Research

Research Interests

My research interests span theoretical, computational, and applied aspects of mathematical optimization.

My current focus is on convex programming and polynomial optimization in the abstract, and numerical methods for improving radiation therapy delivery to cancer patients. I also work on developing efficient algorithms for optimization problems under uncertainty arising in engineering, statistics, and health care.

My Google Scholar profile.

If you are a highly motivated graduate/undergraduate student interested in my work, send me an email! The courses that are most useful in getting started in my area are MA 784, 505, 706, 723, and 580.

Awards and grants

I am honored to have received the NSF CAREER Award in 2019 for my computational optimization research, and the INFORMS Healthcare Applications Society's S&P Mehrotra Award in 2021 for my work on radiation therapy.

My research is partially funded by the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Active and recent research grants:
  • Efficient primal-dual interior-point methods for non-symmetric cone programming; AFOSR. (Current.)
  • CAREER: Large-scale optimization problems with applications in emerging radiotherapy modalities; NSF-DMS-1847865. (Current.)
  • Practical large-scale sum-of-squares optimization; NSF-DMS-1719828. (2017-2021)

Patent and software

My open-source Matlab package for general non-symmetric conic optimization using a primal-dual Newton-type method is available on GitHub. Joint work with Sercan Yildiz.

Some of my radiotherapy research is incorporated in a patent, joint with Philips Radiation Oncology Systems. (WO/2016/116868)

Publications and preprints

  1. Davis, MM; Papp, D: Rational Dual Certificates for Weighted Sums-of-Squares Polynomials with Boundable Bit Size.
    Journal of Symbolic Computation, 121, 2024, p.102254 (27pp).
    [journal link]  |  [preprint PDF]
  2. Papp, D; Regős, K; Domokos, G.; Bozóki, S: The smallest mono-unstable convex polyhedron with point masses has 8 faces and 11 vertices.
    European Journal of Operational Research 310(2), 2023, pp. 511-517.
    [journal link]  |  [preprint PDF]
  3. Torelli, N; Papp, D; Unkelbach, J: Spatiotemporal fractionation schemes for stereotactic radiosurgery of multiple brain metastases.
    Medical Physics, 50(8), 2023, pp. 5095-5114.
    [journal link] (open access)
  4. Papp, D: Duality of sum of nonnegative circuit polynomials and optimal SONC bounds.
    Journal of Symbolic Computation 114, 2023, pp. 246-266.
    [journal link]  |  [preprint PDF]
  5. Fabiano, S.; Torelli, N; Papp, D; Unkelbach, J: A novel stochastic optimization method for handling misalignments of proton and photon doses in combined treatments.
    Physics, Medicine & Biology 67(18), 2022, p.185006 (16 pp.)
    [journal link] (open access)
  6. Papp, D; Unkelbach, J: Optimal allocation of limited proton therapy resources using model-based patient selection.
    Medical Physics 49(8), 2022, pp. 4980-4987.
    [journal link] (open access)
  7. Davis, MM; Papp, D: Dual certificates and efficient rational sum-of-squares decompositions for polynomial optimization over compact sets.
    SIAM Journal on Optimization 32(4), 2022, pp. 2461-2492.
    [journal link] | [preprint PDF]
  8. Papp, D; Yildiz, S: alfonso: Matlab package for nonsymmetric conic optimization.
    INFORMS Journal on Computing 34(1), 2022, pp. 11-19.
    [journal link]  |  [preprint PDF]  |  [software]
  9. Papp, D: Polinomiális optimalizálási feladatok és relaxációik. (Polynomial optimization problems and their relaxations; in Hungarian with English abstract)
    Alkalmazott Matematikai Lapok 38(1), 2021, pp. 89-104.
    [journal link] (open access)
  10. Loizeau, N; Fabiano, S; Papp, D; Stützer, K; Jakobi, A; Bandurska-Luque, A; Troost, EGC; Richter, C; Unkelbach, J: Optimal allocation of proton therapy slots in combined proton-photon radiotherapy.
    International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. 111(1), 2021, pp. 196-207.
    [journal link]
  11. Papp, D; Yildiz, S: Sum-of-squares optimization without semidefinite programming. 
    SIAM Journal on Optimization 29(1), 2019, pp. 822-851.
    [journal link]  |  [preprint PDF]  |  [supplementary material]  |  [Matlab code - alfonso]
  12. Gaddy, M; Unkelbach, J; Papp, D: Robust spatiotemporal fractionation schemes in the presence of patient setup uncertainty.
    Medical Physics 46(7), 2019, pp. 2988-3000.
    [journal link]
  13. Papp, D: Semi-Infinite Programming.   (Invited review.)
    Wiley StatsRef-Statistics Reference Online, 2019.
    [journal link]
  14. Gaddy, MR; Yildiz, S; Unkelbach, J; Papp, D: Optimization of spatiotemporally fractionated radiotherapy treatments with bounds on the achievable benefit. 
    Physics in Medicine and Biology 63(1), 2018, p. 015036.
    [journal link]  |  [preprint PDF]
  15. Papp, D; Yildiz, S: On "A Homogeneous Interior-Point Algorithm for Non-Symmetric Convex Conic Optimization". 
    Technical Report, 2017.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [Matlab code - alfonso]
  16. Unkelbach, J; Papp, D; Gaddy, MR; Andratschke, N; Hong, T; Guckenberger, M: Spatiotemporal fractionation schemes for liver stereotactic body radiotherapy. 
    Radiotherapy and Oncology 125(2), 2017, pp. 357-364.
    [journal link]
  17. Papp, D: Semi-infinite programming using high-degree polynomial interpolants and semidefinite programming. 
    SIAM Journal on Optimization (27)3, 2017, pp. 1858-1879.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  18. Gaddy, MR; Papp, D: Improving the VMERGE treatment planning algorithm for rotational radiotherapy. 
    Medical Physics 43(7), 2016, pp. 4093-4097.
    [journal link]
  19. Papp, D: On the complexity of local search in unconstrained quadratic binary optimization. 
    SIAM Journal on Optimization 26(2), 2016, pp. 1257-1261.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  20. Chen, S; Mehrotra, S; Papp, D: Scenario generation for stochastic optimization problems via the sparse grid method. 
    Computational Optimization and Applications 62(3), 2015, pp. 669-692.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  21. Papp, D; Bortfeld, T; Unkelbach, J: A modular approach to intensity-modulated arc therapy optimization with noncoplanar trajectories. 
    Physics in Medicine and Biology 60(13), 2015, pp. 5179-5198.
    [journal link]
  22. Unkelbach, J; Papp, D: The emergence of nonuniform spatiotemporal fractionation schemes within the standard BED model. 
    Medical Physics 42(5), 2015, pp. 2234-2241.
    [journal link]
  23. Unkelbach, J; Alber, M; Bangert, M; Bokrantz, R; Bortfeld, T; Chen, D; Craft, D; Li, R; Men, C; Nill, S; Papp, D; Romeijn, E; Salari, E, Xing, L: Optimization approaches to volumetric modulated arc therapy planning.  (Invited review.)
    Medical Physics 42(3), 2015, pp. 1367-1377.
    [journal link] (open access)
  24. Mehrotra, S; Papp, D: A cutting surface algorithm for semi-infinite convex programming with an application to moment robust optimization.  
    SIAM Journal on Optimization. 24(4), 2014, pp. 1670-1697.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  25. Craft, D; Bangert, M; Long, T; Papp, D; Unkelbach, J: Shared data for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) optimization research: the CORT dataset. 
    GigaScience 3, 2014, pp. 1-12.
    [journal link]  |  [Link to the CORT dataset]
  26. Unkelbach, J; Craft, D; Hong, T; Papp, D; Ramakrishnan, J; Salari, E; Wolfgang, J; Bortfeld; T: Exploiting tumor shrinkage through temporal optimization of radiotherapy. 
    Physics in Medicine and Biology 59(12), 2014, pp. 3059-3079.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  27. Craft, D; Papp, D; Unkelbach, J: Plan averaging for multicriteria navigation of sliding window IMRT and VMAT.
    Medical Physics 41(2), 2014, pp. 021709.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  28. Papp, D; Unkelbach, J: Direct leaf trajectory optimization for volumetric modulated arc therapy planning with sliding window delivery. 
    Medical Physics 41(1), 2014, pp. 011701.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  29. Papp, D; Alizadeh, F: Shape constrained estimation using nonnegative splines. 
    Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics 23(1), 2014, pp. 211-231.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  30. Papp, D; Alizadeh, F: Semidefinite characterization of sum-of-squares cones in algebras. 
    SIAM Journal on Optimization 23(3), 2013, pp. 1398-1423.
    [journal link]
  31. Mehrotra, S; Papp, D: Generating moment matching scenarios using optimization techniques.
    SIAM Journal on Optimization 23(2), 2013, pp. 963-999.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  32. Alizadeh, F; Papp, D: Estimating arrival rate of nonhomogeneous Poisson processes with semidefinite programming. 
    Annals of Operations Research 208(1), 2013, pp. 291-308.
    [journal link]
  33. Mehrotra, S; Papp, D: Generating nested quadrature formulas for general weight functions with known moments.
    Technical report, 2012.
    [PDF]
  34. Papp, D: Optimal designs for rational function regression. 
    Journal of the American Statistical Association 107(497), 2012, pp. 400-411.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  35. Tóth, J; Nagy, AL; Papp, D: ReactionKinetics - A Mathematica package with applications. 
    Chemical Engineering Science 83, December 2012, pp. 12-23.
    [journal link]
  36. Collado, R.A; Papp, D; Ruszczynski, A: Scenario decomposition of risk-averse multistage stochastic programming problems. 
    Annals of Operations Research 200(1), November 2012, pp. 147-170.
    [preprint PDF]   |  [journal link]
  37. Collado, R.A; Papp, D: Network interdiction--models, applications, unexplored directions.
    RUTCOR Research Report, 4-2012.
    [PDF]
  38. Papp, D; Alizadeh, F: Multivariate arrival rate estimation by sum-of-squares polynomial splines and decomposition.
    Technical report, 2011.
    [preprint PDF]
  39. Rudolf, G; Noyan, N; Papp, D; Alizadeh, F: Bilinear optimality constraints for the cone of positive polynomials. 
    Mathematical Programming 129(1), September 2011, pp. 5-31.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  40. Boros, E; Gurvich, V; Makino, K; Papp, D: Acyclic, or totally tight, two-person game forms; characterization and main properties. 
    Discrete Mathematics 310(6-7), April 2010, pp. 1135-1151.
    [preprint PDF]  |  [journal link]
  41. Papp, D; Vizvári, B.: Effective solution of linear Diophantine equation systems with an application in chemistry. 
    Journal of Mathematical Chemistry 39(1), January 2006, pp. 15-31.
    [preprint PS]  |  [journal link]

Papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings

  1. Papp, D.: Univariate polynomial optimization with sum-of-squares interpolants.Proceedings of 2016 Modeling and Optimization: Theory and Applications, Selected Contributions, Bethlehem, PA, USA, pp. 143-162.
  2. Papp, D.; Alizadeh, F.: Multivariate Arrival Rate Estimation using Semidefinite Programming.
    Proceedings of the 2011 Winter Simulation Conference, Phoenix, AZ, pp. 2777-2787.
    [PDF]
  3. Papp, D.: Optimal designs for rational function regressionProceedings of the 2011 Joint Statistical Meetings, Miami Beach, FL.
    See the (more complete) journal version preprint above.
  4. Molnár, E.; Papp, D.: Visualization of Nil-geometry: Modelling Nil-geometry in Euclidean Space with Software PresentationProceedings of the Dresden Symposium Geometry: Constructive and Kinematic, Dresden, Germany, November 2003.
    [PDF]
  5. Arató, P.; Juhász, S.; Mann, Z.Á., Orbán, A.; Papp, D.: Hardware-software partitioning in embedded system designProceedings of the 2003 IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Signal Processing, Budapest, Hungary, pp. 197-202.
    [PDF]

Textbook

  1. Tóth, J; Nagy, AL; Papp, D: Reaction Kinetics: Exercises, Programs and Theorems.  Springer-Verlag New York, 2018. XXIV+469 pages. [publisher link]

Theses

  1. Optimization models for shape-constrained function estimation problems involving nonnegative polynomials and their restrictions, PhD dissertation, Rutgers University, May 2011.
  2. Analysis of Petri Net-Based Models and their Applications in Reaction Kinetics, Diploma (BSc.) thesis, Budapest University of Technology.