INFORMS Honors Richard C. Larson

with 2003 President's Award

November 2003

Thomas M. Cook, President 2003 of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), recently presented the INFORMS President’s Award for 2003 to Dr. Richard C. Larson, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Systems.

Cook noted that Larson has distinguished himself during his career by excelling in research, teaching innovation, and the practical application of Operations Research. He was one of the youngest winners of the Lanchester Prize, was the Philip M. Morse Lecturer, and a recipient of the George E. Kimball Medal. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, former president of the Operations Research Society of America (ORSA), an INFORMS fellow, and a finalist in the Franz Edelman competition.

The President’s Award is given to recognize work that advances the welfare of society. The citation given to Larson lauded Larson for his contributions to solving a wide range of urban problems, specifically “Dr. Larson’s service on the President’s Crime Commission; his work with the New York City police, fire, sanitation, and ambulance service; and his work on 911 dispatching, has undoubtedly saved lives, reduced suffering, and saved urban budgets millions of dollars.”