Rajan Batta

Rajan Batta is an American operations research scientist, and a SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo. Batta earned his doctorate in Operations Research in 1984 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a member of the University at Buffalo faculty beginning in 1984. He also has had several administrative appointments, including Chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Interim Dean, and Associate Dean in various capacities of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at the University at Buffalo (UB). At present, he serves in the role of Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Recognition.

Education Batta received his undergraduate degree with first class with distinction (BTech) in Mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, India in 1980 and his PhD degree in Operations Research in 1984 from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Research Batta is a published author in various fields of operations research, applied operations research, military operations research, facility location, and transportation.

As an author Batta's research is in hazmat routing, location modeling, emergency response, and military and security applications. He published on a regular basis in premier journals, e.g., Computers & Operations Research, European Journal of Operational Research, Management Science, Military Operations Research, Transportation Science, Operations Research, and Socio-Economic Planning Sciences. Batta was listed in the top 50 "most productive and influential authors" in an article commemorating the 40th year of publication of European Journal of Operational Research (EJOR).

Research and Leadership Awards

Batta is a Fellow of two professional societies: Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). The INFORMS fellow citation states "He is honored for advanced theoretical research and use-inspired models for addressing location, layout, security and HAZMAT transport problems; and for sustained outstanding academic education and leadership."

Batta is also a recipient of the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award from IISE. As per the IISE website, this is the highest and most esteemed honor bestowed by IISE. It recognizes those who have distinguished themselves through contributions to the welfare of mankind in the field of industrial engineering. The contributions are of the highest caliber and nationally or internationally recognized.

A list of significant awards is as follows;

Koopman Prize for outstanding publication in military operations research by the Military and Security Society, INFORMS, 2024

Lifetime Achievement in Locational Analysis Award, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, 2023 Fellow, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, 2022 Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, 2022 Best paper award from the journal Military Operations Research, 2020 Koopman Prize for outstanding publication in military operations research by the Military and Security Society, INFORMS, 2018 Award for Technical Innovation in Industrial Engineering, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, 2016 Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award, Institute of Industrial Engineers, 2015 Best paper award for the journal IIE Transactions: Design and Manufacturing, 2013 AIIMS-MOPTA Optimization Modeling Competition Winner, Lehigh University, 2012 Dr. David F. Baker Distinguished Research Award, Institute of Industrial Engineers, 2008 SUNY Research Foundation Award for Research and Scholarship, 2007 Fellow, Institute of Industrial Engineers, 2006 Best paper award from the journal Military Operations Research, 2005 Sustained Achievement Award, Exceptional Scholar Program, University at Buffalo, 2002

Teaching Awards

University at Buffalo Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award, 2014-2015 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2007