INFORMS Open Forum

BALTIMORE, MD, January 17, 2024 – INFORMS, the largest association for the decision and data sciences, has selected six finalists for the annual Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Advanced Analytics, Operations Research and Management Science, the world's most prestigious award for achievement in the practice of analytics and operations research (O.R.). 

Click here to read the full press release.

------------------------------
Ashley Smith
Public Relations Specialist
INFORMS Public Affairs Coordinator
Baltimore MD
------------------------------

I became aware of Edelman in 1977 at age 23 when I joined IBM.  At that time it was already the "gold medal" competition.  In various forms I have been involved since the mid 1980s and many of my former IBM colleagues have been actively involved.  I urge anyone who has the chance to attend the presentations.  The logical question is why?  Each year in these six presentations one gets the best view of possible of how the synergy between applied innovation of decision technology, effective use of  information technology, and navigating the complex landscape of organizations drives improved organizational performance.  The presentations and subsequent papers provide an insight into "work in the trenches" that is rarely available.  Second, it provides and opportunity to chat with other practitioners.

------------------------------
Ken Fordyce
director analytics without borders
Arkieva
Wilmington DE
------------------------------

I echo Ken Fordyce's enthusiasm for the Edelman competition.

When people attend a conference, they often focus on talks with titles that seem most applicable to their areas of career interest. That is often a good rule of thumb, but inapplicable for the Edelman competition. Even when an Edelman presentation's topic is outside of someone's primary interest, attending it will be highly worthwhile. First, by virtue of making the Edelman finals, you know that their work is exemplary. They have faced a challenging problem and often made prudent modeling approximations and/or other tactics to wrestle with the challenge/complexity. That is something all of us strive to do - regardless of the problem domain. Secondly, because they are competing for the Gold medal (first place) with their senior executives endorsing the work and vested in the outcome, they do a first rate job of conveying their work and its impact within a tight time frame. Edelman finalists have volunteer coaches who know what they are doing and make suggestions on improving their presentations to be understood by OR and Analytics practitioners of varying backgrounds. So each Edelman presentation conveys outstanding work in an understandable and typically inspiring way. If you spend an entire day at the Analytics Conference watching all six finalists, I guarantee you will not regret it.

Not incidentally, the first Edelman finalist paper I read closely was co-authored by Ken Fordyce and Gary Sullivan circa 1988. I later had the pleasure of working with Ken at IBM for about a dozen years and continuing to collaborate intermittently afterwards.

------------------------------
John Milne
Clarkson University
Potsdam, NY
jmilne@clarkson.edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-19-2024 09:32
From: Ken Fordyce
Subject: Finalists Selected for the World's Leading Operations Research and Analytics Award: 2024 INFORMS Franz Edelman Award Competition Elevates Research that is Saving Lives, Saving Money and Solving Problems

I became aware of Edelman in 1977 at age 23 when I joined IBM.  At that time it was already the "gold medal" competition.  In various forms I have been involved since the mid 1980s and many of my former IBM colleagues have been actively involved.  I urge anyone who has the chance to attend the presentations.  The logical question is why?  Each year in these six presentations one gets the best view of possible of how the synergy between applied innovation of decision technology, effective use of  information technology, and navigating the complex landscape of organizations drives improved organizational performance.  The presentations and subsequent papers provide an insight into "work in the trenches" that is rarely available.  Second, it provides and opportunity to chat with other practitioners.

------------------------------
Ken Fordyce
director analytics without borders
Arkieva
Wilmington DE
------------------------------

Hi Ashley,

Their project, the Hub Efficiency Analytics Tool (HEAT), utilized optimization and AI techniques to manage flight operations during severe weather disruptions effectively. This technology dynamically adjusts flight departures, ensuring the smooth movement of passengers, crew, and aircraft. Since its implementation, HEAT has significantly reduced flight cancellations, showcasing the powerful impact of advanced analytics in operational efficiency and customer service. This example from American Airlines illustrates the transformative potential of analytics in addressing complex, real-world problems, as celebrated by the Franz Edelman Award.

Xinyu Tu

UC Davis
San Francisco CA

------------------------------
"Xinyu ""Ciny""" Tu
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

The critical concepts are:

Forget the optimization / AI distinction, it is analytics without borders (AWB) to create an intelligent solution to improve organizational performance

Success requires work in the trenches and a small team of agents of change

A management team willing to invest in pushing the envelope

Complexity exits whether you ignore it or not, success requires not ignoring it

These core concepts are always demonstrated in the Edelman Competition - this year in abundance

------------------------------
Ken Fordyce
director analytics without borders
Arkieva
Wilmington DE
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-26-2024 19:29
From: "Xinyu ""Ciny""" Tu
Subject: Finalists Selected for the World's Leading Operations Research and Analytics Award: 2024 INFORMS Franz Edelman Award Competition Elevates Research that is Saving Lives, Saving Money and Solving Problems

Hi Ashley,

Their project, the Hub Efficiency Analytics Tool (HEAT), utilized optimization and AI techniques to manage flight operations during severe weather disruptions effectively. This technology dynamically adjusts flight departures, ensuring the smooth movement of passengers, crew, and aircraft. Since its implementation, HEAT has significantly reduced flight cancellations, showcasing the powerful impact of advanced analytics in operational efficiency and customer service. This example from American Airlines illustrates the transformative potential of analytics in addressing complex, real-world problems, as celebrated by the Franz Edelman Award.

Xinyu Tu

UC Davis
San Francisco CA

------------------------------
"Xinyu ""Ciny""" Tu
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hi Ashley, 

I recently learned about the Edelman Awards in one of my courses and have thoroughly enjoyed reading about all of the advancements that have made tremendous impacts in many different areas. During my class I specifically focused on Memorial Sloan Kettering from the 2021 competition. They developed an automated treatment planning system called "Echo" to address the complex and time-consuming nature of radiotherapy treatment planning for individuals. I was very interesting to learn about the whole project from start to finish, how the problem statement was drafted, to the establishment of their methods to address their problem, and their go to market strategy navigating FDA regulations. The technology has since been widely adopted in their workflow and has made a tremendous impact on helping create timely treatment plans for patients in need. 

I am looking forward to learning more about the finalists in this years competition and seeing the impact that their innovations have on others. It is great to see that these companies are being awarded for their contributions to continue to encourage the progressive use of innovative ways to use analytics in operations research and management science.

------------------------------
Alexa Aguirre
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

I'm excited to learn more about this year's finalists, including McDonald's China, who collaborated with Xiahui Logistics and Optimization Analytics Technology (OAT) to optimize their supply chain, resulting in significant cost savings and sustainability improvements.

These awards celebrate innovative applications of analytics in operations research and management science. What are your thoughts on this year's finalists and their contributions?

------------------------------
Xinyi Lai
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hi Ashley!

This article on the finalists for the Franz Edelman Award is truly impressive. These organizations have leveraged advanced analytics and operations research to address complex challenges, saving lives and money while solving critical problems.

The diverse range of finalists, from ALDI SÜD Germany's data-driven product strategy to American Airlines' Hub Efficiency Analytics Tool (HEAT), demonstrates the broad impact of these practices. Notably, they have achieved significant cost savings, improved satisfaction, and waste reduction.

What's striking is that past winners of the Edelman Award have contributed over $400 billion cumulatively, showcasing the immense value of data-driven decision-making.

Thank you for sharing these inspiring stories with us!

------------------------------
Keyi Yu
UC Davis
Daly City CA
------------------------------

Thank you for sharing about the World's Leading Operations Research and Analytics Award selection program. In particular, the projects on American Airlines' mission to reduce the impact of weather on flights and Transvision's mission to make it easier for people with disabilities to get around are relevant to people's lives every day and are actually solving problems in society, which made me realize the power of operations research and analytics in a tangible way.

------------------------------
Doris Pu
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hi Ashley,

I got to know about the Edelman Awards in one of my classes, and diving into all the groundbreaking achievements that have made a huge difference in so many fields has been absolutely fascinating. The announcement about the finalists for the 2024 INFORMS Franz Edelman Award was truly inspiring, showcasing the diverse applications of operations research and analytics in real-world scenarios.

One of the projects that caught my attention was Tata Steel India, which used predictive control based on advanced analytics and optimization to digitally transform the continuous steel annealing operation. This initiative not only led to an 8% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per ton of steel, resulting in significant cost and environmental benefits, but also improved the quality of their premium product by 20%. It was a powerful example of how integrating technology and operations research can lead to substantial improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector.

------------------------------
"Shalagha ""Shasha""" Mundepi
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hi Ashley!

Looking through the finalists of this year's award, I'm really impressed by how each company utilized technology and AI to change the way of operations and the world. As a previous marketing student, I was fascinated by how data-driven technologies leveraged marketing when I read that ALDI SÜD Germany revolutionized retail strategy with data-driven approaches, leading to substantial savings and market competitiveness. I also remembered from one video we watched in class: Huawei Cloud's journey in innovation. The company also utilized AI and optimization to enhance various services, including airport and port operations, supply chains, and transportation. What they planned and have done has greatly helped them in improving bandwidth utilization and service quality. The technology also helped them in the long-run business growth. I think this award is a great opportunity for students like me to be exposed to all those practical technical approaches and big companies' achievements. 

------------------------------
Jie Zhu
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

------------------------------
Shivank Chandra
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hi Ashley,

Thank you for sharing this exciting news! I recently learned about the Franz Edelman Award in one of my classes, and it's fascinating to see the impact of analytics technologies in driving global change. The progress made by the finalists, particularly in environmental protection, is truly impressive. For instance, Aldi's efforts in waste reduction and the initiatives by Molslinjen, Tata Steel, and Transvision in lowering CO2 emissions are commendable. In an era where sustainable development is a paramount goal, these achievements are particularly significant. I believe that with those pioneers, we can extend the application of Operations Research to various fields and contribute significantly towards making our planet a more sustainable and livable place.

------------------------------
"Yuwen ""Vivienne""" Xiang
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hey Ashley,

Thanks for sharing the news! I have just recently learned about the annual Franz Edelman Award and it is truly impressive.

Looking at the finalists, American Airlines stood out. Used to be a frequent flyer back in New York, I had several experiences of flights canceling last minute due to severe weather, especially during winter storms. I once even found myself on the plane waiting 3+ hours for the gate after touching down at JFK, again due to inclement weather. Therefore, seeing American Arline's dedication toward the Hub Efficiency Analytics Tool, which specializes in managing operations during severe weather, I can truly relate to the demand for the technology.

Anyway, best of luck to all of the finalists, and I am looking forward to learning who will be the final winner. Thanks again for sharing this amazing news!

Best,

------------------------------
Kuan-Yu "Leo" Liao
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Hi Ashley,

It is fascinating to read about all the finalists' projects. As a grad school student, who recently became familiar with the Edelman Award in one of my classes, it is truly inspiring to see how analytics can be impactful in real-life. 

One project that particularly piques my curiosity is the collaboration between Tata Steel Limited and IIT Bombay to digitally transform the continuous steel annealing operation. As a person who grew up in India, the Tata group has always been of fascination to me. The shift from manual to automated optimal control, resulting in an 8% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per ton of steel, showcases the potential of advanced analytics in industrial processes. I'm eager to learn more about predictive control and optimization techniques employed in this project, as well as its broader implications for sustainability and efficiency in the steel manufacturing industry.

------------------------------
Sujai Adithya Muralidharan
UC Davis
San Francisco CA
------------------------------