Behind the scenes with #2025Analytics Keynote Dick den Hertog

Published: February 26, 2025

We’re in the countdown to the 2025 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference, in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 6-8, when more than 700 leading analytics professionals and industry experts will come together to discover new solutions to business problems, connect and network, and celebrate excellence in the field.

Joining me to help build the excitement for this year’s conference is Dick den Hertog, professor of Operations Research at the University of Amsterdam, who will be sharing a sneak peek of his keynote presentation titled, “Analytics for a Better World,” which will showcase the transformative potential of analytics in enabling non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to make a greater impact on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

I really like the name, Analytics+, because for me it also means Analytics+ is broadening the scope. So I think I would also like to broaden the scope in application into the NGO (non-governmental organization) world, to the sustainable development goals world. So in that sense I think this new name fits very well with my mission that I have when I go to the conference.

Interviewed this episode:

Dick den Hertog

University of Amsterdam

Dick den Hertog is professor of Operations Research at University of Amsterdam. His research interests cover various fields in prescriptive analytics, in particular linear and nonlinear optimization. In recent years, his main focus has been on robust optimization, and recently he started research on Optimization with Machine Learning. He is also active in applying the theory in real-life applications. In particular, he is interested in applications that contribute to a better society. He received the INFORMS Franz Edelman Award twice: in 2013 for his research on optimal flood protection, and in 2021 for his research on optimizing the food supply chain for the UN World Food Programme. He has been Visiting Professor at MIT for several years now. He is Science-to-Impact Director of the Analytics for a Better World Institute, that he co-founded in 2022.