INFORMS Open Forum

  • 1.  Mathematical Sciences on Capitol Hill -- January 8, 2026

    Posted an hour ago

     

    Attention INFORMS Members:

    Are you attending the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, DC, January 4–7?

    If so, we encourage you to stay one more day and take part in Mathematical Sciences on Capitol Hill Day on January 8, 2026 - an outstanding opportunity to bring the voice of the INFORMS community directly to Congress. INFORMS is proud to be a sponsor of this event.

    This Hill Day gives you the chance to meet with Senate and House offices, communicate the value of the mathematical sciences, and highlight the essential role of operations research and analytics in federal policy, national competitiveness, and the broader STEM landscape.

    * No prior advocacy experience is required!

    ** You'll receive all the training, materials, and support you need in advance!

    What You'll Do

    • Join colleagues in meetings with congressional staff to discuss research, workforce needs, education, and emerging technologies.
    • Help ensure every congressional delegation hears directly from experts shaping the future of STEM.
    • Gain firsthand experience in how federal policy decisions are made, and how to influence them.

    Training & Preparation

    Participants can participate in optional virtual training in December. A must attend in-person briefing will be held on January 7 at the Westin DC Downtown.

    Hill Day Schedule – January 8

    • 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Congressional office meetings (begin with a group photo at the Capitol at 8:00 a.m.)

    • 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Optional reception at 250 Massachusetts Ave NW

      Please plan to be available for the full day to maximize meeting opportunities.

    Why It Matters

    Congressional offices want to understand the real impact of the mathematical sciences - including Operations Research, Analytics, Data Science, and all of our community's related fields. Your perspective helps shape how policymakers think about research funding, STEM education, innovation, and the nation's scientific capacity.

    While INFORMS regularly engages with Congressional offices, policymakers want to hear directly from our member experts about your work and its impact.

    Sign-Up Deadline: December 9, 2025

    All JMM attendees are welcome to participate. Lodging support may be available for January 7–8 for confirmed participants.

    If you are attending the Mathematical Sciences on Capitol Hill Day, please let me know so we can help coordinate INFORMS' presence.

    Questions?

    Please feel free to reach out to me at jcohen@informs.org with any questions about participating in this great opportunity or advocacy in general.

    We hope you are able to participate in meaningful day of engagement on Capitol Hill and help elevate the visibility and influence of our fields at this important moment.



    ------------------------------
    Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA | PhD Candidate
    Chief Strategy Officer
    INFORMS
    jcohen@informs.org
    linkedin.com/in/jmcsc
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Mathematical Sciences on Capitol Hill -- January 8, 2026

    Posted an hour ago

    Jeff, thanks for sharing this and for all you do to build our presence on the Hill.

    For colleagues planning to be at JMM, I really encourage you to stay for the Hill Day; it is a great way to connect our OR and analytics work with policy conversations.

    If you plan to participate, please email Jeff (jcohen@informs.org) or chime in here so we can coordinate an INFORMS presence.



    ------------------------------
    Tinglong Dai
    Professor
    Johns Hopkins University
    Baltimore MD
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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