The University of Michigan Industrial and Operations Engineering Professor has been named a Distinguished Fellow by the Manufacturing and Service Operations Management (MSOM) Society of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS).
Professor Saif Benjaafar, the Seth Bonder Collegiate Professor at the University of Michigan and the upcoming Goff Smith co-director of the Joel D. Tauber Institute for Global Operations, has been named a Distinguished Fellow by the Manufacturing and Service Operations Management (MSOM) Society.
This prestigious fellowship recognizes extraordinary scholarly contributions and achievements in operations management research. Professor Benjaafar is now among a small group of living fellows who share this notable distinction.
“Saif’s early and influential work in the sharing economy, particularly peer-to-peer systems and on-demand service has shifted our understanding of their operational mechanisms and social implications,” said an anonymous member of the selection committee.
The conferment of this accolade took place at the recent MSOM Annual Conference from June 29 to July 1, 2024, in Minneapolis, where Professor Benjaafar was also invited to deliver a plenary speech.
Professor Benjaafar is joined in this honor by Professors Mor Armony from the Stern School of Business at New York University (NYU) and Vishal Gaur from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Both have made significant contributions to the operations management field, echoing the breadth and impact of this year’s awardees.
“I am deeply honored to be named for this award, alongside colleagues as amazing as Mor and Vishal, and to be included in a roster of many of the leading figures in our field,” said Benjaafar. “This is very much a recognition of the work of my co-authors, including many current and former students, and of the support I received from numerous colleagues along the way.”
Benjaafar’s research centers on operations, with a particular emphasis on sustainable practices and innovative business models such as the sharing economy, on-demand services, and digital marketplaces. Throughout his career, he has introduced groundbreaking methods to enhance the design, operation, and management of systems across various industries, including manufacturing, services, and transportation. By bridging operations research, economics, and computing, his work consistently advances the field, creating solutions that promote economic growth while improving societal outcomes.
Learn more about the MSOM Society and the Distinguished Fellow Award.