Joel Sokol has been appointed as the Fouts Family Associate Professor in the Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISyE) for a three year term of service, beginning August 15, 2013. The Fouts Family  Early Career Professorship is designed to enhance the ability of ISyE to “attract and retain eminent teacher-scholars.””

Whether attracting worldwide attention for the development of a highly accurate method for predicting the outcomes of the NCAA basketball tournament or having one of his research papers recognized with the 2007 EURO Management Science Strategic Innovation Prize in Logistics, Sokol’s accomplishments are remarkable in both teaching and research.  Sokol’s primary research interests are in sports analytics and applied operations research and he has had the opportunity to work with teams and leagues in all three of the major American sports.  Sokol is the recipient of one of Georgia Tech’s highest awards for teaching and his LRMC method for predictive modeling of the NCAA basketball tournament is an industry leader.  He currently serves as INFORMS Vice President of Education, and is a past Chair and founding officer of the INFORMS section on sports operation research. 

Sokol’s contributions to education include leading ISyE’s current efforts to develop an MS Analytics degree program and enhancements to Senior Design that have been recognized at the National Academy of Engineering Foundations of Engineering Education Symposium, by the Georgia Tech Class of 1934 Outstanding Use of Innovative Educational Technology award, and by the 2011 Institute of Industrial Engineers/Council of Industrial Engineering Academic Department Heads Innovation in Curriculum Award.  In addition, Joel’s teaching awards include the 2010 IIE Excellence in Teaching Operations Research Award, the 2009 Hesburgh Award Teaching Fellow, the 2008 Class of 1940 W. Roane Beard Outstanding Teacher Award, the 2007 institute-wide Apple Award, the 2007 Women in Engineering Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, the 2006 CETL/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, and the 2005 ANAK award.  Sokol’s PhD in operations research is from MIT, and his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, computer science, and applied sciences in engineering are from Rutgers University.

“The Fouts Family early career professorship appointment provides a well-deserved opportunity to enhance Joel’s growing research and educational impacts,” said Jane Ammons, ISyE School Chair.

Joel Sokol, ISyE associate professor

For More Information Contact

Barbara ChristopherIndustrial and Systems Engineering404.385.3102