A New Season for INFORMS

As I write this, there is a chill in the air, days are short and twinkly lights begin to fill neighborhoods. A new season is upon us.

INFORMS, too, is entering a new season. Recently, we announced an expanded partnership with EBSCO for distributing our publications, which will roll out in 2025. Our reach will grow from about 2,000 libraries to more than 35,000 that will have access to INFORMS’ journal suite. Our global footprint will grow from about 60 countries to more than 120. With the expanded reach, our impact is also likely to grow, as more people will have access to INFORMS’ expertise. For publications, the next phase may include thinking about open-access, fast journals, which esteemed publications such as Science, Nature and JAMA have implemented.

INFORMS’ annual conferences are also undergoing changes. Analytics+ will have expanded marketing reach (e.g., +mentoring, +AI, +workshops). The new Analytics+ theme reflects the dynamic, evolving nature of the field, offering a flexible platform to explore a wide range of topics. The “+” symbol represents both the potential for growth and the breadth of interdisciplinary opportunities, allowing the conference to adapt to the changing landscape of analytics. Whether refining traditional areas like Analytics+ Supply Chain or exploring new frontiers such as Analytics+ AI/ML, Analytics+ You and beyond, this theme underscores our commitment to continuously expanding the scope and impact of analytics.

The Annual Meeting held each fall is bursting at the seams, and its program may be updated, for example, to add another day of sessions, possibly shorten talks or shift presentations to more poster sessions. INFORMS has a substantial number of international members – continuing to serve them with international chapters and meetings is important – and collaboration with partners such as CORS and IFORS will continue.

Seasons of Membership

INFORMS membership may also be entering a new season. As one example, there is a growing focus on early-career professionals. The new Junior Researchers in Industry, Nonprofit and Government (JRING) Forum for early-career researchers and the ad hoc committee for early-career professionals are useful additions that complement activities such as the Junior Faculty Interest Group (JFIG) and work by other subdivisions. New members are often digital natives who may also have different learning styles, preferred ways of socializing and diverse preferences for how to access information. We know that needs change across the many career phases one experiences in a lifetime; the above activities and groups are recent examples of an intentional effort to understand the needs of future generations while continuing to serve longtime members.

In the new membership season, there may also be new types of members who could be served in different ways. I was surprised when 14 undergraduates from my department approached me with a plan and resources to attend the 2024 INFORMS Annual Meeting in Seattle. Undergraduate students are not the primary audience for the event; however, they enjoyed their time at the meeting, and it enhanced their interest in the field. Their interest points to opportunities to continue investing in future generations of the OR/MS field. Perhaps we will want to consider regional events organized by graduate student chapters that include an INFORMS day for undergraduates (or even teachers of data science!). More broadly, an enhanced partnership of university and regional chapters could lead to greater value for members throughout the year, rather than being consolidated primarily to national events.

In the coming seasons, INFORMS will need to make decisions on how best to attract, retain and serve members. A common perception across professional organizations is that members (and prospective ones) are short on time. What would a “speed” version of member experiences look like, i.e., for networking or communication of information? How can this be achieved with technological investments, deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) or new structures within the organization? As membership evolves, we may also innovate membership structures with a menu of options to align with different market segments.

Toast of the Town

Our progress on developing a roadmap for AI at INFORMS also heralds a new season. We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and an INFORMS-led team was selected for the AAAI Bridges Program to host joint events on AI+OR. We are continuing to work on how to employ AI to improve the member experience, along with ensuring that the INFORMS community establishes its relevance with respect to AI development and use.

Throughout all of this, INFORMS will consider how to meet the needs of multiple market segments, still providing quality experiences to longtime existing members while thinking of ways to best serve new members.

Change is good. Change brings us vibrant leaves as they fall from the tree; icy sparkles on a clear, cold day; buds of new green as the weather warms; and playful voices on a hot beach. Change for INFORMS will bring increased impact and greater visibility as we continue to innovate and build for the future.