Laura Albert

Laura Albert is a Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and former David H. Gustafson Department Chair (2021-24). She serves as a Fellow of AAAS and IISE, and previously held the INFORMS presidency. Her research focuses on optimizing public-sector systems, with applications in critical infrastructure protection, emergency response, and cybersecurity. She advocates for public engagement through op-eds and blogs like 'Punk Rock Operations Research.'

Education:

• PhD in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2006)
• MS in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2001)
• BS in Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2000)

Research Interests: Dr. Albert’s work bridges operations research and public policy, addressing challenges in emergency medical services, voting system security, law enforcement strategies, and opioid treatment diversion programs. She employs mathematical optimization, game theory, and stochastic modeling to design resilient systems.

Awards:

• INFORMS Impact Prize (2018)
• NSF CAREER Award (2011)
• Fulbright Award (2020)
• AAAS Fellow (2020)

Advising & Grants: While explicit student names aren’t listed, her research has been supported by grants from the NSF, Army Research Office, and other agencies. She advises on interdisciplinary projects involving public health, cybersecurity, and disaster management.

Labs/Teams: Engaged in collaborative efforts across the College of Engineering, including affiliations with the Electrical & Computer Engineering department. Leads initiatives on resilient infrastructure and emergency response systems.