Ward Whitt
Encyclopedia
Ward Whitt is an internationally renowned expert in operations research
and management sciences. He is currently the Wai T. Chang Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University
. His research focuses on queueing theory
, performance analysis, stochastic models
of telecommunication systems, and numerical transform inversion. He is recognized for his contributions to the understanding and analyses of complex queues and queuing networks, which led to advances in the telecommunications system.
. He received a BA in Mathematics from Dartmouth and a PhD in operations research from Cornell (1969). His doctoral thesis, Weak Convergence Theorems for Queues in Heavy Traffic, paved the path for his future research. Whitt joined the operations research faculty at Stanford before moving to Yale
in 1969. From 1977–2002, he worked in Bell Labs
and then AT&T Labs
. Since then, he has been a professor at Columbia.
. He holds a number of telecommunications-related patents. He has been on the editorial boards of major management science journals including Operations Research
. He is a member of Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
(INFORMS) and Institute of Mathematical Statistics
. He has also been a member and committee chair in the National Academy of Engineering
. From 1999 to 2001, Whitt has been on the INFORMS prize committee.
Operations research
Operations research is an interdisciplinary mathematical science that focuses on the effective use of technology by organizations...
and management sciences. He is currently the Wai T. Chang Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. His research focuses on queueing theory
Queueing theory
Queueing theory is the mathematical study of waiting lines, or queues. The theory enables mathematical analysis of several related processes, including arriving at the queue, waiting in the queue , and being served at the front of the queue...
, performance analysis, stochastic models
Stochastic process
In probability theory, a stochastic process , or sometimes random process, is the counterpart to a deterministic process...
of telecommunication systems, and numerical transform inversion. He is recognized for his contributions to the understanding and analyses of complex queues and queuing networks, which led to advances in the telecommunications system.
Biography
Whitt was born in Bozeman, MontanaBozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
. He received a BA in Mathematics from Dartmouth and a PhD in operations research from Cornell (1969). His doctoral thesis, Weak Convergence Theorems for Queues in Heavy Traffic, paved the path for his future research. Whitt joined the operations research faculty at Stanford before moving to Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
in 1969. From 1977–2002, he worked in Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
and then AT&T Labs
AT&T Labs
AT&T Labs, Inc. is the research & development division of AT&T, where scientists and engineers work to understand and advance innovative technologies relevant to networking, communications, and information. Over 1800 employees work in six locations: Florham Park, NJ; Middletown, NJ; Austin, TX;...
. Since then, he has been a professor at Columbia.
Honors
Whitt received numerous accolades for his seminal contributions to actuarial scienceActuarial science
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through education and experience...
. He holds a number of telecommunications-related patents. He has been on the editorial boards of major management science journals including Operations Research
Operations Research (journal)
Operations Research is a peer-reviewed mathematics journal published by INFORMS.Founded in 1955, the journal publishes articles on all areas of operations research.The journal is indexed by Mathematical Reviews and Zentralblatt MATH....
. He is a member of Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences is an international society for practitioners in the fields of operations research and management science...
(INFORMS) and Institute of Mathematical Statistics
Institute of Mathematical Statistics
The Institute of Mathematical Statistics is an international professional and scholarly society devoted to the development, dissemination, and application of statistics and probability. The Institute currently has about 4,000 members in all parts of the world...
. He has also been a member and committee chair in the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. From 1999 to 2001, Whitt has been on the INFORMS prize committee.
Awards
- 2003 INFORMS Frederick W. Lanchester PrizeFrederick W. Lanchester PrizeThe Frederick W. Lanchester Prize is an Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences prize given for the best contribution to operations research and the management sciences published in English. It is named after Frederick W. Lanchester.-Past winners:* 1954 Leslie C. Edie* 1955...
- 2002 Inaugural INFORMS Fellow
- 2001 John von Neumann Theory PrizeJohn von Neumann Theory PrizeThe John von Neumann Theory Prize of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciencesis awarded annually to an individual who has made fundamental and sustained contributions to theory in operations research and the management sciences.The Prize named after mathematician John von...
- 2001 Harold Larnder Prize
- 1997 AT&T Fellow
- 1996 National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
Member