INFORMS Career FAQ: Question 12

Q. What's it like to work in operations research?

A. Perhaps the best way to find out what operations research is like is to meet a few people who've made it their life's work. So we've selected a representative sampling of professionals from a wide range of fields and asked them to fill you in. In the brief biographical sketches included in this booklet, you'll read about leaders in industry and government, academia and private consulting firms, who've used operations research to achieve career success and personal fulfillment.

This is by no means a complete listing of the opportunities available. Because today, operations researchers are helping shape the course of companies as diverse as General Motors and AT&T...Exxon, American Greetings, and Pitney Bowes. They're working to improve government at the federal, state, and local levels and helping it become more responsive and cost-effective. They're making significant contributions at colleges and universities around the world through teaching and research...and becoming entrepreneurs by setting up their own firms.

To all who participated in our careers survey and provided information to help make this booklet possible, we offer our sincere thanks. We wish that space permitted us to introduce you to every one of them - because each of their stories is a fascinating and insightful testimonial to the enduring value of operations research.