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A new computer program, developed by a team from Lehigh University, that matches inmates with suitable prisons has saved the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections about $3 million in its first year. Officials said it has resulted in fewer prison assaults, shortened wait times for treatment programs by nearly two months, reduced the number of prison transfers and lightened the workload of corrections staff. In recognition of their development, the Lehigh University team has received the INFORMS Wagner Prize, the top international prize in the field of operations research practice.

Robin Qiu, professor of information science at Penn State Great Valley, is this year’s recipient of the Volunteer Service Award from the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). Established in 2016, the award recognizes exceptional volunteer service to the organization.

The most powerful technique to increasing ratings is to respond to customer reviews. According to a forthcoming study in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science, managerial responses to reviews not only create higher ratings, but more accurate assessments as well. The authors of the study analyzed tens of thousands of hotel reviews from TripAdvisor where approximately one-third of reviews garner a response from management.

In 2008 New York City introduced a rule mandating calorie postings for chain restaurants that was intended to induce healthier choices by making calories salient inside the restaurant. A new study in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science shows that it also increases mentions about health in online restaurant reviews, potentially redirecting customers towards healthier restaurants.