President’s Corner – Chris Zappe

Dear INFORM-ED Members,

As I continue as the president of INFORM-ED for a final two-year term, I would first like to express my gratitude to the following individuals who have made significant contributions to our organization over the past several years:

Outgoing Vice President -- Programs: Jill Hardin (jrhardin@vcu.edu)

Outgoing Secretary/Treasurer: Mary Beth Kurz (mkurz@clemson.edu)

Outgoing Editor "Issues in Education" Column in OR/MS Today: Joel Sokol (jsokol@isye.gatech.edu)

Outgoing INFORM-ED Website Editor: Pinar Kaymaz (kaymapi@auburn.edu)

Outgoing Case Competition Chair: Tasha Inniss (tinniss@spelman.edu)

I am fortunate to have a number of very talented and dedicated colleagues to help me build upon the excellent work of past officers and other volunteers within INFORM-ED for the next two years.  Please contact any of the following individuals if you have any questions or suggestions for enhancing the programs and services that we support:

Vice President -- Programs:  Dave Rader (david.rader@rose-hulman.edu)

Vice President -- Projects:  Mike Racer (mracer@memphis.edu)

Vice President -- Publications:  John Kros (krosj@mail.ecu.edu)

Vice President -- External Relations:  Dawn Strickland (stricklandd@winthrop.edu)

Secretary/Treasurer:  Judith Norback (judith.norback@isye.gatech.edu)

"Issues in Education" Column in OR/MS Today: Matt Drake (drake987@duq.edu)

INFORM-ED Website:  Kellie Keeling (kkeeling@du.edu)

INFORM-ED Newsletter:  Matt Bailey (matt.bailey@bucknell.edu)

Case Competition Chair:  Mike Racer (mracer@memphis.edu)

Please know that I’m looking forward to working with these individuals and many other dedicated INFORM-ED members to support your work and professional development over the next two years.  While I intend to present to you later this summer several particular initiatives that I would like to see INFORM-ED pursue during the coming years, I would like to invite each of you to let me know exactly what you would like to see this organization do to support your teaching, scholarship, and/or practice of OR/MS in the near future.  I urge you to contact me directly at zappe@bucknell.edu or at my Bucknell office (570-577-3292).  I truly want to hear your suggestions for how we can better serve your needs and interests.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Matt Bailey for his efforts to produce this newsletter.  Please feel welcome to submit articles or announcements to Matt for inclusion in the next edition of the newsletter which we hope to produce at the end of the summer season.

Best wishes,

Chris Zappe

Ninth Annual INFORMS Case Competition – Mike Racer

INFORMS is pleased to announce its Ninth Annual Peer-Reviewed Case Competition.  This competition is jointly sponsored by INFORMS Education Committee, INFORMS Case and Teaching Materials Initiative, and INFORM-ED.  It is designed to encourage the creation, dissemination, and use of new, unpublished cases in operations research and the management sciences.  All submissions and supporting documentation are due by August 22, 2008.  All cases will be reviewed in late August/early September by a panel of judges familiar with the case method.

Up to four finalists will be selected and notified by the Chair of the Case Competition by September 15, 2008.  Finalists will give thirty-minute presentations of their entries at a special open session of the 2008 INFORMS Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.  The panel of judges will select the winning entry from these finalists based on these presentations. Finalists must present their cases at the Fall 2008 INFORMS Meeting in Washington to be eligible to win.

Guidelines for submitted cases are:

(1) No more than 10 pages (8.5" x 11.0") single-spaced (maximum of approx. 3000 words); shorter cases are acceptable.

(2) Exhibits are in addition to page limit.

(3) Teaching Notes of length as necessary to meet content expected.

(4) A 12-point proportional font (such as Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins.

(5) All submitted cases must be previously unpublished.  Cases should be essentially new in their entirety.  If the case contains material drafted originally by individuals or groups other than the author(s) submitting the case, then the intellectual history and ownership of these portions should be made absolutely clear. Contestants are responsible for assuring that this guideline is strictly met.

A complete submission package will consist of the following:

(1) One electronic copy of a short (250 - 500 words) abstract, the case and teaching notes sent in a zipped file. The abstract should appear by itself on the second page and identify the industry, business issues, technical issues, pedagogical objectives, and suggested uses of the case. The case, any exhibits, and then the teaching notes should follow.

(2) A completed Case Competition Submission Form.

Prizes include:

(1) $500 and plaque to the best case

(2) $100 and plaque for up to three runners-up

For more information, please contact Michael Racer at mracer@memphis.edu.

Publications  - John Kros

Howdy All!

I hope the Spring has treated everyone well.

I want to thank all those who volunteered to take over leadership positions at the Seattle meeting, especially those in the Publications area.

Here are some thoughts as the Summer rolls in and we all prepare for Washington DC this Fall.  

Just a reminder of the changes and improvements in the Publications area.  Kellie Keeling from the University of Denver has agreed to take over as webmaster.  If you haven't yet, go out to the INFORM-ED website and take a look.  The website is currently in the process of moving over to: http://www.informs.org/site/inform_ed/. The old website is still at http://education.forum.informs.org/  Please send your comments or any ideas for the website to Kellie Keeling (Kellie.Keeling@du.edu).

OR/MS Today publishes the Issues in Education column in every issue. This column is sponsored by INFORM-ED and the new editor is Matt Drake. Contact Matt (drake987@duq.edu) to contribute an article to this series.

We are all looking forward to another successful case competition.  Please contact  mracer@memphis.edu) for questions regarding the competition.

See y'all in Washington DC!

John F. Kros (krosj@ecu.edu)

INFORM-ED @ INFORMS 2008, Washington D.C. – Dave Rader

We have a very exciting cluster planned for this year's annual meeting in Washington. Our track consists of fifteen sessions, and we are co-sponsoring two additional sessions in other sponsored tracks. We have made a concerted effort to provide a well-rounded group of sessions with something of interest to a broad group of educators-whether in schools of business, engineering, or liberal arts. Some of the highlights include

·         Four sessions on teaching project management, including two panel discussions organized by Nicholas Hall

·         Sessions of innovative uses of technology and on-line courses in OR education

·         Showcase session on undergraduate research in OR

My sincerest thanks go to all session chairs and presenters for their hard work in organizing such an excellent cluster. We hope to see you in D.C.!

Dave Rader
VP/Programs

2008 INFORMS Combined Colloquia – Jill Hardin

Call for Nominations by July 15

The 2008 INFORMS Combined Colloquia will be held on October 10-11, the Friday and Saturday preceding the INFORMS Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. This Combined Colloquia will feature the:

Teaching Effectiveness Colloquium, Jim Lowe, Chair
Future Academician Colloquium, Ann M. Campbell, Chair
Future Practitioner Colloquium, Elif Akcali, Chair 
 
All three colloquia are sponsored by INFORMS, INFORM-ED, the INFORMS Student Affairs Committee and Omega Rho, and are designed to provide the attendees with technical material, career experiences from senior and junior OR/MS professionals, and an environment for networking.
 
Overview
The 2008 Teaching Effectiveness Colloquium will address several aspects of incorporating and assessing effective teaching techniques in any undergraduate and graduate curriculum. The colloquium will be beneficial to both seasoned and new faculty members at all levels and in all disciplines of operations research and management science. Planned sessions include topics such as understanding what the best college teachers do, exposure to a variety of teaching strategies for engaging students in the classroom and extending learning outside the classroom, and an overview of possible pedagogical scholarship in OR/MS.
 
The 2008 Future Academician Colloquium is organized with current doctoral students in mind. The theme for the academician colloquium will be "Steps to Success." It will include sessions dedicated to navigating the job hunt, developing a successful research program, becoming an effective teacher, and dealing with work-life balance issues.
 
The 2008 Future Practitioners Colloquium has been organized with current doctoral student participation in mind; however, applications will be accepted for new practitioners (those within three years of starting their first practice job) as well. This colloquium will feature sessions focusing on career paths for OR/MS professionals, challenges that new practitioners experience, discussions concerning choosing between an academic and a practice career, what managers seek when hiring new employees, and suggestions concerning how to find a job as well as how to become a successful OR/MS practitioner.
 
Combined Colloquia Activities
The Teaching Effectiveness Colloquium will begin at 7:30am, Friday, October 10. The Future Academician and Future Practitioner Colloquia will begin at 6:00pm, Friday, October 10 with a welcome dinner for all participants. Dr. Cynthia Barnhart, the current President of INFORMS and Dean of Academic Affairs at the MIT School of Engineering will address the participants on the future of INFORMS and its position at the center of teaching, research and practice. The Combined Colloquia will continue on Saturday all day with several sessions. Following the conclusion of the colloquia, all participants will be invited to an evening dinner. Participants will also have opportunities to interact with each other and with the Combined Colloquia speakers during breakfast, lunch and several refreshment breaks.
 
Participant Nomination
Because of increased demand and limited capacity, consideration for participation in the colloquia is by nomination only. A department can nominate more than one eligible individual to each colloquium, but only a limited number of applicants will be accepted. However, nominations of one person to multiple colloquia are not permitted and will not receive consideration. Companies can nominate eligible practitioners to just the Future Practitioner Colloquium.
 
Registration Fee
The registration fee for each of the Colloquia is $300. However, the fee will be waived for one participant from a department nominated to the Combined Colloquia. A second participant from a department to the colloquia pays $150, and each additional participant pays $300. All Future Practitioners Colloquium attendees nominated by a company must pay $300. Invoices for the total amount will be sent directly to the sponsor units (department or company). No invoice will be sent to individual participants.
 
All colloquia participants are required to register for the INFORMS Annual Meeting 2008 in Washington, DC. The registration fee for the colloquia does NOT include the registration fee for the INFORMS Annual Meeting.
 
Combined Colloquia Chair:
Jill Hardin
Virginia Commonwealth University
Dept. of Statistical Sciences and Operations Research
jrhardin@vcu.edu
804-828-4547
 

Teaching Effectiveness Colloquium
Friday, October 10      7:30am-5:00pm; dinner 6:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday, October 11   7:30am-4:30pm; dinner 6:30 pm-8:30 pm

All academic units that regularly offer courses in operations research, management science and related fields are invited to nominate faculty members and advanced doctoral students intending to pursue a career in academia for participation in the Teaching Effectiveness Colloquium. To be eligible for consideration, an individual must:  
• be a member of INFORMS or have applied for membership at the time of the nomination;
• be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member in one of INFORMS' constituent disciplines or be within one year of completing all degree requirements for a PhD in one of INFORMS' constituent disciplines. All tenured and tenure-track faculty members can be nominated but preference will be given to first-time nominees should there be a capacity constraint.
 
Complete nomination packages must be received by July 15. A complete nomination by the department will include: 
• a letter of recommendation from the department chair;
• a list of OR/MS courses taught or expected to be taught by the nominee;
• a list of INFORMS teaching effectiveness colloquia and workshops that the nominee has attended in the last two years;
• the mailing address, e-mail address and phone number of the nominee;
• departmental contact information for invoicing (for more than one nominated participant).
 
Send packages and requests for more information to:
James K. Lowe
US Air Force Academy
Dept. of Management
2354 Fairchild Drive, Suite 6H-130
USAFA, CO 80840-5099
jim.lowe@usafa.edu
 

Future Academician Colloquium
Friday, October 10   6:00pm-8:00pm - Dinner
Saturday, October 11   7:30am-4:30pm; dinner 6:30pm-8:30pm

All PhD-granting programs in operations research, management science and related fields ae invited to nominate students for participation in the Future Academician Colloquium. In an effort to promote diversity and a broad representation of academic institutions, preference will be given first to representing as many schools as possible, second to the quality of applicants from schools already represented. Further, to be eligible for nomination, an individual must: 

• be a member of INFORMS or have applied for membership at the time of the nomination;
• have completed basic coursework and initiated research;
• be within one year from completing all degree requirements;
• have excellent potential for contributing to the fields of operations research, management science or a related field;
• have good communication skills;
• have never attended an INFORMS Future Academician Colloquium.
 
Complete nomination packages must be received by July 15. A complete nomination by the department will include:
• the student's transcript at the nominating institution;
• a letter of recommendation from the department chair or supervisor;
• a one-page statement of purpose from the nominee including description of research and career interests and dissertation topic;
• the mailing address, e-mail address and phone number of the nominee;
• departmental contact information for invoicing (for more than one nominated student).
 
Send packages and requests for more information to:
Ann Melissa Campbell
University of Iowa 
108 John Pappajohn Business Building
Iowa City, IA 52242-1994
ann-campbell@uiowa.edu  

Future Practitioner Colloquium
Friday, October 10   6:00pm-8:00pm - Dinner
Saturday, October 11   7:30am-4:30pm; dinner 6:30pm-8:30pm

All PhD-granting programs in operations research, management science and related fields are invited to nominate students for participation in the Future Practitioners Colloquium. Companies involved in the application of operations research, management science and related fields are also invited to nominate new practitioners (those within three years of starting their first practice job) for participation in the Future Practitioner Colloquium. Preference will be given to doctoral students who are within one year of completion of their degree and who have never attended either an INFORMS Future Academician or Future Practitioner Colloquium. To be eligible for nomination, an individual must: 

• be a member of INFORMS or have applied for membership at the time of the nomination;
• have completed basic coursework and initiated research (for students);
• be within one year from completing all degree requirements (for students);
• have completed his or her PhD and be within three years of starting their first practice job (for current practitioners);
• have excellent potential for contributing to the fields of operations research, management science or a related field;
• have good communication skills.
 
Complete nomination packages must be received by July 15. A complete nomination will include: 
• the student's transcript at the nominating institution (for students);
• the current practitioner’s transcript from the institution he or she received a PhD (for current practitioners);
• a letter of recommendation from the department chair or supervisor;
• a one-page statement of purpose from the nominee including description of research and career interests and dissertation topic;
• the mailing address, e-mail address and phone number of the nominee; and
• departmental contact information for invoicing (for current practitioners and for students from institutions with more than one nomination).
 
Send packages and requests for more information to:
Elif Akcali
Supply Chain and Logistics Engineering Center
Dept. of Industrial and Systems Engineering
University of Florida
303 Weil Hall
P.O. Box 116595
Gainesville, FL 32611-6595
akcali@ise.ufl.edu