2025 WORMS Family Care Award - In Memory of Dr. Burcu Keskin

Deadline: October 13^th 2025. 

Recipients must be current members of the Forum for Women in OR/MS (WORMS), who are officially participating in the INFORMS Annual Meeting, including giving an oral or poster presentation, acting as session chair, or participating in the Combined Colloquia. Eligibility is limited to current students, post-doctoral associates, or early career professionals (e.g., junior faculty or professionals in their first five years of post-graduate employment) who meet one of the following criteria:

• Parent or guardian of a child age 12 years or younger who is either also traveling to the conference and/or requires additional care while the parent attends the conference. 
• Primary caregiver for an elderly parent who is either also traveling to the conference and/or requires additional care while the caregiver attends the conference. 
• Primary caregiver for a family member who requires additional assistance who is either also traveling to the conference and/or requires additional care while the caregiver attends the conference.

• Up to $500 in expenses will be reimbursed upon submittal of receipts to INFORMS staff to cover extra expenses related to the care of family members, due to the caregiver attending the conference. This may include travel expenses for the family member and extra caregiving expenses at home or at the conference location.
• Two awards will be granted this year, each up to $500. At most one grant will be awarded per family.
• Priority will be given to those who have never received the award in prior years.
• Award winners will also receive free membership in WORMS for a period of one year.

Applications are due October 3, 2025. Applicants should email Chelsea Teimoori (at cteimoori@informs.org) the following information with the subject line "WORMS Family Care Award 2025 – In Memory of Dr. Burcu Keskin":

1. Statement of need (not to exceed 200 words): 
   • Why is attendance at this conference important to you?
   • How are you participating in the conference (e.g., giving an oral or poster presentation, acting as session chair, or participating in the Combined Colloquia)? Please provide the title of the presentation, session, or colloquium and your role.
   • Why do you need family care?
   • What family care do you plan to arrange?
   • Why are you requesting financial support?
   • Estimated family care budget, including travel costs and/or caregiving expenses.
2. Statement verifying applicant's eligibility from applicant's department chair or supervisor. 

The WORMS selection committee will assess applications based on their stated need for travel support. Recipients will be notified by the selection committee no later than October 17, 2025. Recipients should submit all receipts for reimbursement to Chelsea Teimoori no later than 30 days following the conclusion of the conference.

For inquiries, please contact WORMS President Sara Saberi at ssaberi@wpi.edu.

Notes: Family care must be arranged by the awardee. INFORMS and WORMS are not responsible for identifying caregivers and are not liable for any damages.

 
Past recipients of the WORMS Family Care Award

2025 WORMS Family Care Award for the Annual meeting - In Memory of Dr. Burcu Keskin:

Ifeoluwa Solaru (Louisiana State University)

Faustina Sarfo (UMass Amherst)

Reut Noham (Tel Aviv University )

2024 WORMS Family Care Award for the Annual meeting:

Tara Eslaminokandeh (Northeastern University)

Ayesha Farooq (Kansas State University)

Sara Abu Aridah (Penn State University)