Sunday, November 13, 2011

What a Great Regional Science Conference in Miami

The regional science conference in Miami was a great success.
I especially enjoyed the sessions organized in honor of Professor Walter Isard, the founder of regional science, who passed away several months ago.
The venue at the Hyatt Regency hotel was perfect as well as the style of the conference, which included a discussant for each paper presentation.
I enjoyed speaking about our work on medical nuclear supply chains as well as on the dynamics of predator-prey ecological networks as nature's supply chains (and their relationship to classical spatial price equilibrium problems as well as to multitiered supply chain network equilibrium problems).
It was wonderful to see so many of my wonderful regional science colleagues from around the world at this conference -- there were many hugs and catching-up conversations.
Many thanks to the organizers for such an intellectual feast.
As for Miami, the warmth of the climate as well as the people, plus the gorgeous sights (the hotel is in downtown Miami but there are parks along the water a monorail and amazing skyscrapers) will be hard to leave.
Why do I live in Massachusetts -- perhaps I forgot to include weather as an amenity in my utility function?
My previous trip to Miami was a decade ago -- my first flight and conference after 9/11 and it was to the INFORMS conference.
I am now heading to INFORMS Charlotte, which should be fabulous, as well.
I will be posting many photos after I return to Amherst.