2009-2010 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

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Current Research Activities
In industrial engineering, research is
conducted in the area of logistics, routing,
scheduling, production and supply
chain management, inventory control,
revenue management, and quality control.
In operations research, new developments
are being explored in mathematical
programming, combinatorial optimization,
stochastic modeling, computational and
mathematical finance, queueing theory,
reliability, simulation, and both deterministic
and stochastic network flows.
In engineering and management systems,
research is conducted in the
areas of logistics, supply chain optimization,
and revenue and risk management.
In financial engineering, research is
being carried out in portfolio management;
option pricing, including exotic
and real options; computational finance,
such as Monte Carlo simulation and
numerical methods; as well as data
mining and risk management.
Projects are sponsored and supported
by leading private firms and government
agencies. In addition, our students and
faculty are involved in the work of two
research and educational centers: the
Center for Applied Probability (CAP), the
Center for Financial Engineering (CFE),
and the Computational and Optimization
Research Center (CORC). These centers
are supported principally by grants from
the National Science Foundation.
The Center for Applied Probability
(CAP) is a cooperative center involving
the School of Engineering and Applied
Science, several departments in the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
and the Graduate School of Business.
Its interests are in four applied areas:
mathematical and computational finance,
stochastic networks, logistics and distribution,
and population dynamics.
The Center for Financial Engineering
(CFE) at Columbia University encourages
interdisciplinary research on financial
engineering and mathematical modeling
in finance and promoting collaboration
between Columbia faculty and financial
institutions, through the organization of
research seminars, workshops, and the
dissemination of research done by
members of the Center.
Computational Optimization
Research Center (CORC) at Columbia
University is an interdisciplinary group of
researchers from a variety of departments
on the Columbia campus. Its permanent
members are Professors Daniel
Bienstock, Don Goldfarb, Garud Iyengar,
Jay Sethuraman, and Cliff Stein, from
the Indstrial Engineering and Operations
Research Department, and Professor
David Bayer, from the Department of
Mathematics at Barnard College.
Researchers at CORC specialize in the
design and implementation of state-ofthe-art
algorithms for the solution of
large-scale optimization problems arising
from a wide variety of industrial and
commercial applications.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
B.S. in Industrial Engineering
The undergraduate program is designed
to develop the technical skills and intellectual
discipline needed by our graduates
to become leaders in industrial
engineering and related professions. The
program is distinctive in its emphasis on
quantitative, economic, computer-aided
approaches to production and service
management problems. It is focused on
providing an experimental and mathematical
problem-formulating and problemsolving
framework for industrial engineering
work. The curriculum provides a
broad foundation in the current ideas,
models, and methods of industrial engineering.
It also includes a substantial
component in the humanities and social
sciences to help students understand
the societal implications of their work.
The industrial engineering program
objectives are:
1. to provide students with the requisite
analytical and computational skills to
assess practical situations and academic
problems, formulate models of
the problems represented or embedded
therein, design potential solutions,
and evaluate their impact;
2. to prepare students for the workplace
by fostering their ability to participate
in teams, understand and practice
interpersonal and organizational
behaviors, and communicate their
solutions and recommendations
effectively through written, oral, and
electronic presentations;
3. to familiarize students with the historical
development of industrial engineering
tools and techniques and
with the contemporary state of the
art, and to instill the need for lifelong
learning within their profession; and
4. to instill in our students an understanding
of ethical issues and professional
and managerial responsibilities.
B.S. in Operations Research
The operations research program is one
of several applied science programs
offered at the School. At the undergraduate
level, it offers basic courses in
probability, statistics, applied mathematics,
simulation, and optimization as well
as more professionally oriented operations
research courses. The curriculum
is well suited for students with an aptitude
for mathematics applications.
It prepares graduates for professional
employment as operations research
analysts, e.g., with management consultant
and financial service organizations,
as well as for graduate studies in
operations research or business. It is
flexible enough to be adapted to the
needs of future medical and law students.
B.S. in Operations Research:
Engineering Management Systems
This operations research option is
designed to provide students with an
understanding of contemporary technology
and management. It is for students
who are interested in a technical-management
background rather than one in
a traditional engineering field. It consists
of required courses in industrial engineering
and operations research, economics,
business, and computer science,
intended to provide a foundation
for dealing with engineering and management
systems problems. Elective
courses are generally intended to provide
a substantive core in at least one
technology area and at least one management
area.
Due to the flexibility of this option, it
can incorporate the varied educational
needs of preprofessional students interested
in law, medicine, business, and
finance. In addition, most students are
encouraged to add a minor in economics
or computer science to their standard
course schedules.
SEAS 2009–2010