Raul Garcia

Raul Garcia

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

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I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Health Services Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center, working with Dr. Iakovos Toumazis. I obtained my PhD from the Department of Computational Applied Mathematics & Operations Research at Rice University where I was advised my Dr. Andrew J. Schaefer. My work primarily focuses on optimization under uncertainty, with applications in the early detection of lung cancer. I have also collaborated with the lab of Dr. Clifton D. Fuller in adaptive radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer. I obtained my BS in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Davis.

Research Interests

Optimization under uncertainty, healthcare, mixed-integer programming, partially observable Markov decision processes, bilevel optimization

Experience

  • Visiting Graduate Student Researcher, Department of Radiation Oncology & Department of Health Services Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (2023-2026)
  • Graduate Research Assistant, CMOR Dept., Rice University (2021-2026)
  • Research Mentor, Data to Knowledge Lab, Rice University (2022)
  • Research Intern, MIT Lincoln Laboratory - Group 42 (2022)
  • 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, guitar, movies, and reading.

My hometown is Modesto, CA.