark A. Abramson, Thomas J. Asaki, and J. E. Dennis, Jr.  Characteristic shape sequences for measures on images.  Under revision.  Also appears as Rice CAAM Technical Report #TR06-17.



Refereed Publications:

Abramson, Mark A., Charles Audet, J. E. Dennis, Jr., and Sebastien Le Digabel (2009).  ORTHOMADS: A deterministic MADS instance with orthogonal directions.  SIAM Journal on Optimization 20 (2), 948-966.

Sriver, Todd A., James W. Chrissis, and Mark A. Abramson (2009).  Pattern search ranking and selection algorithms for mixed variable simulation-based optimization.  European Journal of Operational Research 198 (3), 878-890.

Sherman, N. P., J. P. Kharoufeh, and Mark A. Abramson (2009).  An M/G/1 retrial queue with unreliable server for streaming multimedia applications.  Probability in the Engineering and Informational Sciences 23 (2), 281-304.

Abramson, Mark A., Charles Audet, James W. Chrissis, and Jennifer G. Walston (2009).  Mesh adaptive direct search algorithms for mixed variable optimization.  Optimization Letters 3 (1), 35-47.

Bryan T. Sparkman, James W. Chrissis, M. R. Gruber, and Mark A. Abramson (2008).   Optimization of a scramjet fuel injection array: An application of mixed variable generalized pattern search with Kriging surrogates.  AIAA 2008-5861. 12th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference, September 10-12, 2008, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Abramson, Mark A., Thomas J. Asaki, J. E. Dennis, Jr., Kevin R. O'Reilly, and Rachael L. Pingel (2008).  Quantitative object reconstruction via Abel-based x-ray tomography and mixed variable optimization.  SIAM Journal on Imaging Sciences 1 (3), 322-342.

Abramson, Mark A., Olga A. Brezhneva, J. E. Dennis, Jr., and Rachael L. Pingel (2008).  Pattern search in the presence of degenerate linear constraints.  Optimization Methods and Software 23 (3), 297-319.

Beal, Josh M., Amit Shukla, Olga A. Brezhneva, and Mark A. Abramson (2008).  Optimal sensor placement for enhancing sensitivity to change in stiffness for structural health monitoring.   Optimization and Engineering 9 (2), 119-142.

Abramson, Mark A., Charles Audet, and J. E. Dennis, Jr. (2007)  Filter pattern search algorithms for mixed variable constrained optimization problems.  Pacific Journal of Optimization 3 (3), 477-500.

Abramson, Mark A. and Charles Audet (2006).  Convergence of mesh adaptive direct search to second-order stationary points.  SIAM Journal on Optimization 17 (2), 606-619.

Abramson, Mark A., Charles Audet, and J. E. Dennis, Jr. (2006).  Nonlinear programming with mesh adaptive direct searches.  SIAG/Optimization Views-and-News 17 (1), 2-11.

Abramson, Mark A. (2005).   Second-order behavior of pattern search algorithms.  SIAM Journal on Optimization 16 (2), 515-530.

Abramson, Mark A. (2004).   Mixed variable optimization of a load-bearing thermal insulation system using a filter pattern search algorithm.  Optimization and Engineering 5 (2), 157-177.

Abramson, Mark A., Charles Audet, and J. E. Dennis, Jr. (2004).  Generalized pattern searches with derivative information.  Mathematical Programming, Series B 100 (1), 3-25.

Abramson, Mark A. and James W. Chrissis (1998).  Sequential quadratic programming and the ASTROS structural optimization system.  Structural Optimization 15 (1), 24-32.

Works in-progress:

Abramson, Mark A., Thomas J, Asaki, David M. Bethea, J.E. Dennis, Jr., Matthew J. Sottile.  Mixed variable optimization of model and computational parameters in engineering simulations.

Abramson, Mark A.  NOMADm: A suite of MATLAB codes for mixed variable black box constrained optimization.



Lightly Refereed Publications:

Meza, Juan C., Aran Garcia-Lekue, Mark A. Abramson, and J.E. Dennis, Jr. (2007).  Derivative-free optimization methods for surface structure determination of nanosystems.  In 6th International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Zurich, Switzerland, July 16-20, 2007. Appears as Technical Report #LBNL-63523, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, California.

Abramson, Mark A., T. Lewis, S. Reynolds, S. Long, D. Blazer, and W. Faulkner (1997).  Optimal allocation of assets in a multi-echelon inventory environment.  Proceedings of the Air Force Logistics Symposium 1997, Wright-Patterson AFB OH: April 14-16, 1997.

Abramson, Mark A. and Harry A. Berry (1996).  Applying neural networks to demand forecasting.  Air Force Journal of Logistics XX (3/4), 1-4,9.  * Reprinted in Logistics on the Move, Air Force Logistics Management Agency (AFLMA), April 1999, 47-51.

Smith, Stella, Mark A. Gray, and Mark A. Abramson (1996).  Individual mobilization augmentees in logistics.  Air Force Journal of Logistics XX (1), 14-16. 

Theses:

Mark Aaron Abramson, Pattern Search Filter Algorithms for Mixed Variable General Constrained Optimization Problems,   Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics, Rice University, August 2002.

Mark Aaron Abramson, Application of Sequential Quadratic Programming to Large-scale Structural Design Problems,   Master's Thesis, AFIT/GOR/ENS/94M-01, Graduate School of Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 1994.

Technical Reports:

Analysis of ACC sortie generation in a chemical environment (with K. Michael and J. Davis),   Headquarters, Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, Yongsan AIN, Republic of Korea: December 1998, SECRET RELROK.

Forward-looking readiness based leveling (with H. Berry, D. Blazer, and S. Long),   Air Force Logistics Management Agency (AFLMA), LS9622000, March 1997.

Mishap trend analysis regarding maintenance discipline and compliance (with W. Walker, R. Yerkes, J. Drew, W. Atherton, and H. Campbell),   AFLMA, LM9703003, March 1997.

Analysis of effects of international merchants' purchase authorization card (IMPAC) usage (with J. Perry and G. Jarnigan),   AFLMA, LC9622202, March 1997.

Readiness based leveling for communications/low density items (with H. Berry, D. Blazer, and S. Long),   AFLMA, LS9619200, October 1996.

Readiness based leveling (RBL) implementation issues (with S. Long, W. Faulkner, and D. Blazer),   AFLMA, LS96004000, October 1996.

F-16 training wing issue effectiveness (with P. Miyares, T. Lewis, W. Faulkner, T. Ondracek, S. Long, and D. Blazer),   AFLMA, LS9534600, September 1996.

Analysis of Combat Air Force (CAF) standards for USAFE (with H. Berry, P. Miyares, K. Hession, D. Blazer, and W. Faulkner),   AFLMA, LS9606700, September 1996.

Analysis of CSI and working level methodologies (with S. Long, S. Reynolds, W. Faulkner, D. Blazer, G. Bencun, G. Jarnigan, and H. Berry),   AFLMA, LS9516400, July 1996.

Second destination transportation (SDT) centrally managed allotment (CMA) funding of Air Force cargo (with I. Sookma, D. Tazoi, D. Benson, K. Hession, T. Gage, J. Jennings, D. Jones, W. Lyons, and R. Reed),   AFLMA, LT9411800, July 1996.

Analysis of optimal precision measurement equipment laboratories (with G. Barney, N. Murray, J. Perry, T. Gage, I. Sookma, B. Allen, and H. Newhouse),   AFLMA, LM9504510, June 1996.

Setting recoverable item stock levels (with S. Reynolds, S. Long, D. Blazer, K. Kruse, and W. Faulkner),   AFLMA, LS9500500, May 1996. Demand forecasting via neural networks (with H. Berry, S. Reynolds, and S. Long, R. Nelson, and D. Grover),   AFLMA, LS9521300, May 1996.

Individual mobilization augmentees -- expanding role (with S. Smith, M. Gray, N. Perry, M. McDaniel, T. Snyder, C. Tucker, and W. Burrell),   AFLMA, LM9529400, September 1995.

Routine and express small parcel shipment analysis (with M. McDaniel, G. Albritton, J. Toler, E. Williams, and T. Snyder),   AFLMA, LT9408010, June 1995.