"Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth."  

Rumi

I’m Babak Aslani, and I’ve always been fascinated by how complex systems work, from traffic networks to the human body. That curiosity led me to study Industrial and Systems Engineering, a field that combines analytical thinking, mathematics, and human-centered problem-solving. I was drawn to how ISE bridges engineering and decision-making, providing tools to make systems more efficient, intelligent, and fair.

I received my Ph.D. in Systems Engineering and Operations Research from George Mason University, where I focused on data-driven optimization and the design of novel algorithms. Before that, I earned my M.Sc. in Operations Research from Shahid Beheshti University and my B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from K.N. Toosi University of Technology. My broader research interests include optimization, machine learning, and evolutionary algorithms.

I’m now a Postdoctoral Researcher at George Mason University, continuing this line of work by developing data-driven optimization and machine learning frameworks for complex systems. I’m particularly interested in how optimization and AI can synergize to improve performance and decision-making in networked and uncertain environments.

Outside of research, I’m passionate about Persian classical music, both playing the Setar and listening, and I find it a source of creativity and balance. I’m also a lifelong soccer player, a movie enthusiast, and an avid gamer, especially passionate about souls-like games, which I’ve completed multiple times for their unmatched challenge, depth, and design. I value curiosity, persistence, and collaboration, qualities that guide both my research and everyday life.

I believe that collaboration across disciplines leads to better science, and that curiosity and creativity are the most powerful tools we have for understanding and improving the world around us.