Today, I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a PhD in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering!

Acknowledgements

First, I would like to thank my family. Thank you to my parents, Jennifer Lee and Glenn Moglen. With fossil-hunting trips to the Chesapeake Bay, hikes filled with mountains and laughter and the very occasional bear, and many nerdy conversations around the dining room table, you instilled in me a lifelong commitment to learning and a respect for our place in the world. Thank you to my brother, Richard Moglen. You follow your own path, fearlessly and joyfully. I’m immensely proud to be your sister. Thank you also to my lifelong friend, Rachel Odessey. Whether we live next door or oceans apart, the adventures of Rachels O. and M. shall never cease. And of course, thank you to my partner, Ben Mariano. You’ve listened through my tears and frustration, helped me untangle the most broken of Github commit histories, and believed in me even when I stopped believing in myself. With you by my side, anything feels possible.

This work would not have been possible without the outstanding mentorship and guidance of my advisor, Prof. Benjamin Leibowicz. You patiently taught me how to approach research problems and how to effectively communicate my work. You listened to my challenges and helped me work through them. You went above and beyond to provide academic and research opportunities to me. It’s not hyperbole to say that I could not imagine a better advisor and mentor. Thank you.

I would also like to thank the members of my dissertation committee: Prof. John Hasenbein, Prof. Erhan Kutanoglu, and Prof. Lina Sela. I am grateful to have had you and your expertise contribute to this dissertation. It’s been a joy to share in our joint research passions. Thank you all for your time and valuable insights.

Thank you to all my research collaborators: Shagun Gupta, Eiji Kawai, Julius Barth, Katherine Klise, Alexis Kwasinski, and Grant Cruse. This dissertation is more principled, more impactful, and more comprehensive for your contributions.

I am grateful to the faculty and students of the Operations Research and Industrial Engineering (ORIE) Program for creating a welcoming and collegial environment. You created an atmosphere for learning both inside and outside the classroom. I would especially like to thank my colleagues in the Leibowicz Research Group, past and present. Waking up for a 9 am meeting on Fridays was never easy, but you always made it worthwhile. Thank you for all your feedback and for sharing your research with me. I would also like to thank all the friends I’ve made since I started my Ph.D. journey. You were a welcome distraction when I wanted one (and not too often when I didn’t). More importantly, you were always there offer suggestions on challenges big and small. I’ve learned so much for all of you. Thank you in particular to Shagun, Connor, Zhuangzhuang, Cem, Julius, Hank, Helen, Hannah, and Ella.

I would like to convey my gratitude to the organizations that funded my dissertation. Thank you to National Science Foundation (NSF) National Research Traineeship (NRT) Innovations at the Nexus of Food-Energy-Water System (INFEWS) program for the financial support and academic enrichment. I am also grateful to the Thrust 2000 - Stanley P. Finch #1 Endowed Graduate Fellowship in Engineering for funding my research. I would like to thank P.E.O. International for their support. Finally, I would like to gratefully acknowledge the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for their financial support of my research.