MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Supported by four venerable Montreal academic institutions, HEC Montréal, École Polytechnique, McGill University and University of Quebec in Montreal (Departments of Mathematics and Computer Science), the GERAD research group (Group for Research in Decision Analysis), is multi disciplinary in its makeup, much like the conglomerate that sustains it. It includes experts in quantitative methods for business administration, operations researchers, theoreticians in computer science and discrete mathematics, mathematicians, and mathematical engineers. It gathers nearly sixty researchers sharing an interest in the mathematics of decision making under all its forms. Fundamentally, it is concerned with static, dynamic, stochastic, multi criteria and multi agent optimization. At the pre decision stages, it is also interested in the mathematics of model building (discrete and continuous), statistics, simulation, and data mining.

GERAD envisions itself as a single stopping point for all kinds of theoretical questions/ concrete problems concerning the management of large/complex systems. Its researchers have been involved with a significant number of application areas, such as: transportation, telecommunications, finance and econometrics, energy and the environment, electric power systems, logistics, manufacturing systems, health systems, bio statistics, and a growing list of other applications. It plays a significant role in technological transfer, in particular, under the form of software packages designed to provide guidance in decision making, and around which it is not infrequent to see spin off companies getting organized. Above all, it remains a convivial environment favorable to scientific exchanges, one of intellectual effervescence with numerous international visitors, and a training ground for highly qualified personnel destined to contribute to Quebec, Canada at large, and quite often, other industrialized world economies.

GERAD counts already some 25 years of existence, which would make it a mature research center. Yet, both its founder Alain Haurie and GERAD feel as young as ever. In the case of GERAD, the secret of this youth lies in the continually renewed enthusiasm of its students and researchers, the regular influx of new intellectual blood, the kindness and expertise of its technicians, and the extreme dedication of its support staff who always rightfully felt they were an integral part of this intellectual adventure. We gratefully acknowledge the crucial financial and/or logistical supports of NATEQ (Province of Quebec Fund for Nature and Technologies), and our member institutions. GERAD’s success and effectiveness are also undeniably due to a strong involvement with industry. I hereby invite you to discover us in these web pages.

Roland P. Malhamé, Director