OPTIMA Mathematical Optimization Society Newsletter 83

June 28, 2010. This is the first issue of Optima under our society’s new name, Mathematical Optimization Society. After a vigorous and enlightening discussion, members approved the change by the decisive margin of 457 to 127, with an additional 38 voters registering an abstention. We are working through the many practical issues associated with the change, including a new web address mathopt.org, which will come online soon, and a new logo. (Content of the web site mathprog.org has already been updated at its current URL.) The society will be moving ahead with renewed vigor under the new, more descriptive name. Andrea Lodi (Optima editor) and Alberto Caprara (co-editor) have asked to resign their offices, following publication of the next issue. We are most grateful for their excellent work during these past three years in reviving Optima, following a moribund period. Under their leadership, the format was revamped and the publication arrangements and layout were changed. I am delighted to announce that the other co-editor, Katya Scheinberg, has agreed to become the new editor. I thank Katya for her service to date and her willingness to continue in this new capacity. If you have any comments on Optima, or ideas on format and feature articles, I am sure that Katya would be happy to hear from you! This is my last column as chair (though I will remain as vice-chair for two more years). It has been a privilege to serve during these past three years. Much has happened during that time: a wonderful ISMP 2009 in Chicago, successful IPCO and ICCOPT conferences and establishment of ICCOPT as a regular conference of the society, inauguration of Mathematical Programming Computation, overhaul and modernization of the constitution and by-laws, redesign and reimplementation of the society’s web site, revival of Optima, incorporation of our membership directory in the online Combined Membership Listing at www.ams.org/cml/, establishment of the Committee on Stochastic Programming (COSP) as a technical section of the society, and of course the change of name to MOS. Such ongoing activities as Mathematical Programming, Series A and B and Optimization Online remain in good shape, and the bugs in the online archive of the journals at Springer Online have been ironed out. Further challenges and opportunities remain. I hope you will work constructively with incoming chair Philippe Toint (whose term begins on the first anniversary of ISMP 2009) and the other officers and councilors on the initiatives they undertake during the next term. There are many ways that you can advance the mission of MOS – refereeing, editing, and publishing in the journals; organizing the conferences; serving on prize committees; running for office in MOS; contributing to Optima and Optimization Online. I urge you all to find a way to contribute your time and energy! MOS serves the profession best when its members are engaged and active. MOS’s all-volunteer leadership model is one of its most appealing traits, but as our responsibilities grow, it puts more and more of a burden on some officers. The new leadership should certainly consider different models for the professional assistance that MOS receives, to increase the effectiveness of officers and improve our service and efficient use of revenues. Also on the table in the months ahead will be a possible change to our membership model, tying attendance at ISMP more closely to membership in MOS during the three-year term following each symposium. I close by wishing Philippe and the incoming team all the best. The future for MOS and optimization is bright. How lucky we are to be involved in the profession and the society at such an exciting time for the field!