"Automatic Generation of School Bus Routes in Los Angeles"

Our report for the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies from our collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is now publicly available. Here are some details.

Title: Automatic Generation of School Bus Routes in Los Angeles

Authors: Mason A. Porter, David J. Spender, and Cu Hauw ("Willy") Hung

Abstract: The goal of our project is to automatically generate school bus routes for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). We examined four algorithms, including two from the existing literature and two new ones that we developed. A major focus of our work was the construction of “mixed-load routes,” which transport students from multiple schools. Based on our measurements (whose imperfections we discuss), three of the four algorithms perform at least as well as the existing route plan, and one of those three performs better than the existing route plan. We also delivered a user-friendly routing program to LAUSD that uses one of these algorithms, and we have made our software publicly available. Our insights and results are also applicable to other school districts that permit mixed-load routing.

"Skype a Scientist" Program

I just received a classroom 'match' through the Skype a Scientist. My match is a 9th-grade classroom, but the range is kindergarten through 12th gradel.

Fellow scientists: You should sign up for this! It's a really good cause!

"Skype a Scientist matches scientists with classrooms around the world! Scientists will skype into the classroom for 30-60 minute Q and A sessions that can cover the scientist’s expertise or what it’s like to be a scientist. We want to give students the opportunity to get to know a “real scientist”, and this program allows us to reach students from all over the world without having to leave the lab!"

Update (9/06/17): I now have been matched with a second classroom. I believe I indicated that I was happy being matched with up to two classrooms.

Bansky's Tweet about Modern-Day Education

The cartoon below illustrates the point very effectively.

Just about* every time that I got into trouble at school was an instance of rebelling against this (which was already the case when I was in elementary school and high school).

* Most other instances involved a radio and a baseball game.

Modern day education pic.twitter.com/yq47iDdfUE

— banksy (@thereaIbanksy) July 17, 2017

(Tip of the cap to Nalini Joshi.)

"Skype a Scientist": Matching Scientists with School Classrooms

I signed up to talk to a couple of classrooms via the Skype a Scientist initiative. Maybe you will too?

(Tip of the cap to Noelle Beckman.)

Headline: Michigan School District's Air Conditioning Controlled by Amiga Computer for 28 Years

Yup, that's right: a Commodore Amiga has controlled the air conditioning in a Michigan school district since it was installed in the 1980s. That's pretty spectacular (and also "awesome").

(Tip of the cap to Myah Evers.)

What Happens in a Remote Village Stays in a Remote Village

Just about two hours ago, I finally made it to the remote village of Malfa on the remote Sicilian island of Salina. The first Mediterranean School of Complex Networks is being held here, and I'll be giving one of the "cocktail talks" that go with the school.

I didn't get any sleep last night, I took the coach from Oxford to Heathrow at 4am. Then I flew to Rome, and then to Catania. Then I took a 2-hour bus to a port city, though at some point the bus broke down in rural Sicily and we were stranded in a gas station for 45 minutes before a replacement bus came. And then I missed my 1.5-hour hydrofoil trip as a result of that, though it turns out that it was cancelled anyway. Then my backup hydrofoil to Salina (the last one of the night) was almost cancelled due to its malfunctions but was an hour late instead. And then the cab driver who was arranged to pick me up dropped me off first at the B&B and then at the restaurant where the summer-school banquet was in progress.

I'll take pictures of the place later. It's a pretty island, and the village is basically located on a volcano.

Update (6/12/14): An alternative---and arguably better---title for this blog post would be "What Happens on a Remote Mediterranean Island Stays on a Remote Mediterranean Island".

Poster of the Day

This demotivational poster is a big win.

Awesome School Answering Machine

Unfortunately, this is a video that was directly uploaded to Facebook, so that is the only link to this video that I can put here. (I don't have time to look right now, but if somebody finds a link on YouTube, please send me the url.)

The important part of the video is the audio, which apparently has an actual answering machine message at a school in Australia. It's a lovingly sarcastic message that has things like, 'If you want to lie about why your child is absent from school, please press '1'.) I approve!

(Tip of the cap to Jeffrey Porter.)