The Bookshelves Problem
Published:
It was good fun to submit an optimisation problem to the CSPLib web site. This was a real-life problem (or opportunity?) to use some discarded planks of wood to build a set of bookshelves. The idea was to create some bookshelves which would accommodate books of a mininum height and would maximise the shelf space given the collection of planks I was left with.
It started with this tweet. The full problem specification, and model files are available in the CSPLib entry.
I’ve enjoyed solving the 
It was a wonderful occasion to reflect on and celebrate the PhD experience with colleagues at a very special graduation ceremony organised by the University of York. Having missed my original BSc graduation back in 2000, it was great to finally wear the gown and receive the award on stage. I will always be grateful to all those people who made it possible for me to enage in these years of study, training and research.
After minor corrections, my thesis dissertation was approved and is now live at the 
I’m getting the chance to be back at the front of a class! I’ve been employed as a part-time lecturer, in order to teach part of a Masters level course on AI: Problem Solving with Search here at the University of York. I will be co-teaching with the module leader, and it involves everything from writing lectures, labs and quizzes to setting, marking and moderating the exams.