Letter from the Lead Editors

Spring/Summer 2026 Edition of OR/MS Tomorrow

Dear OR/MS Community Members,

At ORMS Tomorrow, our goal is to serve students, researchers, and early-career professionals who are navigating a challenging and uncertain phase in their careers, as described by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic. Stanford economist Chad Jones notes that, despite increasingly powerful AI systems, progress ultimately depends on the weakest links—human knowledge and skills. Together, these perspectives highlight a key tension: rapid advancements demand that individuals adapt just as quickly. The question, then, is how we can actively bridge this gap.

In this issue, we bring together a range of perspectives that speak directly to this challenge. We are especially grateful to Professor Fildes for sharing his insights on what it takes to be a strong superforecaster—and the common pitfalls to avoid. Continuing in this spirit, we are delighted to feature Thiago Serra, Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa, who reflects on his journey and offers thoughtful advice for OR/MS PhD students. We also sincerely thank Veronica and Alice for sharing the story of AIRO Young, an all-student-led initiative dedicated to supporting the OR/MS community.

Alongside these contributions, our editorial team presents a diverse set of articles. Alina returns with a clear and engaging piece
on the mathematics behind diffusion models such as DALL·E. This is followed by Asana’s essay on the enduring importance of human judgment in increasingly AI-driven supply chain systems. We conclude the issue with thought-provoking perspectives from Marzieh and Fernando on the evolving role of AI in healthcare, along with the much-anticipated seventh installment of the Mini Poster Competition.

We hope this issue offers useful insights and helps you better navigate and make sense of this rapidly evolving landscape

Discover more about OR/MS Tomorrow by visiting our website at www.informs.org/Publications/OR-MS-Tomorrow, where you can access individual articles from this issue, explore past editions, and learn more about our editorial team. If interested in contributing an article for our Fall/Winter 2026 issue, email us at [email protected]. Keep up-to-date with all our news, events, and more by following us on LinkedIn!

Happy reading!

Ronak Tiwari