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2021 Scholars Application and Selection Processes

Submissions are invited to the 2021 AGIFORS Ken Wang Scholars Program, an award competition organized by the Airline Group of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (AGIFORS). The submission deadline is June 1st, 2021, 18:00 EST.

The Awards

Ken Wang Scholars will be selected by an award committee and invited to present their work at the 2021 AGIFORS Symposium. The AGIFORS Community, represented by the conference attendants, will get opportunities to ask questions at the conference, and the awards will be presented to the winners.

AGIFORS Scholars will receive a cash award of USD $1,000 as well as air transportation, accommodations, and registration fees to attend the next AGIFORS Annual Symposium.  The total value of each Ken Wang Scholars Award is therefore more than USD $2,500.

Eligibility

  • Applicants cannot apply for both the Ken Wang Scholars program and the Anna Valicek award in the same calendar year.

  • Applications from the country in which the Symposium is being held are strongly encouraged to apply.  

  • Additionally, the below criteria apply respectively to each of the awards.

Eligibility for the AGIFORS Ken Wang Industrial Practitioner Scholars Award

  • Applicants must hold a Master of Science, a Master of Business Administration or related degree with a major in the area of operations research, statistics, data analysis, advanced analytics, engineering systems, air transportation or management science since May 1st, 2020, or later. 

  • Applicants must be working in aviation as operations research or analytics practitioners with less than a year of professional experience as of June 1st, 2021.


Eligibility for the AGIFORS Ken Wang Researcher Scholars Award


  • Applicants must as of June 1st, 2021, be registered graduate students pursuing a doctoral degree with a research thesis in operations research, statistics, data analysis, advanced analytics, engineering systems, air transportation or management science. Preference will be given to those PhD students who are early in their program, and who have completed the PhD comprehensive exams or equivalent.

Criteria

The awards will be granted on the basis of excellence, innovation, considering

  • fundamental contribution and originality of the ideas or methods

  • practical importance or applicability in solving important real airline and/or airline related business problems

  • methodological content and appropriateness of methods used in analysis

  • clarity and excellence of the exposition

A particular focus will be given

  • for the Ken Wang Industrial Practitioner Scholars Award, to the understanding of industrial implementation challenges and mitigation strategies

  • for the Ken Wang Researcher Scholars Award, to the likely scientific and practical contribution of the PhD project and likelihood of success in his/her proposed plan.

In addition, the applicant is expected to be able to attend the next annual symposium to present her/his work. Interacting with the AGIFORS symposium participants is the primary motivation for the Ken Wang Scholars program, and high priority will be given in selecting finalists who are able to commit to attending the annual symposium.

Application documents

1. Curriculum Vitae (maximum of two pages)

2. Letter of support

  • For the Ken Wang Researcher Scholars Award: A letter from the main academic advisor (or dissertation committee chair)
  • For the Ken Wang Industrial Practitioner Scholars Award: A letter from an employer representative
3. A one-page summary of career goals statement that addresses:
  • Why and how the candidate is interested in applying operations research/operations management, or analytics to airline business problems.
  • Why the candidate wants to participate in the symposium and how the experience might contribute to his/her professional development.
4. Project description:
  • For the Ken Wang Industrial Practitioner Scholars Award, a two-page essay that answers the following challenge question: 

"What do you view as the biggest technical challenge that airlines are facing in the COVID-19 pandemic and how would you propose addressing this challenge?  Describe your solution approach and the expected benefits."

  • For the Ken Wang Researcher Scholars Award, a three-page essay of PhD project goals statement including all graphics and technical supplements, making sure to highlight applicant’s contributions

    The application files should be submitted in a single zipped file titled LastName_FirstName_PRACTIONER.zip or LastName_FirstName_RESEARCHER.zip to KenWangScholars@agifors.org. 

    Applications for the 2021 Ken Wang Scholars Program will be accepted until June 1st, 2021, 18:00 EST, and this is a firm deadline.


    Richard Cléaz-Savoyen

    Vice President, AGIFORS

    Chair, AGIFORS Ken Wang Scholars Program award committee

    KenWangScholars@agifors.org

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