Industrial Engineering Department Gains Recognition at National Conference

Photo Submitted

Industrial engineering faculty and students represented the university at the annual INFORMS conference.

One faculty member and three students from the Department of Industrial Engineering were recognized at the annual conference of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences in November.

Greg Parnell, research professor, received the Frank P. Ramsey Medal, the highest award of the Decision Analysis Society. This medal was created to recognize distinguished contributions to the field of decision analysis. Ramsey Medalists are recognized for having made substantial further contributions to that theory and its application to important classes of real decision problems. The medal is accompanied by a $1,000 honorarium.

Industrial engineering doctoral student Emre Kirac received second place in the Interactive Sessions Competition at the conference. Kirac’s poster is titled "Social Media Usage in Static Disaster Relief Routing Plans." This study investigates whether it is worthwhile to include and act on information posted to social media platforms in disaster response plans. Kirac’s adviser is assistant professor Ashlea Bennett Milburn.

Doctoral student Mahboubeh Madadi also received second place in the Interactive Sessions Competition at the conference for her poster titled "Evaluation of Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Policies Considering Heterogeneity in Women’s Adherence Behavior." Madadi’s research looks at how variation in patient behavior toward mammography screening affects patient outcomes, and gives recommendations to health care providers.

In addition, Madadi was among the finalists for the INFORMS Minority Issues Forum poster competition, in which she presented another project on breast cancer overdiagnosis. Assistant professor Shengfan Zhang is Madadi’s faculty adviser.

Doctoral student Mina Hadianniasar, advised by Milburn, entered a case titled “Growing Pains” which was selected as a finalist in the Case and Teaching Material Competition. 

“I want to extend my congratulations to Dr. Parnell for being recognized by his peers for his significant contributions to the profession. Also, I would like to thank all the faculty members and students who attended this conference and represented our department so well, especially those students who were recognized at this conference,” said Ed Pohl, head of the Department of Industrial Engineering.