A Humble PSA

I’d like to start this column by expressing gratitude to all the members who responded to my request for feedback about the magazines, which was a call to action from last issue’s Inside Story. Thanks to those who commented on INFORMS Connect or sent me direct messages and emails with their thoughts. The Open Forum on Connect is truly a great hub for discussion and a safe space to share openly.

All in all, it seems as though we are doing a pretty good job where the magazines are concerned. In terms of this column, some members told me they read all the way through while others typically don’t. Either way, no one complained about my commentary on current events or sharing personal stories, so I will continue to use this column as a quarterly journal. We have a bathroom leak I can’t wait to tell you about. (Just kidding. The leak is real, but I will spare you the details.)

We have also made notes on topics that members requested to see more (or less) of throughout each issue. Our mission remains unchanged: For OR/MS Today to continue to serve as the membership magazine for INFORMS – your professional home – sharing timely topics, member research and stories, and updates on INFORMS events and other activities.

PSA and TOC

In just a couple months, Americans will be taking to the polls in what is certainly the most bonkers U.S. presidential election cycle of my adult life. I often find myself asking, “Is this real life?” From an awful debate to an attempted assassination to a candidate dropout and more “fake news” than what really happened to Bennifer, it’s hard to keep track of the real issues this year. My simple PSA is to make sure you get out and vote in November. Some INFORMS members have been working tirelessly to ensure a secure and fair election process by leveraging the discipline’s unique analytical methods to contribute to solving issues such as the spread of misinformation/disinformation, cyber, physical and insider threats, and local poll worker safety.

The Empowering Secure Elections Research Lab at Towson University has studied the 2020 U.S. presidential election to improve misinformation/disinformation dissemination and election equipment and processes security. Read the article by Josh Dehlinger and Natalie Scala.

That’s it for my PSA, now onto the rest of the TOC (table of contents). This issue is truly a mixed bag – no unintentional theme in sight or easy segues to make. We move from election security to the difficulty level of the U.S. Open. In a sort of follow-up to his ultra-popular 2018 article, “Shooting your age in golf,” Lou Riccio is back to discuss whether this national championship truly identifies the best pro golfer, statistically speaking. From one hobby to another, “Big Tasks for Small Computers” has author Harrison Schramm asking, “What is the ‘best thing’ I can get the ‘worst computer’ to do?” “Worst computer” in this case simply means smallest. Let’s see if size really matters.

For an entirely different detailed analytics lens, read about Six Sigma and explore this well-established methodology for process improvement.

From analytics practice to academia, we hear from Keith Willoughby on how operations research helped his service (and success) as a university administrator and dean, as well as from David Simchi-Levi and Tinglong Dai on INFORMS journal impact factors and understanding the decline in recent years. Read about embracing the impact and planning for the future of OR/MS publishing.

Can’t-miss Columns

This issue boasts a brand-new column that we’re calling “Tech Tips” to bring some more technical flair to the membership magazine, without overwhelming readers. Our first installment discusses using Python and AWS for email security. Spoiler alert: Some of the even more technical “Tech Tips” will appear in Analytics magazine – one on machine learning model deployment using AWS Lambda is forthcoming.

Head back to school with the Innovative Education column on how to make data science learning fun and rewarding or go back in time with Anand Subramanian as he shares 10 unknown moments in O.R. history from his Subject to podcast interviews.

I realize I skipped right to the November election without mentioning two other important INFORMS events happening before then! The 2024 INFORMS Election for the 2025 Board of Directors is currently ongoing. Members should have received an email or two about the election and how to cast your vote. Then, on October 20-23, we hope to see everyone in Seattle for the 2024 INFORMS Annual Meeting. Read all about the plenary and keynote speakers, pre-meeting events and what’s new this year in the Conference Preview here. Then, hear from INFORMS Executive Director Elena Gerstmann regarding her thoughts on the power of in-person conferences and the vital role they play in advancing science and technology of decision-making.  

There’s a lot going on in the world, at INFORMS and in this issue. Thanks for reading.