2025 MIDWEST DECISION SCIENCES CONFERENCE

Responsible Leadership and Decision Making for Resilient Businesses Through Analytics

April 11-12, 2025

Hosted by

Penn State Behrend, Black School of Business

Erie, PA

 

2025 MWDSI Conference Welcome Message

We are excited to invite you to the 2025 MWDSI Annual Conference, hosted at Penn State Behrend’s Black School of Business in Erie, Pennsylvania, on April 11-12, 2025. This year’s theme, “Responsible Leadership and Decision Making for Resilient Businesses Through Analytics,” emphasizes the crucial role that responsible leadership and thoughtful decision-making, guided and supported by analytics, play in building resilient businesses.
 
We are thrilled to announce two distinguished keynote speakers for this year’s conference. Victor Prybutok, a Regents Professor of Decision Sciences in the Information Technology and Decision Sciences Department in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas (UNT), and a renowned expert in the field, will deliver a keynote address. He is currently the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School at UNT, as well as President of the Decision Sciences Institute. His insights on leadership and data-driven decision-making will offer valuable perspectives on navigating today’s evolving business landscape.
 

Joy Field, an Associate Professor of Operations Management at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, will also deliver a keynote address. Dr. Field is an accomplished scholar whose research focuses on service operations management, particularly in designing and managing processes to deliver superior service outcomes. She is the author of the book Designing Service Processes to Unlock Value, and her work has been widely published in leading journals. Her expertise will shed light on how operations and analytics intersect to drive innovation and resilience in modern business environments.

Throughout the conference, we will explore how analytics, when applied wisely and ethically, can empower leaders to make decisions that drive business success while considering broader societal impacts. The program includes a wide range of paper sessions, keynote speeches, panel discussions, student case competitions, and plenty of networking opportunities. Awards will be presented for the Stan Hardy Best Conference Paper and the Best Student Paper. The student case competition will also highlight emerging talent in decision sciences.

 
Set against the beautiful surroundings of Penn State Behrend, this year’s venue provides a welcoming space for learning and collaboration. Be sure to check the 2025 MWDSI Call for Papers for submission deadlines. Papers and abstracts can be submitted via Oxford Abstracts, and we have secured a special rate for hotel reservations made before March 10th.
 
Beyond the sessions, the MWDSI conference offers an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow professionals, exchange ideas and gain fresh perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in today’s business environment. Whether you are a seasoned expert or just starting out, you will find a welcoming community ready to engage. We encourage you to get involved, share your insights, and take advantage of everything the conference has to offer.
 
A special thank you to all the contributors, organizers, and volunteers for their hard work in making this event possible. We look forward to seeing you in Erie, PA for an inspiring and productive conference.
 
Best Regards,
Sourish Sarkar
Associate Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management
Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend
 
 

Conference Sponsors

MWSDI