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Operations research is all about making systems work better—more efficient schedules, smarter resource allocation, and better decisions under uncertainty. By founding George Mason University's Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) student chapter, a group of graduate students is applying optimization principles to a system they know well, the graduate student experience.
Founded in January 2026, the INFORMS chapter is brand new, but its goals are already clearly defined. Rather than rushing into programming, the group focuses on identifying gaps in information, connection, and professional development for operations research graduate students and designing ways to close them, explained faculty advisor Ran Ji.
Ji described operations research as a discipline that applies advanced analytical methods—including mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and optimization techniques—to support data-driven decision-making, with applications spanning logistics, supply chain management, disaster response, healthcare systems, and many other domains where improved decision-making is essential to enhancing system efficiency and performance. The George Mason chapter reflects that breadth, welcoming master’s and PhD students (from both within and outside the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research) who are interested in optimization and analytical decision‑making.
The chapter draws inspiration from INFORMS student organizations at other universities, which often serve as hubs for collaboration, mentorship, and career guidance. INFORMS is inherently interdisciplinary, spanning engineering, business, analytics, and applied mathematics.
“Our priority is to create a community for students” said chapter president Behnam Momeni, now in his fourth year of the Systems Engineering and Operations Research PhD program.
Much of the chapter’s early programming will address what Ji describes as “asymmetric information” between students and faculty. New graduate students, especially those funded initially as teaching assistants rather than research assistants, may not know which faculty members are working on which research problems. One of the group’s first planned initiatives is a faculty‑student research forum so students, particularly first-year students, can make more informed choices when seeking research opportunities and selecting advisors. Such early clarity can shape an entire graduate career, Momeni explained.
The chapter also aims to prepare students for life beyond George Mason. While some graduates pursue academia, Ji noted most go into private industry, where optimization skills are in constant demand. Planned activities include research seminars, mock conference presentations ahead of the annual INFORMS meeting, and career discussions that expose students to both academic and industry pathways.
For a field devoted to practical problem‑solving, the creation of the INFORMS student chapter is itself a kind of solution, an intentional intervention in a complex system. By reducing uncertainty and fostering collaboration, George Mason INFORMS is bringing operations improvements beyond the classroom.