Editorial

Dear readers,

As fall approaches, we again come upon the season for INFORMS, which this year will be in Charlotte, NC, from November 13-16. Every year, this conference provides the opportunity to touch base with what is happening in the field at large, in individual clusters, and to see friends and colleagues again. But for those of us who are planning on starting jobs next fall, the conference is also a chance to share our research, network with potential hirers, and figure out how to take those next steps that maximize the probability of success. To this end, every year, INFORMS sponsors three colloquia: Teaching Effectiveness, Future Academician, and Future Practitioner. For years, these meetings have been advising students and junior faculty on what to expect in the job search process, how to succeed in those precious first few years at a job, tips on getting published, balancing work and life, and methods for better teaching. They are also a great way to meet other people in the same boat as you, and share tips and job leads. We kick this issue of ORMS Tomorrow off with three interviews with the colloquia organizers, and get the low down on what makes these pre-conference events so popular and useful.

We then spotlight the Arizona State University (ASU) INFORMS chapter. The ASU chapter keeps itself busy by tutoring students in simulation and OR, organizing tours at companies where operations matter (such as breweries, golf club manufacturers, helicopter manufacturers), and bridging the gaps among graduate students, undergraduate students, and faculty by sponsoring numerous social events. We go into more depth into this model chapter in our spotlight section.

In order to give our readers an ability to access some of the most excited research in the past six months, we also bring you three reprinted articles from the pages of Management Science, Interfaces, and OR. These articles report on diverse topics such as why fast fashion companies such as Zara are so successful (and how they can be better), where “lean” gets it right (and where it comes up short), and finally, how to better value credit derivatives (and avoid deficiencies due to over simplification). From hot clothing to hot management buzz-words to economic meltdowns, each of these articles helps us to better understand the world around us.

Also, we would like to announce the undergraduate student competition. All undergraduates are welcome to enter, and those who are early or late in the research stage are encouraged to apply. See inside for submission guidelines and rules. We are all very curious to read about the research undergraduates are working on, and will publish all quality entries.

We send our thanks to the staff at INFORMS for all their hard work, especially Tracy Byrnes. We look forward to seeing you all in Charlotte in November.

Thanks,

The Editors (Anand, Ezgi, Jason, Patricio, & Ryan)