Assad Publishes New Book

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo School of Management Dean Arjang A. Assad has published a new book, “Profiles in Operations Research: Pioneers and Innovators” (July 2011, Springer Press).

The book traces the history of operations research, or the science of decision making, from its military origins in the late 1930s to its current use in managerial planning and complex global operations techniques throughout business and industry.

In addition, “Profiles in Operations Research” recounts the life stories of 43 individuals who made pioneering and seminal contributions to the growth and development of operations research (OR). Their collective contributions established OR as a field now recognized worldwide for its impact on daily life—from making hotel reservations to getting the correctly blended fuel at the gas station to ensuring that your packages arrive on time.

Assad co-edited the book with Saul Gass, professor emeritus of decision, operations and information technologies in the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business, where Assad previously served as senior associate dean.

“Profiles in Operations Research” is available at Amazon.com and will receive its official launch in November at the national meeting of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) in Charlotte, N.C.

Assad and Gass have collaborated on a number of previous works in the area of Operations Research. For more information on Arjang Assad, visit the dean’s biography on the UB School of Management website.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.