Title:

Smarter Decisions for a Better World: Research in Health & INFORMS Innovations 

Abstract:

This seminar will contain topics in two major areas. In the first, Dr. Swann will discuss research related to health systems, particularly methodologies from OR, AI, ML and more applied to problems of interest to healthcare providers, governmental agencies, and other decision-makers. Examples include agent-based simulations of pandemics with modeling and assessment of interventions to improve equitable outcomes in the population, learning models to enable dynamic optimization of community policies, and interpretable modeling to identify patients at greatest risk for unplanned hospitalizations.

In the second half of the seminar, Dr. Swann will discuss innovations and future planning with the INFORMS society, including topics such as AI, quantum computing, early career practitioners, accreditation and certification for data science programs, research reproducibility for publications, and strategic planning. Discussion and questions will be welcome.

Bio:

Julie L. Swann is the department head and A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor of the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at NC State University. She is an affiliate faculty in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at NC State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Previously, Swann was the Nash Professor in the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems at Georgia Tech, a co-founder of the Center of Health and Humanitarian Systems at Georgia Tech, and the Chair of the Council of Industrial Engineering Academic Department Heads (CIEADH). Swann is a Fellow of INFORMS, IISE, and AIMBE and the 2024 President of INFORMS.

Throughout her career, Swann has conducted research, outreach and education to improve how health and humanitarian systems and supply chains operate worldwide while advancing scientific innovations. Her research relates to public health, public policy, epidemiology, infectious disease, supply chain management, and disaster response, along with building or employing mathematical and computational models. The work allowed her to serve as a science advisor for the H1N1 pandemic response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2020-2023 she was active in supporting pandemic preparations and decision-making in local, state, and federal health agencies, while also serving as a subject matter expert to the media including outlets such as The Washington Post, The LA Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Scientific American, and The Hill) along with radio and television.

Along with the CDC, Swann has collaborated with health and humanitarian organizations such as The American Red Cross; The Carter Center; CARE USA; Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; Emory University Hospital; State Departments of Public Health; and many others including companies.

Worldwide, Dr. Swann has contributed to the education of thousands of practitioners in health and humanitarian systems through the co-creation and teaching in a professional certificate program at Georgia Tech. This contribution includes teaching in the MASHLM program in Lugano, Switzerland, and co-chairing the annual Health and Humanitarian Logistics Conference.