INFORMS Award : PHD Mentorship Program for Women
Banafsheh Behzad is recognized with 2023 INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences) Fora Moving Spirit Award in appreciation of her service to the Women in Operations Research & Management Science - INFORMS Forum.
In 2022, Dr. Behzad served as the President of Women in Operations Research & Management Science and the co-ambassador of the INFORMS DEI Ambassador Project TO MY YOUNGER SELF (TMYS), which is a mentorship program for women PhD students. Drawing on the experience gained from this one-year long mentorship program, the need for structured mentoring is acute among women doctoral students. After the conclusion of the Ambassador Project TMYS, Dr. Behzad took the initiative to establish TMYS as a permanent program within Women in Operations Research & Management Science Forum. Currently this forum is providing annual mentorship to several women PhD students. In an effort to enhance DEI initiatives within the forum, she introduced a new role on the WORMS board, the “DEI Liaison”. In appreciation of this service, INFORMS awarded Dr. Behzad with the 2023 Fora Moving Spirit Award.
