The Rutgers Center for Operations Research(RUTCOR) is focused on the development of Operations Research theory and applications through scientific study and collaboration with government and industry. We develop advanced analytical methods for the optimization of complex systems to guide decision making in a wide variety of disciplines.
Operations research is an interdisciplinary field that emerged during World War II when scientists, engineers, and mathematicians were asked to develop ways to make the most effective use of limited military resources. Since then, operations research has been widely applied by industry and government in making decisions about the use of scarce resources and in solving problems involving complex design, allocation, planning, or logistics. Today, operations research is considered an essential tool to help improve efficiency of business and management.
RUTCOR was established in 1983 to coordinate the Operations Research activities which had been going on in many parts of the university and to act as a focal point for the development of Operations Research in the state of New Jersey. In addition to running the doctoral program in O.R., RUTCOR sponsors interdisciplinary research projects, facilitates research contacts between university and industry, runs conferences on current areas of interest in O.R., sponsors colloquia, puts out several international scientific journals and an international technical report series, and hosts distinguished long and short-term visiting scholars from around the world.