Harrison C. Schramm, CAP

(he/him)
Independent Consultant Harrison Schramm is running for President-Elect of INFORMS

Education

  • M.S., Operations Research, Naval Postgraduate School
  • B.S., Electrical Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy

Professional Experience

  • 2023-Present, Independent statistical consultant
  • 2018-Present, Senior Lecturer, Naval Postgraduate School
  • 2020-2023, Principal Research Scientist, Group W Inc
  • 2017-2020, Senior Fellow, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
  • 2016-2018, Principal Analyst, CANA Advisors
  • 1996-2016, Operations Analyst and Helicopter Pilot, U.S. Navy

Selected INFORMS and Related Activities

  • 2022, President, INFORMS Analytics Society
  • 2022-2023, Chair, Franz Edelman Gala
  • 2016-2021, Judge and Coach, Franz Edelman Committee
  • 2019-2020, Inaugural Chair, INFORMS Conference on Security
  • 2018, Volume Editor, Editor’s Cut Security Applications
  • 2014, Vice President, Military Operations Research Society (MORS)
  • 2016, Inaugural Chair, MORS Emerging Techniques Forum

Selected Professional Honors and Awards

  • 2018 Clayton Thomas Prize for Contributions to Operations Research (MORS)
  • 2014 Richard H. Barchi Prize (MORS)
  • 2004 Air Medal, U.S. Navy (for the at-sea rescue of 27 merchant sailors)
  • 2004 Naval Helicopter Association Aircrew of the Year (for same rescue)
  • 1996 Steinmetz Prize for Excellence in Electrical Engineering

Selected National Service Activities

  • Commander, U.S. Navy (Retired)
  • Professionally Accredited Statistician (AMSTAT)
  • Chartered Statistician, Royal (UK) Statistical Society

Vision Statement

I am both honored and humbled to be running for President-Elect of INFORMS. As your president, I will strive to increase the reach and impact of our society, and by extension, our profession. To reach our full potential as individuals and as a profession, we need to continue our current activities, and in some cases, increase our focus.  

My personal journey in operations research began as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy. Flying over the open ocean has two analytic problems: aircraft reliability and ensuring that fuel onboard is greater than distance to landing. It is the reliability problem – which claimed the lives of several of my shipmates – that drove me to the study of O.R. This ethos became my “fuel.” While I primarily identify as “practitioner,” my career has traversed three major areas: government, industry and academia. My industry involvement has ranged from grand problems – mostly around public policy – as well as trivial – such as AI-enabled skateboards.  INFORMS is my professional home; these are my people. I have been a member long enough to have a physical membership card.

Responsibilities to Ourselves

I have long said that if you are receiving OR/MS Today – in whatever form – you are amongst the wealthiest and most actualized humans that have ever lived. We need to appreciate that position and use it as motivation to constantly strive to bring out the best in ourselves, each other and the world. I am committed to this singular goal. No professional society exists long without being fiscally responsible and INFORMS sits in a strong position compared to similar organizations. Having said that, not every decision is fiscal, and not every activity needs to turn a profit to be “worthy.” I am unafraid to launch new initiatives; specifically, I was the inaugural chair of the INFORMS Security Conference, which is now in its third offering for 2024. As president of the Analytics Society, I am proud to have supported the launch of both the Military Veteran’s Interest Forum and new Pride Forum. 

Responsibilities to the Profession

The defining characteristic of a professional is their responsibility to the profession. As your president, this will include both an INFORMS focus as well as increasing our reach and involvement with partner societies. I will focus on building these relationships where they make sense, in a manner that is mutually beneficial for both sides with an eye toward using our skills and tools for the betterment of society. Similarly, we need to ensure that we balance our focus on sound technical rigor with the need to be forward leaning. Our “forward lean” has both technical and social aspects, and I applaud – and support – INFORMS’ long-running DEI initiatives. Additionally, viability as a professional society critically depends on the engagement of our members. One area that I plan to pay specific attention to is the creation of “on-ramps” for newer members to take on increasing volunteer roles throughout the organization. This requires intentionality from those of us who have “been around,” and as president, I plan to take the leading role.

Responsibilities to Society

This responsibility goes beyond the business, government and academic fields we directly support. As a practitioner with one foot in academia, it is important to me – professionally as well as personally – to continue to deliver timely, actionable insights in a way that is palatable to those we support, and ultimately, the public writ large. This has been the singular focus of my career for the past decade and will continue to be so. Finally – fulfill your responsibility to the society and vote!

For more information, please visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisonschramm/