KKIn her Master’s thesis, mathematician Celina Strasser sought to solve the longest path problem using reinforcement learning, a method drawn from the field of Artificial Intelligence. Her work was honoured with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research Award in 2024.
According to Celina Strasser, the easiest way for a layperson to understand the longest path problem is to think of it as a sightseeing tour: For this, we imagine a 10-stop tour of a city. The longest paths include all the routes where no point is visited twice and which still contain as many connected points as possible. In her Bachelor’s thesis, Celina Strasser explored the ‘longest paths’ through these stops and whether there is a sightseeing spot that is featured on all of the longest paths. Expressed in mathematical terms, the sightseeing spots are nodes; the edges represent the connections between these nodes.
Her master thesis addressed a similar issue. For this purpose, she developed an AI algorithm that uses reinforcement learning to solve the longest path problem. We inquire whether she has succeeded in solving these challenging problems and are told: “Simpler tasks were solved without difficulty. However, we were unable to generate results for the complex longest paths as their calculation was extremely time-consuming. However, we now know that the basic approach is very well suited to solving graph-theoretical problems.” The method of reinforcement learning dictates that the larger the graph and the more complicated the task, the longer the calculation will take, because: “The graph is passed to the neural network, which begins the analysis. At the end of this process, feedback is provided. Based on this, adjustments are automatically made to the graph and the analysis restarts. Once the graphs reach a certain size, the calculation becomes very time-consuming.”
Celina Strasser completed her Master’s degree in mathematics in October 2023. A year earlier, she had already completed a required internship at STRABAG BRVZ GmbH. “On the last day of my internship, I was presented with an employment contract,” she tells us. Today, Celina Strasser has a position there as a business and data analyst in the project-related risk management system. You might think of this in the following way: “As a construction company, STRABAG receives large volumes of data from various sources every day, which arrive in different formats and subsequently need further processing. We are responsible for developing a database model that we can use to create dashboards displaying figures and data for managers and operational staff on the construction site, among others.” Artificial intelligence is also likely to play a greater role in this area in the future. “It should be possible to use existing data to predict future developments over a period of time.”
Celina Strasser developed a passion for mathematics during her time at the Porcia Gymnasium in Spittal/Drau. She realised early on in her studies that she wanted to pursue a career in business: “I have never been a theoretical mathematician. I have always enjoyed its application, including programming and optimisation.” What she likes most about mathematics is delving into complex interrelationships: “When a solution comes together at the end of a long calculation, it’s a joyful experience.” As Celina Strasser and her female fellow student discovered early on in their studies, this also requires stamina and a certain tolerance for frustration. “The two of us started together and also finished together. During the same period, a significantly larger number of male students dropped out of university over the course of five years”, she recounts with twinkling eyes.
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A few words with … Celina Strasser
What is the first thing you do in the office each morning?
Open the windows, boil the kettle for my daily morning tea and turn on the radio.
Who do you regard as the greatest scientist in history, and why?
My two favourite professors: Benjamin Hackl and Michaela Szölgyenyi, because they always supported me and furthermore I was inspired by their research.
When do you feel satisfied with yourself?
When I have made progress by dealing with a few tickets when programming and can settle down to a good book in the evening.
What makes you furious?
Days without structure and long loading times for programmes.
Do you take proper holidays? Without thinking about your work?
Yes, I’m good at that.
What are you afraid of?
I’m afraid of failure… and spiders.
What are you looking forward to?
Longer days and higher temperatures, because I’m a summer person.
Der Beitrag Solving the longest path problem with Artificial Intelligence erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.