INFORMS Open Forum

  • 1.  INFORMS Advocacy Update

    Posted 08-15-2018 11:07

    The purpose of this note is to provide an update to our members about INFORMS' ongoing Advocacy program with policymakers in Washington.

    The successful 2018 Government & Analytics Summit, which we held on May 21ston Capitol Hill, played a key role in initiating this long-term effort. As we move forward, our Advocacy activities are important for building on the success of this year's inaugural Summit. They also generate momentum for next year's Summit which we anticipate once again holding in May.

    Within our Advocacy program, 46 separate briefingshave been held this year on Capitol Hill, with the White House, and with various federal agencies. Some of these briefings have included INFORMS members who provided Congressional Staff with expert opinion on legislation, or insights into how certain federal agencies are using O.R. and analytics.

    As an example, we held briefings on August 7thwith senior staff members at the Office of Management and Budget, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi's Chief of Staff. INFORMS was represented by President-Elect Ramayya Krishnan, Charles Cooper and Brad Wolters from our consultants Signal Group, and ourselves. Several of these briefings included early-stage discussions with these offices on ways in which INFORMS' members can offer expert advice on a number of different topics and activities.

     We also met with Dr. Irina Dolinskaya, associate program director in the Division of Civil, Mechanical & Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI), Directorate for Engineering (ENG). Dr. Dolinskaya manages Operation Engineering (OE) and Dynamics, Control and Systems Diagnostics (DCSD) programs. We had a valuable discussion about areas of focus within NSF, funding streams, and avenues to improve fundability of O.R. and analytics research. We are looking forward to  presentations by Dr. Dolinskaya and her colleagues at the Annual meeting this November in Phoenix.

    These briefings raise policymakers' awareness and interest in the O.R. and Analytics fields, build strategic relationships between INFORMS and the policy community, and enable INFORMS to become a trusted source of expertise.

    We would like to renew previous requests for INFORMS members who are interested in participating in briefings with policymakers to get in touch at jeff.cohen@informs.org.

    Thank you for your continued interest in, and support of, this very important effort.

     

    Nicholas G. Hall, President

    Jeff Cohen, Director, Public Affairs and Marketing

     



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    Nicholas G. Hall
    INFORMS President 2018
    president@mail.informs.org

    Fisher College of Business Distinguished Professor,
    The Ohio State University
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