Introduction—2018 Caterpillar and INFORMS Analytics Society Innovative Applications in Analytics Award (IAAA)

This issue of the INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics (formerly Interfaces) includes a special section of full-length papers from four of the finalists of the 2018 Innovative Applications in Analytics Award, which recognizes organizations for novel and impactful analytics applications. The finalists’ applications, four of which are described herein, cover a wide range of application areas and analytics techniques and point to the universal applicability and significant impact of analytics. The INFORMS website includes additional information on this award; see https://www.informs.org/Recognizing-Excellence/Community-Prizes/Analytics-Society/Innovative-Applications-in-Analytics-Award.