Michael Fu

Michael Fu is the Smith Chair of Management Science at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, with joint appointments in the Institute for Systems Research and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He holds a Professor rank and specializes in simulation optimization, stochastic processes, and financial engineering. His research bridges theoretical advancements and practical applications in supply chain management, healthcare systems, and artificial intelligence.

His academic accolades include INFORMS College on Simulation's Outstanding Publication Award (1998, 2019), IEEE Fellow (2007), and INFORMS Simulation Society's Distinguished Service Award (2018). He has held editorial roles at journals such as Management Science and Operations Research, and served as Program Director at the National Science Foundation (2010–2012, 2015).

• Research Focus: Simulation optimization, stochastic control, and Monte Carlo methods applied to healthcare, finance, and manufacturing.
• Key Contributions: Co-author of seminal works like Conditional Monte Carlo and Simulation-Based Algorithms for Markov Decision Processes.
• Recent Trends: Integrating AI techniques (e.g., Monte Carlo Tree Search) with classical stochastic optimization frameworks.

Fu's interdisciplinary work spans multiple domains, including kidney transplantation logistics, financial risk modeling, and pandemic response strategies (e.g., real-time COVID-19 decision support systems).

He has advised numerous research initiatives funded by NSF, SEMATECH, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research, emphasizing practical applications of stochastic methods.