Sheldon
H. Jacobson Ph.D.
University
of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Founder Professor in Computer
Science
Director, Bed Time Research Institute
Director, Institute
for Computational Redistricting
Director, Simulation and Optimization Laboratory
201 North Goodwin Avenue
(MC-258)
University of Illinois
Urbana, Illinois 61801-2302
Telephone: (217) 244-7275
Fax: (217) 265-4035
Skype: sheldon.jacobson1
Email: shj@illinois.edu
Twitter: @shjanalytics
For the Media:
Areas of Expertise
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9042-8750
Primary and Affiliate Appointments:
Professor of Computer
Science
Professor of Electrical
and Computer Engineering
Professor of Industrial
and Enterprise Systems Engineering
Professor of Mathematics
(College of Liberal Arts and Science)
Professor of Statistics
(College of Liberal Arts and Science)
Professor, Carle
Illinois College of Medicine
Founding Director: Institute for Computational
Redistricting (ICOR)
Founding Director: Bed
Time Research Institute
(BTRI)
Web Sites of Interest within
the BTRI
1)
March Madness 2023... What
are your bracket odds? Visit Bracketodds
for help with your Men’s and Women’s brackets.
2)
What drives obesity? Visit Driving Obesity for the
answer.
3)
Interested in ending
gerrymandering? Visit the Institute for Computational
Redistricting (ICOR).
Information
of Interest
Broader Impacts: How research supported by
the National Science Foundation makes the world better for all. Read the Workshop Report: Setting
a Broader Impacts Innovation Roadmap.
In
the News
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 and earlier
(17 March 2023, Associated
Press, Mark Anderson) “Analytics expert says portal hurting
major programs” quotes Jacobson on the
analytics of March Madness.
(17 March 2023, Louisville Public Radio, In Conversation) has
Jacobson as a guest on March Madness 2023.
(15 March 2023, WLS 890 AM, Chicago, IL, The Steve Cochran Show)
“Want a bust-proof bracket? A University of Illinois professor
uses computer science to master March Madness”
interviews Jacobson on March Madness and his bracketodds analytics in putting
together a bracket.
(13 March 2023, Cleveland Plains Dealer, Marc Bona) “Not a basketball expert? Here’s how to
approach NCAA Tournament bracket pick” features commentary by
Jacobson on how to contruct a tournament bracket,
based on his research reported on Bracketodds website.
(10 March 2023, NBC 5,
Chicago Il, Lauren Petty) “We should ‘split the difference when it
comes to time changes, professor says,” interviews Jacobson on
his recent essay in The Hill on using a permanent 30
minute time change in the Spring.
(9 February 2023, USA Today, Josh
Peter) “What are the odds of brothers meeting in the Super
Bowl? Not as high as you might think” quotes Jacobson’s statistics on this
event occurring.
(11 January 2023, FOX 35,
Orlando, FL, Randi Hildreth) “Any system is vulnerable at any given
time: Airline security expert on nationwide ground stoppage” quotes Jacobson on
computer system that resulted in a ground stop.
(11 January 2023, WFTS-ABC
Action News, Tampa, FL, Mary McConnell) “Experts break down what’s behind FAA
system outage, flight delays” quotes Jacobson on
computer system that resulted in a ground stop.
(7 January 2023, Travel
Weekly, Andrea Zelinski) “Supply chain woes delay cruise ship
debuts” quotes Jacobson on how
supply chain challenges are impacting the cruise ship industry.
(28 December 2022, WFTF-ABC,
Tampa, FL, Mary O’Connell) “Experts explain what’s behind Southwest
travel meltdown while sharing advice for stranded passengers” quotes Jacobson on
Southwest Airlines flight cancellation problems. See also “What’s behind the Southwest meltdown?” (KTEN-10 NBC,
Dennison, TX, Tyger Allen).
(17 December 2022, New
York Times, Eduardo Medina) ““Record number of guns confiscated at U.S. airports, TSA
reports” quotes Jacobson on the
possible causes and solutions to a record number of guns found at airport
checkpoints.
(14 December 2022, WHO
AM-1040, Des Moines, IA, Jeff Angelo) “Do we really need REAL ID?” has
Jacobson as a guest discussing his recent op-ed in The Hill on the importance of
REAL IDs.
(21 November 2022, The
21st Show, Illinois Public Media) “Turbulence for
Thanksgiving 2022 air travel” featured Jacobson as a
guest discussing the challenges with air travel during the holiday season.
(17 November
2022, University of Illinois News Bureau) “Second year of pandemic deadlier for middle aged
than the first, analysis finds,” features
research by I. Ludden, J.A. Jokela, and Jacobson that compares the fatality
risk during the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their research was published in Health Care Management Science.
· (17 November 2022, WCIA
TV-3, Champaign, IL, Noah Nelson) U of I researchers find surge in Covid-19
cases among middle-aged adults.
· (18 November 2022, WBBM,
Dave Dahl) “U of I Professor: The pandemic hit people
aged 35-44 harder in its second year.”
· (22 November 2022, Champaign
News Gazette, Deb Pressey) “Coronavirus response | UI research
suggests pandemic hit middle-aged harder in Year 2.”
(15 November, Cincinnati
Enquirer, Quinlan Bentley) “TSA: screening for box cutter ‘contrary
to standard operating procedure.’ Suspect in court.” quotes Jacobson on
airport security issues that led to the security breach at CVG.
(15 November 2022, The
Street, Brian O’Connell) “Five travel myths debunked for
Thanksgiving weekend” quotes Jacobson on when
to not take the first flight of the day.
(2 November 2022, Poynter,
Tom Jones) “The trouble with polls” quotes Jacobson’s op-ed
on polling that appeared in The Hill.
(22 September 2022, Travel
Commons) “Podcast #189: Why we
travel; when the first flight isn’t the best,” featured Jacobson
discussing is op-ed which appeared in the Chicago Tribune on 30 August
2022.
(13 September 2022, WLS-AM
890, The John Howell Show, Chicago, IL) Jacobson
was a guest discussing if and when the Electoral College should be eliminated
in favor of popular vote, based on his recent commentary in The Hill.
(13 September 2022, Huff
Post, Caroline Bologna) “Experts predict what 2022 holiday travel
will be like” quotes Jacobson on how
to circumvent air travel during the holiday.
(23 August 2022, Grid
News, Anna Dean) “2022 could break the record for most guns
found in airplane carry-ons: The U.S. airports with
the highest rates.” quotes Jacobson on why the TSA is finding so many guns at
airport security checkpoints.
(11 August 2022, Yahoo
Finance, Brooke DiPalma) “Food package sizing is shrinking amid
inflation”. Quotes Jacobson on how
‘Shrinkflation’ is achieved. See also “How ‘shrinkflation’ and rising food
prices is “just like a magic show’: Expert.”
(1 August 2022, Money Life with Chuck Jaffe) Jacobson was a guest
discussing “Shrinkflation” and its impact on consumers, based on his recent
commentary in the Chicago Tribune.
(26 July 2022, CBS DFW,
JD Miles) “Shooting at Dallas Love Field Airport
raises more security questions.” provides commentary by
Jacobson on airport security.
(12 July 2022, Canadian
Press, James McCarten) “Does airport preclearance offer a model
to help U.S. prevent future mass shootings?” quotes Jacobson on how
lessons learned from airport security may be helpful to reduce gun violence.
(7 June 2022, Vox Recode, Rani
Molla) “What the TSA could teach Congress about gun control.” interviews Jacobson, discussing how
risk-based decision-making can help reduce gun violence.
(6 June 2022, Texas Tribune, Jolie
McCullough & James Barragan) “Texas politicians search for solutions after another mass
shooting. Experts say we’ve already
found them”quotes Jacobson on layered methods to reduce the
risk of firearms killings.
Potential PhD Graduate
Students
Research Opportunities in
Operations Research
Secrets to Learn
Before you Graduate
Visit the Media and Outreach
Presentation
For a seminar on
bracketology:
March
Madness and Advanced Analytics: Improving Your Bracket Odds
Looking for a Ph.D. Advisor?
Zen and
the Art of Hiring and Advising Graduate Students
Interested in
Jacobson’s “TED-type” Talk slides?
Interested in supporting Jacobson’s research on policy, public
health, societal issues, or bracketology?
Visit Benefunder.
Research Areas and Interests
Theory/AI Interface (Operations
Research)
Advanced Analytics and Data
Science (Big Data, Computational Public Health & Social Sciences, Health
Informatics)
Industrial Engineering
Current Research Thrusts
Data-driven
Causal Inference (BIG Data Analytics Using Discrete Optimization)
Security
Screening (Data-driven Decision-making Under Uncertainty, Game Theory)
Algorithmic
Political Districting (Graph Theory, Artificial Intelligence)
Branch and Bound
Strategies for discrete optimization problems (Theory/Artificial Intelligence)
Bracketology
Data Analytics (Sports Analytics)
Infectious
Disease Screening and quarantining strategies (Decision-making Under
Uncertainty)
Obesity, Energy,
and Transportation (Public Health Data Analytics)
Mass Murder and
Violence Trends in Society (Public Health Data Analytics)
Research (Peer
Reviewed) Articles
Computer Simulation Methodology and
Modeling
Discrete Optimization Algorithms
(Exact and Approximation)
Stochastic Models,
On-line Optimization, and Sequential Decision-Making
Aviation Security
System Design and Analysis
Health Care Systems Engineering,
Modeling, and Analysis
Immunization and
Vaccine Economics
Transportation, Obesity, and Public
Health
Causal Inference,
Districting Problems, and Election Forecasting
Sports Analytics:
NCAA Bracketology
Applications of Operations Research
Other
Publications
Book Chapters
Professional
Magazines, Op-Eds, Letters
Conference
Proceedings Papers
Professional
Activities
Presentations,
Seminars, and Posters
Sponsored Research
Dissertation,
Theses, and Projects Directed
Awards, Honors, and
Recognitions
Selected Media
Coverage
Teaching and Service
Activities
Jacobson's
Web Site on the Computer Science Web Page
Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D.
201 North Goodwin Avenue (MC-258)
University of Illinois
Urbana, Illinois 61801-2302
Telephone: (217) 244-7275
Fax: (217) 244-6869
Skype: sheldon.jacobson1
Email: shj@illinois.edu
Twitter: @shjanalytics
Last Updated: 19 March 2023
First Posted: 25 June 1999
