Elena Raponi: What pizza can teach us about optimization

Mathematician and optimization expert Elena Raponi takes us from car‑crash simulations to her teenage quest for the perfect pizza. Through her stories, she reveals how Bayesian thinking shapes the way we learn, explore, and refine our choices—whether we’re comparing pizza places or navigating complex engineering problems.

The conversation dives into black‑box optimization, algorithm design, and the surprisingly human logic behind making choices—from selecting a Netflix series to engineering safer cars. The episode offers an accessible look at how optimization shapes everyday decisions and high‑stakes scientific challenges alike.

Idea by Dimitra Kouimtzidou

Research, planning & coordination by Marcel Tichelaar & Dimitra Kouimtzidou

Interview, production & editing by Michiel van Poelgeest