Brian Denton, U-M Industrial and Operations Engineering (IOE) professor and department chair, was recently appointed the Stephen M. Pollock Collegiate Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering. This position is named in honor of Stephen M. Pollock, a professor emeritus and former chair of U-M IOE.
A Collegiate Research Professorship is awarded to a professor who demonstrates exceptional scholarly achievement and makes an impact towards advancing knowledge in their academic field of study. The recipient is given the privilege of selecting a past faculty member after whom the professorship title will be named.
“I’m truly flattered by this recognition and I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to honor Steve Pollock, a giant in our field, and someone I have deeply respected for many years,” said Denton.
“I’m truly flattered by this recognition and I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to honor Steve Pollock, a giant in our field, and someone I have deeply respected for many years.”
Brian Denton
department chair, stephen M. Pollock Collegiate Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering
Stephen Pollock taught courses in decision analysis, mathematical modeling, dynamic programming and stochastic processes. His research applied decision analysis and other operations research methods to tackle a variety of real-world problems such as political redistricting, early infection detection, water pollution control, and automotive emissions testing.
He has authored over 60 technical papers, co-edited two books, and has served as a consultant to over 30 organizations, and served on the editorial boards of three major journals. His research has been applied to various fields, including defense, criminal justice, manufacturing, epidemiology and medicine.
During his time at U-M, Pollock served as director of the College of Engineering’s Financial Engineering Program and Engineering Global Leadership Program, he was a member of the College of Engineering’s Executive Committee and was a recipient of the College’s Attwood Award.
His extraordinary achievements resulted in his election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2002 for his contributions to the education, science, and analysis of public and private sector operations.
Brian Denton has been a professor in U-M IOE since 2012, and the department chair since 2018. Before coming to U-M, he worked at IBM, Mayo Clinic, and North Carolina State University. His work has focused on engineering-based approaches to optimization of healthcare delivery and medical decision making, including policies for early detection and treatment of chronic diseases with an emphasis on cancer, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
