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Live at #INFORMS2023: Giving back with analytics

In a special episode recorded at the 2023 INFORMS Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, I have the opportunity to sit down with long time INFORMS member and professor and dean with the Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama, Jim Cochran. We cover a lot of ground from adventures abroad with Visiting Scholar opportunities, to combatting urban blight and human trafficking, to increasing access to dental care and food donations for those in need, but most importantly explore the power of analytics to give back and make a difference. 

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Food delivery services & restaurants: ‘Caught in a bad romance’?

This episode is sponsored by Fordham University’s Ph.D. in computer science. The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to the restaurant industry, especially at its peak in early 2020 when indoor dining in much of the country was shut down. A shining light seemed to come in the form of food delivery services, which enabled restaurants to reopen and safely provide food to patrons even though their dining rooms remained closed, or open at a reduced capacity. But is the relationship between restaurants and food delivery services really a healthy one, especially with indoor dining allowed once again? A new study…

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Budget busting and balancing for the U.S. government

A well-known phrase often credited to Benjamin Franklin in the early days of our country (though its origins are actually much earlier) states that “in this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” And this certainly remains true, as every spring just like clockwork, we faithfully fill out and submit our state and federal taxes, and bemoan any money owed, or celebrate any unexpected returns. But with a U.S. federal budget topping $2 trillion … wait how many zeros is that? … it would be nice to know a little more about exactly how the…

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What makes an analytics project great?

From large scale analytics projects that have a lifesaving impact, or realize millions of dollars in savings, or transform an entire industry, to those that simply help an organization better utilize its data and improve its day-to-day functionality, how is success measured? Joining me for this episode are Pooja Dewan, Vice President and Chief Data Analytics Officer with Otis Elevator, and Carrie Beam Teaching Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas and Principal of Carrie Beam Consulting. Both Pooja and Carrie have played a pivotal role in the Franz Edelman Award competition over the years. Pooja served as the 2019…

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Help your organization ACE its analytics capabilities!

Last October I was joined by Norman Reitter, chief analytics officer and senior VP of analytics operations at CANA Advisors, to discuss the INFORMS Analytics Maturity Model, and how it is helping organizations of all sizes evaluate their analytics capabilities. In this episode, we will continue this conversation by exploring the new INFORMS Analytics Capability Evaluation (ACE) Coaching Program, which was developed to engage and assist organizations in developing and enhancing their analytics capabilities with the help of specially trained coaching experts. I am joined once again by Norman Reitter, as well as Dave Saranchak, CAP, research fellow at Concurrent…

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How video game companies can “level up” their profits

The video game industry is growing at a phenomenal rate, generating a record $43.4 billion in revenue in 2018, an increase of nearly 20 percent from the year before. The largest area of growth within this industry has been in the online gaming community. But with players functioning at different skill levels and an even wider range of interest areas, how can companies ensure players remain engaged and their products continue to grow in popularity? Joining us for this episode to provide new insight into online gamer behavior is Yan Huang from Carnegie Mellon University, whose research which was recently…

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Combatting disasters to save lives, save money and solve problem

From hurricanes and earthquakes, to conflict and disease, these disasters, both man-made and natural, can have a devastating impact causing millions, and even billions in damages, while greatly impacting the lives, health and well-being of the affected populations. But how can we prepare for or respond to events that often can’t be predicted, nor their true impact estimated, in order to save lives, save money, and solve the myriad problems that come as a result? The answer: operations research and analytics. Joining me for this episode is Pinar Keskinocak, the 2019 INFORMS President-elect, professor with the Georgia Institute of Technology,…

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