Seminar Calendar, Information and Innovation Management
Operations Research: Some thoughts on its past, present, and future
12 Jan 2026 | 2:00 p.m. — 3:30 p.m.
KK 301, K. K. Leung Building, HKU
SPEAKER
Professor Christopher Thomas Ryan
Professor in the Operations and Logistics division
Sauder School of Business
University of British Columbia
ABSTRACT
I will explore the origins and evolution of Operations Research (OR) leading to the present day. In particular, I will pay attention to how OR defined itself in relation to competing fields and how this definition evolved and morphed with time. The talk ends with examining how this historical legacy provides context for understanding the role of OR as an academic and practical discipline in the future.
