Section History

SPPSN was formed from a 2009 merger of three efforts devoted to “doing good with good OR”. The first was the Public Programs and Processes Section (PPPS), which was the INFORMS section devoted to OR conducted in the areas of public policy, public programs and public safety. The second was an initiative to start an INFORMS forum devoted to community operations research and the third was an initiative to start an INFORMS forum devoted to supporting humanitarian assistance. The three groups, in consultation with the INFORMS Subdivision Council, decided that the best approach was to have a single expanded section that would broadly address ORMS conducted in the public and civic spheres.