Publications

A Moving-Horizon Approximate Branch-and-Reduce Method for Deep Classification Trees

Zou, C., Ren, J., Mao, Q., Liu, J., Lai, M., and Cao, Y.

Transactions on Machine Learning Research (2026).

Continual Learning with Elastic Regularization and Synthetic Replay for Federated MLLM Fine-Tuning

Liu, J., Zou, C., Ren, J., Fang, G., Li, C., Wang, Y., Ma, Z., and Hu, B.

IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing (2026).

A Moving-Horizon Differential Evolution Algorithm for Training Deep Classification Trees on Large Datasets

Ren, J., Osuna-Enciso, V., and Cao, Y.

Expert Systems with Applications, 333(B): 133846 (2026).

A Global Optimization Algorithm for K-Center Clustering of One Billion Samples

Ren, J., You, N., Hua, K., Ji, C., and Cao, Y.

Management Science, 72(6): 5106–5130 (2026).

Class-Missing Semi-Supervised Document Key Information Extraction via Synergistic Refinement Estimation

Guo, P., Song, Y., Wang, B., Cao, Y., Ren, J., Ji, C., Liu, J., Zhang, Q., and Mao, Q.

Information Processing & Management, 63(1): 104335 (2026).

Hierarchical Model Predictive Control for Energy Consumption Regulation of Industrial-Scale Circulation Counter-Flow Paddy Drying Process

Li, C.*, Ren, J.*, Seth, A., Zhang, Y., Huang, J., Li, C., and Cao, Y.

Energy, 321: 135431 (2025).

* Co-first authors

Deep Learning-Based Approximation of Model Predictive Control Laws Using Mixture Networks

Okamoto, M., Ren, J., Mao, Q., Liu, J., and Cao, Y.

IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, 22: 2909–2922 (2024).

Deep-Learning-Based Predictive Control of Battery Management for Frequency Regulation

Li, Y., Wang, Y., Chen, Y., Lu, Y., Hua, K., Ren, J., Mozafari, G., Lu, Q., and Cao, Y.

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 61(24): 8432–8442 (2022).

A Real-Time Monitoring Framework for Wafer Fabrication Processes with Run-to-Run Variations

Ren, J., and Ni, D.

IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing, 34(4): 483–492 (2021).

A Batch-Wise LSTM-Encoder Decoder Network for Batch Process Monitoring

Ren, J., and Ni, D.

Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 164: 102–112 (2020).

Differentiable Decision Tree via “ReLU+Argmin” Reformulation

Mao, Q., Ren, J., Wang, Y., Zou, C., Zheng, J., and Cao, Y.

Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, 38: 166874–166909 (2025).

PAPM: A Physics-Aware Proxy Model for Process Systems

Liu, P., Hao, Z., Ren, X., Yuan, H., Ren, J., and Ni, D.

International Conference on Machine Learning, PMLR 235: 31080–31105 (2024).

Global Optimal K-Medoids Clustering of One Million Samples

Ren, J., Hua, K., and Cao, Y.

Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, 35: 982–994 (2022).

A Scalable Deterministic Global Optimization Algorithm for Training Optimal Decision Tree

Hua, K., Ren, J., and Cao, Y.

Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, 35: 8347–8359 (2022).

Global Optimization of K-Center Clustering

Shi, M., Hua, K., Ren, J., and Cao, Y.

International Conference on Machine Learning, PMLR 162: 19956–19966 (2022).

Fast, High-Performance, and Interpretable Quadcopter Control Using Decision Trees

Ren, J., Juang, M.-H., Zhao, T., and Cao, Y.

23rd IFAC World Congress (2026).

Interpretable Reinforcement Learning for Multi-Loop Adaptive PID Control

Zhao, T., Ren, J., Zou, C., Yang, Y., Cao, Y., and Gopaluni, R.B.

23rd IFAC World Congress (2026).

Exact Learning of Linear Model Predictive Control Laws Using Oblique Decision Trees with Linear Predictions

Ren, J., Mao, Q., Zhao, T., and Cao, Y.

64th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, pp. 7018–7023 (2025).

Interpretable Data-Driven Capacity Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Wang, Y., Kumar, A., Ren, J., You, P., Seth, A., Gopaluni, R.B., and Cao, Y.

12th IFAC Symposium on Advanced Control of Chemical Processes, IFAC-PapersOnLine 58(14): 139–144 (2024).

Global Optimal Explainable Models for Biorefining

Ren, J., Hua, K., Trajano, H., and Cao, Y.

33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 52: 1339–1346 (2023).

Real-Time Fault Detection System for Multiphase Plasma Etching Process Using OES, Two-Step Division and Change Stage Alignment Method

Ren, J., and Ni, D.

Chinese Automation Congress, pp. 599–604 (2019).

MHDETrees.jl: Moving-Horizon Differential Evolution for Optimal Classification and Regression Trees

Ren, J., Osuna-Enciso, V., and Cao, Y.

Open-source Julia package, MIT License (2026).

A Real-Time Measurement Method and Device for the Spatial Distribution of Plasma Components Based on Spectral Imaging

Ni, D., Zhu, F., and Ren, J.

Chinese Invention Patent, CN108982378B, granted 30 June 2020 (2020).