Short news

What is IFORS ?

IFORS, the 'International Federation of Operational Research Societies', is an international organization of national societies whose primary objective is the advancement of Operational Research. Its aims are the development of Operational Research as a unified science and its advancement in all nations of the world. More information concerning IFORS can be obtained from the following web page : http://www.ifors.org/

Executive Committee 2000

• President : Andres Weintraub (Chile)
• Immediate Past President : Peter C. Bell (Canada)
• Vice-President (IFORS-at-large): Graham K. Rand (Great Britain)
• Vice-President (representing ALIO) : Celso C. Ribeiro (Brazil)
• Vice-President (representing APORS) : Moshe Sniedovich (Australia)
• Vice-President (representing EURO) : Dominique de Werra (Switzerland)
• Vice-President (representing NORAM) : Robert A. Abrams (USA)
• Treasurer : Hugh Bradley (USA)
• Secretary : Loretta Peregrina (Canada)

The names of the next IFORS Leaders (2001-2004) have been announced:

• President : Paolo Toth (Italy)
• Vice-President (IFORS-at-large): Elise del Rosario (Philippines)

Dominique de Werra (Vice-President (representing EURO)) will be replaced by A. Siskos (Greece).

IFORS XVI in Edinburgh (July 8-12, 2002)

This will be a historic conference - the first IFORS conference of new millennium and a return by IFORS to the United Kingdom, the country that hosted the first IFORS conference and was the originator of OR as we know it.

The conference will feature an eclectic mix of plenary sessions, and invited and contributed talks from practitioners and academics. We hope to substantial practitioner contribution, generating a strong interaction between those who have to address the real problems of industry and commerce and those who have knowledge of the techniques and methodologies of Operational Research. This conference will be at the cutting edge of research. It will not only discuss some of the problems of the new economy but also use new technology - you will be able to submit a paper and book on the web. Programme details and other information about the conference will also be provided via the web (http://www.som.umd.umich.edu/ifors2002/).

Marino Widmer, ASRO representative to IFORS
marino.widmer@unifr.ch