In January 2024, Professor Ruth Misener was presented with the Needham Award for her exceptional contribution to identifying and solving fundamental computer science research challenges at the intersection of computational optimisation and machine learning. The panel discussed the complexities of optimisation as a research discipline and how algorithms can help businesses make good decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity. Ruth is joined by Michael Huth, Professor of Computer Science Head of Department of Computing, Imperial College London; Timo Berthold, Director at FICO and Lecturer at TU Berlin; Claire Adjiman, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London and Director of the Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering at Imperial and UCL; and Darren Budd, Commercial Director UK and Ireland, BASF.