Raul Garcia

Raul Garcia

PhD Candidate in Computational Applied Mathematics & Operations Research at Rice University

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I am a PhD candidate at Rice University, working with Dr. Andrew J. Schaefer in the department of Computational Applied Mathematics & Operations Research (CMOR). My work primarily focuses on optimization under uncertainty, with applications in the early detection and treatment of cancer. We collaborate with MD Anderson Cancer Center Professors Dr. Iakovos Toumazis and Dr. Clifton D. Fuller on lung cancer screening programs and head-and-neck cancer treatment, respectively. Before Rice, I obtained my BS in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Davis.

Research Interests

Optimization under uncertainty, cancer detection and treatment, mixed-integer programming, partially observable Markov decision processes, decision-dependent uncertainty, bilevel optimization

Experience

  • Visiting Graduate Student Researcher, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (2023-Present)
  • Research Mentor, Data to Knowledge Lab, Rice University (2022)
  • Research Intern, MIT Lincoln Laboratory - Group 42 (2022)
  • Graduate Research Assistant, CMOR Dept., Rice University (2021-Present)
  • Instructor, Tapia STEM Camp, Rice University (2021)
  • Grader/TA, CMOR Dept., Rice University (2020-2024)
  • Quality Product Auditor, Pacific Southwest Container (2019-2020)
  • Undergraduate Grader, Dept. of Mathematics, UC Davis (2017-2018)
  • Learning Assistant (Co-Teaching Assistant), Dept. of Mathematics, UC Davis (2016-2017)

Awards

  • Future Faculty Fellowship - School of Engineering and Computing, Rice University (2025-2026)
  • NIH Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Award (2022-2025)
    • “Diversity Supplement: SCH: Personalized Rescheduling of Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer”
    • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • GEM Fellowship - MIT Lincoln Laboratory (2022-2025)
  • NSF AGEP STRIDES Scholar (2022)
  • Research Mentoring Fellowship - Data to Knowledge Lab, Rice University (2022)
  • Computational Science and Engineering Recruiting Fellowship - Ken Kennedy Institute, Rice University (2020-2024)

Personal

Some of my hobbies/interests include soccer, music, playing guitar, cinema, and reading.

My hometown is Modesto, CA.