Operations researchers are little known but indispensable experts who use math and science to improve decision-making, management, and operations in a host of fields.
The following presentations may interest reporters —
Relieving Texas-Sized Traffic Jams
- A Planning Model for Urban Transportation Networks, Sunday, November 5, 1:15-2:45PM. University of Texas at Austin, Center for Transportation Research, Professors Hani Mahmassani and Ahmed F. Abdelghany. Two leading researchers in intelligent traffic systems show how traffic congestion can be reduced through new technology. Local angle.
The Crime Drop in America
- Factors in the US Homicide Drop, Monday, November 6, 3:00-4:30PM. Alfred Blumstein, Carnegie Mellon University. Homicide rates in the U.S. dropped more than 40% between the 1991 peak and 1999. A leading operations researcher and director of the National Consortium on Violence Research explains why. Prof. Blumstein is co-editor of the new book, "The Crime Drop in America," published by Cambridge University Press.
Preventing Airport Disasters
- Runway Collisions: Crying Wolf?, Monday, November 6, 3:00-4:30PM. Arnold Barnett, MIT. Both the NTSB and the FAA have declared the danger of runway collisions as the number-one threat to US aviation safety. Analyzing various data sets, a leading expert assesses whether this concern is justified. (Hint: It is.)
After the Drought…
- Flood Control, Tuesday, November 7, 2:45-4:15 PM. David W. Watkins, Jr., formerly of the University of Texas, Austin, discusses the flip side of last summer’s drought: preparing adequate measures for flood control. Prof. Watkins, now at Michigan Technological University, previously wrote about meeting water demands in the Edward aquifer region.
Can You Trust That eBay Auction?
- Value of Seller Trustworthiness in Online Markets, Sunday, November 5, 8:30 – 10 AM. Troy J. Strader and Sridhar N. Ramaswami, Iowa State University. The growth of online auctions raises the question, Can you trust the person auctioning that prized object? The authors present a study of selling baseball cards through online auctions.
Business Along the Border
- Issues in US/Mexico Logistics, Tuesday, November 7, 4:30-6:00PM. J. Rene Villalobos and Benjamin Vega; Arizona State University. Many American companies have established their operations on the Mexican side of the border because of rising labor costs. The authors explore issues associated with locating manufacturing and distribution centers in Mexico.
Preventing Heart Attacks
- Use of Virtual Worlds & Animated Personas to Improve Health Care: The HEART-SENSE Game Monday, November 6, 8:15-9:45AM. Barry G. Silverman and John Holmes, University of Pennsylvania. Can a computer-based training game help people recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and save lives?
The theme of the INFORMS convention is "Integrating Theory and Application 2000." The convention will include sessions on topics applied to numerous fields, including commuter transit, e-commerce, health care, information technology, energy, transportation, marketing, telecommunications, and sports. More than 1,500 papers are scheduled to be delivered.
The General Chair of the convention is Dr. Way Kuo, Texas A&M University. Additional information about the conference is at http://www2.informs.org/Conf/SanAntonio2000/ and http://www2.informs.org/Press.
The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS®) is an international scientific society with 10,000 members, including Nobel Prize laureates, dedicated to applying scientific methods to help improve decision-making, management, and operations. Members of INFORMS work in business, government, and academia. They are represented in fields as diverse as airlines, health care, law enforcement, the military, the stock market, and telecommunications. The INFORMS website is at http://www.informs.org.