Research, Applications Converge at
ORPA 4
James J. Cochran, Louisiana Tech University
O
perations Research
Practice for Africa
(ORPA) recently hosted
its fourth annual conference in
Washington, DC. The theme of
the conference was the use of oper-
ations research to address urban
transportation and water resource
management issues in Africa.
The conference took place
October 10–11 at the Marriott
Wardman Park 4 Hotel, where
attendees of both the 2009
Institute for Operations Research
and the Management Sciences
Conference could participate.
Serigne Gueye explains the ORTRANS project.
The purpose of the confer-
ence was to provide a forum for
researchers, students, policymak-
ers, and representatives involved
in African urban transportation
and water issues to collaborate.
Operations researchers were
able to connect with individuals
working on these issues who need
analytic help, and those working
on water or urban transportation
problems in Africa were able to
better understand how operations
research can help.
Conference registrants
included engineers, chemists,
biologists, business executives,
medical researchers, operations
Etienne Toussaint (standing) and Kristin Downs explain their efforts to
researchers, statisticians, com-
promote sustainable agriculture in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province of
puter scientists, anthropolo-
South Africa.
gists, economists, and ecolo-
gists/environmental scientists.
ORPA 4 provided several exam- systems, that are scarce throughout
The program included open
ples and generated exciting oppor- Sudan. With limited funds, the
and frank discussion of works-
tunities to use operations research Nuba Water Project must be selec-
in-progress, recent solutions to
in interesting and meaningful tive when choosing sites for wells
problems, and issues connected
ways. For example, in “The Perfect and irrigation systems, and this
to African water and transporta-
Storm: Development Challenges issue is further compounded by
tion systems. Speakers remained
in South Kordofan State of Sudan, reports of groundwater contami-
for the entire conference to
Nuba Water Project,” Stephen nation, including uranium. (When
encourage discussion and the
Riley discussed his organization’s told about the possibility that his
development of potential col-
efforts to build a water infrastruc- village was drinking contaminat-
laborative relationships.
ture, such as wells and irrigation ed well water, Riley quoted one
MARCH 2009 AMSTAT NEWS 41
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