J. Eric Bickel

J. Eric Bickel is a Professor at The University of Texas at Austin, serving as Director of the Operations Research & Industrial Engineering (ORIE) and Engineering Management programs. He holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering and directs the Center for Engineering & Decision Analytics (CEDA). His academic background includes a PhD and MS in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University.

His research focuses on decision analysis under uncertainty, addressing topics like probabilistic modeling, climate engineering, risk management, and applications in sports and energy sectors. His work has been featured in major media including The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and his climate engineering research was endorsed by Nobel Laureates as a top climate change response strategy.

Professor Bickel has extensive industry experience, having previously served as Senior Engagement Manager and Co-Director of Client Education at Strategic Decisions Group (SDG), where he remains on the Board of Directors. His consulting spans oil/gas, energy trading, and financial services sectors.

He has received recognition as a Fellow of the Society of Decision Professionals and contributed to the Copenhagen Consensus on Climate Project. His teaching extends to executive education through Texas Executive Education and McCombs School of Business.

Research highlights include novel methods for probabilistic dependence modeling, value-of-information analysis in shale reservoirs, and critiques of risk assessment tools like heat maps. His climate engineering work emphasizes economically viable solar radiation management strategies.