At its annual meeting in October 2022, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) awarded a distinction to Dr. Burcu Keskin for excellence in teaching. INFORMS is the leading international association for professionals in operations research.
Dr. Keskin, a professor of operations management at Culverhouse, was INFORMS’ 2022 recipient of the organization’s Prize for the Teaching of OR/MS Practice, which is awarded annually to an educator to recognize excellence in teaching the practice of operations research and management sciences, highlighting those who have succeeded in helping students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective practitioners of the field.
Her citation reads in part: “Dr. Keskin’s accomplishments exceed all these criteria. Her teaching approach – described by former students as ‘inspirational, empowering, and providing superior mentorship’ – has benefited a constant stream of successful practitioners.”
At the awards ceremony, Keskin expressed thanks to her doctoral advisors and mentors — and students — for helping her grow as a teacher, “I am grateful to former students for their feedback on my class materials and teaching style. I am grateful to my students for making every class exciting and rewarding and for keeping me on my toes even to this date!”