Professor Paul Harper awarded the Companion of Operation Research by the OR Society

The OR Society has awarded Professor Paul Harper the Companion of Operational Research, one of the most prestigious awards given by the Society.

Professor Harper was given the award for sustained support and encouragement for the development of Operational Research (OR) and outstanding service to The OR Society and the wider OR community and becomes the youngest ever recipient of this award.

Professor Harper began his work at Cardiff University in 2007 when he took a research chair position in Operational Research and he took over the role of head of the OR group in 2009. He went on to develop two new postgraduate OR courses with strong industry links specifically, which were launched in 2010 and have resulted in Cardiff University becoming one of the largest providers of OR courses at postgraduate level in the UK.

Professor Harper’s research achievements are equally impressive as evidenced by the grants he has won, his 90+ publications, and his PhD students (20 completed and current). But this is not just research that remains in papers; it is research with real impact twice winning the Cardiff University Innovation and Impact award and the prestigious Times Higher Education award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology' along with Jeff Griffiths.

He has also contributed extensively to the OR community and is currently the founding Editor in Chief of the OR Society journal Health Systems (since 2010); represents OR on the Heads of Mathematical Sciences Committee (HoDoMS); and he is a member of the Society’s Research Panel.

The Society’s Companion of OR award recognises the significance and impact of his research, his contributions to the visibility and influence of OR, and his support to the wider OR community.