INFORMS SUBDIVISION AWARDS

The following subdivision (sections, societies, special interest groups, etc.) awards were presented at the INFORMS annual meeting in Pittsburgh last November.

APPLIED PROBABILITY
Erlang Prize

Recipients:
Kavita Ramanan, Carnegie Mellon University

Recognition:
Outstanding contribution to the field of applied probability

AVIATION APPLICATIONS
Best Dissertation Prize

Recipient:
Mattias Grönkvist, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden

Recognized work:
“The Tail Assignment Problem”

COMPUTING SOCIETY
ICS Prize

Recipients:
John Drew, Diane L. Evans, Andrew G. Glen, and Lawrence Leemis

Recognized work:
“APPL: A Probability Programming Language, The Distribution of Order Statistics for Discrete Random Variables with Applications to Bootstrapping, Computing the Distribution of the Product of Two Continuous Random Variables, Computing the Cumulative Distribution Function of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Statistic, A Generalized Univariate Change-of-Variable Transformation Technique”

ICS Student Paper Award

Recipient:
Geng Deng, University of Wisconsin

Recognized work:
“Variable-Number Sample-Path Optimization” 

Second place:
Laura A. McLay, University of Illinois, and Jiaquiao Hu, University of Maryland

DECISION ANALYSIS
Frank P. Ramsey Medal

Recipient:
Daniel Kahneman, Princeton University, and Amos Tversky, Stanford University

Recognition:
Distinguished contributions to decision analysis.

Decision Analysis Publication Award

Recipient:
Robert F. Bordley, General Motors, and Craig W. Kirkwood, Arizona State University

Recognized work:
“Multiattribute Preference Analysis with Performance Targets,” Operations Research, 2004. 

Practice Award

Recipient:
J. Eric Bickel, Richard L. Gibson, Duane A. McVay, Texas A&M University; Stephen C. Pickering, Schlumberger House; and John R. Waggoner, Reservoir Services

Recognized work:
“WesternGeco Uses Decision Analysis to Communicate the Value of Seismic Surveys to Potential Clients”

Finalists:
G. Trankle, M. Schilling, C. Schaub, H. Oelze, and D. La-ornual, “Research Directions in Optoelectronics”; J.C. Felli and W.H. Anderson, Lilly Research Laboratories, “The Boxcar Metaphor Map”; B. Tarantino, G. Prosch, C. College, P. Ewing and Greg Parnell, United States Military Academy, “The 2005 Army Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Analysis”; Kendra Taylor and Brad Birch, “An Automated Scoring and Selection Model for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Gap”

Best Student Paper

Recipient:
Michael Braun, MIT (with Peter Fader, Eric Bradlow and Howard Kunreuther)

Recognized work:
“Modeling The ‘Pseudodeductible’ In Insurance Claims Decisions”

Finalists:
Joel Brynielsson, “An Information Fusion Game Component”; Ivy Li, “Sen’s Theorem: Geometric Proof and New Interpretations”; Steven Shechter, University of British Columbia, “The Optimal Time To Initiate HIV Therapy Under Ordered Health States”; Antonio Villasís, Universidad de Navarra, “Stability Of Risk Preferences And The Reflection Effect Of Prospect Theory”; Jun Zhuang, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Balancing Terrorism and Natural Disasters – Defensive Strategy with Endogenous Attacker Effort”

ENERGY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Best Paper in Forestry Sponsored Sessions

Recipient:
Stephanie Snyder, Robert Haight, James Miller & Adam Skibbe

Recognized work:
“Acquisition Strategies for Grassland Bird Habitat in an Urbanizing Landscape”

Student Travel Scholarship

Recipient:
Augusto Ruperez Micola, London Business School

Recognized Work:
“Incentives and Coordination in Vertically Related Energy Markets”

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Best Student Research Paper

Recipient:
Amit Bhandari, Northwestern University

Recognized work:
“Discrete-Time Optimization Of Consumption And Investment Decisions Under Consumption Constraints”

Second place (tied):
Nan Chen, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, “Credit Spreads, Optimal Capital Structure, and Implied Volatility”; Ashish Jain, Columbia Business School, “Pricing and Hedging of Volatility Derivatives”

Best Presentation

Recipient:
Lyn Thomas, University of Southampton

Recognized work:
“How Much of the Gini is Due to Segmentation?”

Honorable mention:
Nalin Kulatilaka, Boston University, “Volatility and Valuation of Early Stage Firms with Jump Risk”; Gautam Mitra, Brunel University, “Mean-Risk Models Using Two Risk Measures: A Multi-Objective Approach”; Catalina Stefanescu, London Business School, “Bayesian Inference for Rating Transition Models”

HEALTH APPLICATIONS SECTION
William Pierskalla Best Paper

Recipient:
Stephen Chick, Hamed Mamani and David Simchi-Levi

Recognized work:
“Supply Chain Coordination and Influenza Vaccination”

Seth Bonder Scholarship for Applied Operations Research in Health Applications 

Recipient:
Mariel Lavieri, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Purpose:
$5,000 scholarship aims to promote the development and application of process modeling and operations research analyses to health care design, delivery and operations.

INFORMS
Moving Spirit

Recipients:
Jinho Lim, University of Houston Student Chapter

Recognition:
Outstanding service to their respective student or geographic area chapter.

Judith Liebman Award

Recipient:
Burcu B. Keskin, Texas A&M University Student Chapter, and Tina Wakolbinger, University of Massachusetts Student Chapter

JUNIOR FACULTY INTEREST GROUP
JFIG Paper Competition

Recipient:
Mor Armony & Itay Gurvich, Columbia University

Recognized work:
“When Promotions Meet Operations: CrossSelling and Its Effect on Call-Center Performance”

Second place:
Justin Ren and Yong-Pin Zhou, Boston University, “Call Center Outsourcing: Coordinating Staffing Level and Service Quality”

Honorable mention:
Paat Rusmevichientong and Tim Huh, “A NonParametric Approach to Stochastic Inventory Planning With Lost Sales And Censored Demand”; Xuanming Su and Fuqiang Zhang, “Strategic Customer Behavior, Commitment, and Supply Chain Performance”

Finalists:
Manu Goyal and Serguei Netessine, “Strategic Technology Choice and Capacity Investment Under Demand Uncertainty”; Greys Sosic, “Transshipment of Inventories Among Retailers: Myopic vs. Farsighted Stability”

MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Distinguished Service

Recipient:
Garrett J. van Ryzin, Columbia University

Recognition:
Meritorious service towards advancing the goals and objectives of the MSOM Society of INFORMS

Distinguished Fellow

Recipients:
Harvey Wagner, University of North Carolina, and Linus Schrage, University of Chicago

Recognition:
Outstanding research and leadership in the field of operations management.

Student Paper Competition

Recipient:
Itay Gurvich, Columbia Business School

Recognized work:
“Cross-Selling in a Call Center with a Heterogeneous Customer Population”

Second place (tie):
Vivek Farias, Stanford University, “Dynamic Pricing with a Prior on Market Response”; Sarang Deo, UCLA Anderson School of Management, “Cournot Competition Under Yield Uncertainty: The Case of the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Market”

MILITARY APPLICATIONS
Koopman Prize

Recipient:
Edward H. Kaplan, Yale University, and Moshe Kress, Naval Postgraduate School

Recognized work:
“Operational Effectiveness of Suicide-BomberDetector Schemes: A Best-Case Analysis”

Purpose:
Honors outstanding publication in military operations research.

Seth Bonder Scholarship for Applied Operations Research in Military Applications

Recipient:
Sang-Hyun Kim, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business

Purpose:
$5,000 scholarship aims to promote the development and application of process modeling and operations research analyses to military issues.

OPTIMIZATION

Optimization Prize for Young Researchers

Recipient:
Emre Alper Yildirim

Recognized work:
“On the Minimum Volume Covering Ellipsoid of Ellipsoids”

Farkas Prize

Recipient:
Yinyu Ye

Purpose:
Honors fundamental contributions to the field of optimization.

ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
Best Dissertation Proposal Competition

Recipient:
Celia Moore, University of Toronto

Recognized work:
“Moral Disengagement in Processes of Organizational Corruption: The Relationship Between the Propensity to Morally Disengage, Unethical Decision Making and Organizational Advancement”

Second place:
Michael Ashworth, Carnegie-Mellon University, “The Effects of Social and Knowledge Networks on Group Performance and Learning From Experience”

Finalists:
Benjamin Cole, University of Michigan, “Assessing the Efficacy and Value of Regulatory Action: Sanctions, Signals and Status”; Laura Erskine, University of Southern California, “Examining the Boundaries of Leadership: A Multidimensional Understanding of Relational Distance in Organizations”; Yan Gong, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Dancing Around Improvisation: Advisor Network and Improvisation Migration in New Firms”; Ben Hallen, Stanford University, “The Formation of Inter-Organizational Partnerships: How Entrepreneurs Successfully Receive Investments from Venture Capitalists and Corporate Investors”; Mike Pfarrer, University of Maryland, “Information in the Marketplace: Three Essays on Firm Strategies, Media Influences and Stakeholder Evaluations”; Brian Wu, University of Pennsylvania, “Capacity-Constrained Capabilities, Market Maturity and Corporate Diversification: Theory and Evidence from the Cardiovascular Medical Device Industry, 1976-2004”

QUALITY, STATISTICS & RELIABILITY
Best Student Paper

Recipient:
Jing Zhong, University of Michigan

Recognized work:
“Design of DOE-based Automatic Process Controller with Consideration of Model Uncertainties”

Finalists:
Tirthankar Dasguptan, Georgia Institute of Technology, “Robust Synthesis of Nanostructures”; Lingyan Ruan, Georgia Institute of Technology, “Robust Parameter Design for Quality Variables and Reliability Measures”; Tao Yuan, University of Tennessee; “Defect Pattern Recognition in Semiconductor Fabrication Using Model-based Clustering and Bayesian”

RAILROAD APPLICATIONS
Management Science in Railroad Applications Student Competition

Recipient:
Gang Li, University of Texas at Austin

Recognized work:
“Spatial Scheduling and Resource Selection Problem: Modeling, Algorithm, and Application in the Production Gang Scheduling for Railway Maintenance Operations”

Second place:
Andrea D’Ariano, Delft University of Technology, “Modeling reordering and local rerouting strategies to solve train conflicts during rail operations”

Honorable mention:
Balachandran Vaidyanathan, University of Florida, “Solving Real life Locomotive and Fuel Service Problems”

REVENUE MANAGEMENT AND PRICING
Historical Prize

Recipients:
Peter P. Belobaba, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Recognized work:
“Yield Management at American Airlines,” Interfaces, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 8-31, 1992.

Section Prize

Recipient:
Robert L. Phillips, Nomis Solutions

Recognized work:
Phillips is honored for his book, “Pricing and Revenue Optimization,” Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 2005.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Best Dissertation

Recipients (tie):
Claudia N. Gonzáles Brambila, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, México, D.F., México, “Exploring Academic Scientific Productivity for the Design of Public Policies” (degree awarded by Carnegie Mellon University); Giovanni Valentini, ISEA-Bocconi University, Milan, Italy, “Dynamic Competitive Advantage through Innovation: M&A, Cooperation, Contracting and Technological Performance”(degree awarded by IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain)

Distinguished Speaker

Recipient:
Ashish Arora, Carnegie Mellon University

Recognized work:
“Technology as a Tradable Commodity? Unresolved Questions in Markets for Technology”

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Service Award

Recipient:
Joakim Kalvenes

Recognition:
For outstanding contributions, leadership and valued service to the Telecommunications Section over the last 10 years.

Best Dissertation Award

Recipient:
Ramesh Johari, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Recognized work:
“Efficiency Loss in Market Mechanism for Resource Allocation”

Honorable mention:
Tolga Bektas, Bilkent University, “Discrete Location Models for Content Distribution”; Deepak Rajan, University of California, Berkeley, “Designing Capacitated Survivable Networks: Polyhedral Analysis and Algorithms”; Kevin Ross, Stanford University, “Dynamic Scheduling in Queueing Systems with Applications of Communication Networks”; Shekhar Srivastava, University of Missouri, Kansas City, “Models and Algorithms for Effective Traffic Engineering of Tunnel-Based Backbone Networks”; Nicolas E. Stier-Moses, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “Selfish versus Coordinated Routing in Network Games”

TRANSPORTATION SCIENCE & LOGISTICS
Best Paper Award

Recipient:
Michel Bierlaire, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, and Frank Crittin, IDIAP Research Institute

Recognized work:
“An Efficient Algorithm for Real-Time Estimation and Prediction of Dynamic O D Tables”

Dissertation Prize

Recipient:
Christian Liebchen, Technical University of Berlin

Recognized work:
“Periodic Timetable Optimization in Public Transport”

Honorable mention:
Anne Goodchild, University of California at Berkeley, “Crane Double Cycling in Container Ports: Algorithms, Evaluation and Planning”

WOMEN IN OR/MS
Advancement of Women in OR/MS

Recipients:
Radhika Kulkarni, SAS Institute

Recognition:
Significant contributions to the advancement and recognition of women in the field of operations research and the management sciences.