INFORMS News: People

Professor Robert W. Grubbström of Linköping University in Sweden was designated a “Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland,” awarded for civilian and military merit. Tarja Halonen, the president of Finland, conferred the honor. Professor Grubbström, a member of INFORMS, was recognized for his long-term service in promoting Finnish-Swedish research cooperation, leading to the establishment of Aalto University in Helsinki. The distinction will be awarded at a ceremony at the residence of Finland’s ambassador to Sweden in Stockholm.

Professor Michael Florian, a researcher at CIRRELT, emeritus professor with the Department of Computer Science and Operations Research of the Université de Montréal and a member of INFORMS, was awarded the 2010 Lionel-Boulet Prize. The prestigious award is one of the 11 “Prix du Québec” presented annually by the Government of Québec in recognition of outstanding career achievement by a researcher from Québec.

The Lionel-Boulet Prize recognizes the career of a researcher for his or her “inventions and leadership in the scientific development and influence on Québec’s economic growth.” The award is named after Lionel Boulet, the first director of Hydro-Québec research institute (IREQ).

The Prix du Québec are the most prestigious distinctions awarded by the Government of Québec to publicly recognize persons who have contributed to the social and scientific advancement of Québec.
MIT professors and former INFORMS presidents Cindy Barnhart, Richard Larson and Tom Magnanti were interviewed and appear in online videos in conjunction with the MIT 150 Infinite History project celebrating MIT’s 150th anniversary. The project team collected first-person recollections of more than 100 people who have made extraordinary contributions to their fields and to MIT. To view a thumbnail image of Barnhart, Larson and Magnanti and to launch their respective interview videos, visit http://mit150.mit.edu/infinite-history.