Rui Rodrigues
Operations Research, Machine Learning & AI for Better Decisions
About Me
I use operations research, machine learning, and AI to support better decisions in complex systems. My work combines optimization, simulation, and data-driven methods across logistics, mobility, infrastructure, and industrial applications.
Latest News Full timeline →
- Sep 2026 Career Started a new position as Algorithms Engineer.
- Sep 2026 Conference Attended the European Transport Conference (ETC 2026) in Porto and presented The Fracture of Monolithic Modelling as an Existential Imperative in the Age of AI.
- Sep 2026 Conference Our work Dynamic Promotion Optimization for Perishable Inventory with Multi-Product Portfolio and Restocking Decision was presented at CONTROLO 2026 in Coimbra.
- Aug 2026 Publication Published Refrigerated Containers as Distributed Thermal Energy Storage: Performance and Control Strategies in Port of Sines’ Microgrid in the Journal of Energy Storage.
- Jul 2026 Publication Published Loyalty and Tier-Based Benefit Allocation Frameworks for Renewable Energy Communities in Utilities Policy.
- Jun 2026 Conference Published Optimal Membership for Anchor-Centric Renewable Energy Communities at the 2026 22nd International Conference on the European Energy Market (EEM).
- Apr 2026 Conference Published Simulation-Based Assessment of Decarbonization Alternatives in Container Terminals at the 2026 Open Source Modelling and Simulation of Energy Systems (OSMSES).
Featured Paper View all →
Refrigerated Containers as Distributed Thermal Energy Storage: Performance and Control Strategies in Port of Sines’ Microgrid
2026
Rui Rodrigues; Adrian Carrillo-Galvez; Tiago Soares; Zenaida Mourão; Pedro Costa; João Almeida
Journal of Energy Storage, Volume 180, Article 124120
Featured Project View all →
OptEV (Tecstorm 2026 Finalist)
2026
Smart Fleet Charging Optimization
A mathematical optimization prototype (using MILP models) designed to find the cost-optimal charging schedule for electric vehicle fleets. Minimizes energy costs and peak penalties while offering automated jockeying and infrastructure ROI evaluations. Live at optev.pt.
Experience
October 2024 - Present
Researcher
INESC TEC · Porto, Portugal
- Designed and implemented optimization, simulation and decision-support models for complex resource-constrained operational systems, including port logistics, renewable energy communities, datacenter flexibility and energy-aware asset scheduling.
- Documented research output in 5 journal papers and 3 conference articles.
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- Developed Python-based simulation components for OpSEASim, an open-source energy-aware discrete-event / agent-based simulator for container terminal operations, modelling quay cranes, yard cranes, trucks, charging stations, refrigerated containers and energy-consumption layers.
- Formulated MILP models for coordinating flexible assets under operational and energy constraints, including refrigerated containers modelled as distributed thermal storage with different control formulations.
- Built and evaluated multi-stage, multi-objective and bilevel optimization frameworks for renewable energy communities, covering member selection, tariff design, benefit allocation, loyalty-based redistribution, no-harm constraints and fairness-efficiency trade-offs.
- Contributed to a MILP formulation for geo-distributed datacenter workload scheduling, jointly optimizing temporal shifting, spatial migration and flexibility-market participation through scheduling and offer-acceptance decisions.
- Ran computational experiments, scenario analyses and benchmarking studies to evaluate solution quality, scalability, operational trade-offs and robustness across alternative system configurations.
June 2024 - July 2024
Summer Intern
INESC TEC · Porto, Portugal
- Built a Python/scikit-learn short-term load forecasting pipeline for highly electrified seaports, testing 7 Random Forest model variants with lagged demand, calendar, ship, crane, TEU and vessel-time features; best model achieved R² 0.92, MAE 127.53 and MAPE 4.51%.
- Awarded Best Summer Internship at CPES for work on electricity forecasting in port energy systems.
December 2023 - June 2024
Consultant Intern
INEGI · Porto, Portugal
- Designed and implemented a Python-based vehicle-routing optimization tool for a retail/logistics client, modelling volume, route-duration, vehicle-capacity and operational feasibility constraints.
- Implemented a Clarke & Wright savings heuristic and scenario-evaluation workflow, producing 20%-26% estimated cost reductions across tested routing configurations.
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- Built a desktop application with Tkinter, PyInstaller and Excel-based input/output, enabling non-technical users to run optimization scenarios locally without Python installation, paid solvers, APIs or external hosting.
+ View extracurriculars & other roles - Hide additional roles
Mar 2024 - Sep 2024
Development Manager
ACM FEUP
Oct 2021 - Jan 2024
CSP
Tutor
Centro Social Paroquial de S. Nicolau
Education
Sep 2024 - Present
MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management
Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP)
Sep 2021 - Jul 2024
BSc in Industrial Engineering and Management
Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP)