A blockchain-based optimization framework for robust green vehicle routing

Format: On Campus / Online
Number of Interns: 2
Duration of the Internship: 3 months
Start Date: 01 June 2026
Finish Date: 01 September 2026
Application Deadline: 15 May 2026
Project Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Mesut Sayın

Project Description: I am building a blockchain-enabled decision platform for green vehicle routing under uncertainty, where real-time logistics data (e.g., travel time, service time, node prize and demand weight) can be validated, logged immutably, and used to trigger shock events (e.g., disruptions) via smart contracts, which improves transparency and trust among stakeholders while supporting robust/online optimization.

Research Intern Responsibilities:

• Translate the project’s blockchain requirements into a minimal working architecture (on-chain vs off-chain components, roles/permissions, event flows).
• Design and implement Solidity smart contracts that:
  • record routing inputs/decisions as immutable logs,
  • model and trigger shock conditions (node shocks / route shocks) through contract logic and events,
  • support route updates / confirmations as transactions (MVP scope).
• Build a Python integration layer to interact with deployed contracts (read/write transactions, subscribe to events) using Web3 tooling.
• Implement data encoding & serialization (e.g., JSON) for node/edge updates and optimization outputs to be stored or referenced on-chain.
• Implement off-chain storage for larger datasets (e.g., historical routing data) with content addressing (e.g., IPFS-style approach), storing only hashes/pointers on-chain to reduce costs.
• Set up a local dev + test workflow (contract compilation, deployment scripts, automated tests, CI-ready structure) using common Ethereum frameworks.
• Write unit/integration tests for smart contracts (aiming for strong coverage and reproducibility).
• Perform basic security review & hardening (common Solidity pitfalls such as re-entrancy, access control, input validation), and document mitigations.
• Prototype a minimal DApp interface or API (e.g., a lightweight Flask-based API endpoint layer) enabling stakeholders/research code to submit updates and view logs.
• Document everything clearly (architecture diagram, contract interfaces/ABIs, deployment instructions, and how the blockchain layer connects to the optimization pipeline).

Click for Google Form.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

Must-have:

• Programming proficiency in Python (for integration and data handling).
• Basic experience with Ethereum concepts (accounts, transactions, events, gas, test deployments).
• Ability to write and debug Solidity smart contracts (or strong willingness + evidence of rapid learning).
• Familiarity with Web3 integration patterns (e.g., Web3.py-style calls, event listening, signing transactions).
• Comfort with Git, code organization, and writing clear technical documentation.

Nice-to-have (Strong plus):

• Experience with Hardhat/Brownie-style tooling, local chains, or automated testing frameworks.
• Understanding of on-chain vs off-chain storage tradeoffs and content hashing approaches.
• Familiarity with basic cryptography primitives (hashing for integrity; SHA-256 use for integrity).
• Interest in logistics / optimization systems and how blockchain can serve as a trust layer for decision pipelines.
• Any prior exposure to security best practices for smart contracts (threat modeling, vulnerability scanning mindset).

Expected Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the internship, the student should be able to:

• Build an end-to-end Ethereum MVP: author, test, deploy, and interact with Solidity contracts that log operational decisions and trigger disruption (shock) events.
• Implement a real research integration between blockchain and an analytics/optimization workflow (Python ↔ smart contracts), including event-driven updates.
• Design efficient data pipelines using principled on-chain/off-chain storage patterns to balance integrity, cost, and performance.
• Apply practical smart-contract engineering skills: writing tests, achieving meaningful coverage, improving gas efficiency, and producing maintainable interfaces/APIs.
• Develop security awareness: identify common Solidity vulnerabilities and apply baseline mitigations in a research prototype context.
• Strengthen professional research software skills: documentation, reproducible builds, and clean handoff artifacts suitable for continuing work in subsequent work packages.