Banafsheh Behzad

Associate Professor
Information Systems Department
College of Business
California State University, Long Beach

Education

Ph.D. Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2014

M.S. Industrial Engineering, Northern Illinois University, 2008

B.S. Industrial Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 2006

Professional Experience

California State University, Long Beach, 2014-present

INFORMS Related Activities

  • 2023: Member, INFORMS Professional Recognition Committee
  • 2023: Co-chair, INFORMS DEI Ambassador Project Committee
  • 2022-2023: Member, INFORMS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee (DEIC)
  • 2022: President, Women in OR/MS (WORMS)
  • 2022: INFORMS DEI Ambassador (Co-ambassador of To My Younger Self (TMYS) Program)
  • 2020-2022: Chair, INFORMS Membership and Member Services Committee
  • 2021-2022: Member, INFORMS Undergraduate OR Prize Committee
  • 2021-2022: Member, INFORMS Scholarship Committee
  • 2019-2021: VP of Meetings, WORMS
  • 2017-2019: Member, INFORMS Membership and Member Services Committee
  • 2017-2019: VP of Communication, WORMS
  • 2014-2016: Treasurer, WORMS
  • 2013: Student Liaison, WORMS 

Selected Professional Honors and Awards

  • Gilbreth Memorial Fellowship, Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers, 2014
  • Dean’s Exemplary Service Award, College of Business, California State University, Long Beach, 2021

Research Summary

My research focuses on two main areas of public health and social media. I use game theory and optimization approaches to study problems such as vaccine pricing and the propagation of fake news in social media. 

Vision Statement

It is an honor to be nominated for the position of Vice President – Membership and Professional Recognition. As the new VP of Membership and Professional Recognition, I would work collaboratively with INFORMS staff and board on the following three INFORMS Strategic Goals: 

1) Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do

I have been a strong advocate of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in my career and the activities I have been involved in at the INFORMS level. As president of WORMS, a member of the DEIC, an INFORMS DEI Ambassador, and co-chair of the INFORMS DEI Ambassador Project Committee, I put forth a considerable amount of effort toward increasing DEI initiatives at the INFORMS level. Examples of these activities are introducing a new position, “DEI Liaison,”  in the WORMS forum in 2023, and launching a new mentoring program, “To My Younger Self (TMYS),” as part of the INFORMS DEI Ambassador Program.

Moving forward, I believe DEI initiatives could be enhanced in both membership and professional recognition at INFORMS. Diversifying the membership of INFORMS is essential for promoting creativity and innovation. New policies and initiatives should be launched to diversify our membership. Diversifying INFORMS professional recognition and awards involves creating more inclusive and equitable policies that recognize and celebrate a wider range of achievements and contributions. Every single member of our professional community should have an opportunity to be recognized based on merit. These will result in an enhanced member value and experience, which is another strategic goal of INFORMS that I will work to advance.

2) Enhance member value and experience

As the former chair and longtime member of the INFORMS Membership and Member Services Committee, I had the opportunity to work diligently with INFORMS staff and the Director of Membership and Communities to study membership at INFORMS. We dedicated a substantial amount of effort to launch new initiatives to increase membership and elevate the value provided to members.

Moving forward, I am interested in opportunities to retain our current members and expand INFORMS membership to practitioners, students, and international members, among others, and broaden the benefits of being an INFORMS member for different groups based on their interests and goals. It is crucial to personalize and customize membership benefits for our members to raise the member satisfaction and engagement.

3) Champion our profession and our brand

I believe that expanding and diversifying our membership and professional recognition is an excellent opportunity to champion our profession and brand. By actively engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds, we will better serve the needs of our community. This will further aid us in showing the value of our profession to a wider audience. Moreover, by diversifying our professional recognition, we can ensure that a wider range of achievements and contributions are rewarded. This will promote excellence in all areas of our profession. Through these initiatives and policies, we could have a role in championing the OR/MS profession and brand.

INFORMS is an incredibly valuable professional community to me and has played a significant role in my career. Volunteering at INFORMS is a top priority because it provides me with an opportunity to give back to this community that has given so much to me. If elected, I am committed to championing our profession and brand, increasing DEI within INFORMS membership and professional recognition, and enhancing our membership value. My previous experience at INFORMS has provided me with the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle the challenges. I am eager to devote my time and energy toward achieving these goals.

For more information, please visit https://home.csulb.edu/~bbehzad/