The U of A student chapter of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) has been notified of the award of Magna Cum Laude for their work during the 2024-25 academic year. The group is advised by assistant professor Haoming Shen.

Chase Rainwater, department head for industrial engineering, commented, "This is an exciting recognition of our graduate students' hard work and leadership. The honor provides great visibility to our program, and I'm excited about the direction of our INFORMS student chapter."

Over the past year, the chapter hosted a distinguished speaker series, featuring speakers from academia and industry. Speakers from the U of A, University of Texas at Arlington, Purdue University, Clemson University, University of Virginia and Aimpoint Digital participated in the series. They also organized two industry panels and networking meetings to support students' job searches and professional development. Prior to major industrial engineering conferences, the group arranged practice sessions, allowing students to present research and receive valuable feedback.

In addition, they introduced a hands-on workshop on Arkansas High Performance Computing (HPC), assisting students to leverage HPC tools for academic research and growth. This workshop introduced students to the available computational infrastructure, demonstrated how HPC can accelerate research and provided practical guidance on getting started.

On a lighter note, the group organized a hike in the scenic Arkansas outdoors and a barbeque at a nearby park. The annual Ping-Pong Tournament drew strong participation from students, faculty and staff, while the "Cup o' Connection" series continued to offer a reliable space for peer support and community building through informal discussions over coffee.

INFORMS student chapters engage students by offering them community, networking and professional development opportunities within operations research and the management sciences. Chapters serve as essential platforms for undergraduate and graduate students to connect with faculty and professionals, fostering skill development, mentorship and exposure to industry and research opportunities.

The Magna Cum Laude award is the second-highest class of award given to student chapters. The group will receive the award at the upcoming INFORMS Annual Meeting in Atlanta Oct. 26-29.