Larry Seiford smiles and poses for a portrait.

Larry Seiford

Professor
Home/People/Faculty/Core Faculty/Larry Seiford

email

seiford@umich.edu

Location

2731 IOE

Phone

(734) 764-9422

Primary Website

https://seiford.engin.umich.edu/

Biography

Additional Title(s)

  • Goff Smith Co-Director, Tauber Institute for Global Operations

Larry Seiford’s roles as co-director of the Tauber Institute, EGL advisor and professor make him a key player in the academic pursuits of many young engineers. They also enable him to interact with students at various points during their time at the College. “It’s incredible the growth that occurs,” says Larry. “Typically, members of the faculty don’t get those data points. They don’t interact with them at multiple different points in time.” But Larry has that opportunity, and he is fascinated with the progression of skill and expertise that he witnesses yearly.

“I’m really always so impressed with what they can do,” Larry affirms. “These students have accomplished so much at this point in their lives. It is really amazing how talented they are.”

Larry has had quite an expansive career in operations engineering. In addition to his years of experience as a professor, he has served as Chair of the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering and acted as Program Director of the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. But his favorite job—indeed, the “best job ever”—is working with the innovative minds at the College of Engineering.

His approach to mentoring reflects the caliber of those students: “I just try to facilitate what they’d like to do and stay out of their way,” he admits. That’s all they need “to go off and accomplish their miracles.”

Certainly, Larry’s numerous assignments keep him occupied. But when he’s not teaching or mentoring, he does find a few moments to indulge his love of “dark liquids.” He roasts his own coffee beans and, while on sabbatical, he even learned how to brew beer. “I decided that I ought to expand to a little chemical engineering,” Larry jokes, flashing a smile. An avid beer-enthusiast—”snob,” he corrects—Larry’s particularly fond of a good microbrew, the darker the better. “You know, the kind you can’t see light through!”

While being a beer connoisseur might be one Larry’s favorite hobbies, his main focus is making sure the students at the College have access to the best resources out there. He also encourages them to step outside of their comfort zones and recognize that failure is a motivator rather than a deterrent. “They all have leadership skills—they just need to push a little beyond to really get out there.”

Education

  • PhD, The University of Texas, Austin, ’77
  • MA, The University of Texas, Austin, ’72
  • BA, The University of St. Thomas, ’69

Research Interests

Analytics

  • Data Analytics

Applications

  • Healthcare Quality Improvement
  • Banking & Finance
  • Manufacturing
  • Service Systems

Industrial Operations

  • Distribution & Logistics
  • Inventory Control
  • Production Scheduling
  • Supply-Chain Management

Operations Research Tools

  • Data Envelopment Analysis
  • Game Theory
  • Math Modeling
  • Performance Measurement
  • Productivity And Efficiency Analysis

Quality and Applied Statistics

  • Statistical Quality Control
  • Exploratory Data Analysis
  • Visualization

Risk Management

  • Risk Analysis
Research areas:
, , ,

Professional Society Memberships

Awards

  • Fellow, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS).
  • Fellow, Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE).
  • Fellow, American Society for Quality (ASQ).
  • Doctor Honoris Causa, Universite de la Mediterranee Aix-Marseille (2000).
  • Lilly Faculty Mentor, University of Massachusetts (1999).
  • Outstanding Advisor Service Award, College of Engineering and Joint Student Engineering Societies, University of Massachusetts, (1997).
  • Nominated for the University Distinguished Teaching Award, University of Massachusetts, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
  • General Electric Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Engineering, University of Massachusetts (1990).
  • Lilly Endowment Teaching Fellow, University of Massachusetts (1987-88).

Sample Publications

For a full list of publications, see Professor Seiford’s CV.

Books And Book Chapters
  • Data Envelopment Analysis: A Comprehensive Text with Models, Applications, References and DEA-Solver Software, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 2000. (with W.W. Cooper, and K. Tone)
  • “Classification Invariance in Data Envelopment Analysis,” in Uncertainty and Optimality: Probability, Statistics & Operations Research, J.C. Misra, editor, World Scientific, Singapore, 2002. Chapter 10, pp. 331-342. (with Joe Zhu)
  • “Data Envelopment Analysis: History, Models and Interpretations,” in Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis, W.W. Cooper, L.M. Seiford and J. Zhu, editors, Chapter 1, pp. 1-39, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston. 2004. (with W.W. Cooper and Joe Zhu)
  • “Returns to Scale in DEA,” in Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis, W.W. Cooper, L.M. Seiford and J. Zhu, editors, Chapter 2, pp. 41-73, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston. 2004. (with R.D. Banker, W.W. Cooper, and Joe Zhu)
  • “Sensitivity Analysis in DEA,” in Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis, W.W. Cooper, L.M. Seiford and J. Zhu, editors, Chapter 3, pp. 75-97, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston. 2004. (with W.W. Cooper, Shanling Li, and Joe Zhu)
  • “Congestion: Its Identification and Management with DEA,” in Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis, W.W. Cooper, L.M. Seiford and J. Zhu, editors, Chapter 7, pp. 177-201, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston. 2004. (with W.W. Cooper, H. Deng, and Joe Zhu)
  • Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 2004. (with W.W. Cooper, and Joe Zhu)
  • Introduction to Data Envelopment Analysis and Its Uses with DEA-Solver Software and References, Springer, New York, 2006. (with W.W. Cooper, and K. Tone)
  • Data Envelopment Analysis: A Comprehensive Text with Models, Applications, References and DEA-Solver Software, Second Edition Springer, New York, 2007. (with W.W. Cooper, and K. Tone)
Refereed Journal Publications 
  • “A Unified Additive Model Approach for Evaluating Inefficiency and Congestion with Associated Measures in DEA,” Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Vol. 34, No. 1, (2000) pp. 1-25. (with W.W. Cooper and Joe Zhu)
  • “Sensitivity and Stability Analysis in DEA: Some Recent Developments,” Journal of Productivity Analysis, Vol. 15, (2001), pp. 217-246. (with W.W. Cooper, S. Li, R.M. Thrall and Joe Zhu)
  • “Slacks and Congestion: Response to a Comment by R. Fare and S. Grosskopf,” Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Vol. 35, No. 3, (2001), pp. 205-215. (with W.W. Cooper and Joe Zhu)
  • “GOALI: A National Science Foundation University–Industry Liaison Program,” INTERFACES, Vol. 32, No. 2, (2002), pp. 56-62. (with L. Martin-Vega and D. Senich)
  • “Modeling Undesirable Factors in Efficiency Evaluation,” European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 142, (2002), pp. 16-20. (with Joe Zhu)
  • “Value Judgment versus Allocative Efficiency: A Case of Tennessee County Jails,” Journal of Management Sciences and Regional Development, Issue 4, (2002), pp. 89-98. (with Joe Zhu)
  • “Context-dependent Data Envelopment Analysis: Measuring Attractiveness and Progress,” OMEGA, Vol. 31, Issue 5, (2003), pp. 397-480. (with Joe Zhu)
  • “Returns to Scale in Different DEA Models,” European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 154, (2004), pp. 345-362. (with Banker, R.D., W.W. Cooper, R.M. Thrall and Joe Zhu)
  • “Models for Performance Benchmarking: Measuring the Effect of e-commerce Activities on Banking Performance,” OMEGA, Vol. 32, Issue 4 (2004), pp. 313-322. (with W. Cook and Joe Zhu)
  • “DEA and its uses in different countries,” European Journal of Operational Research, Vol 154, Issue 2, 16 April 2004, pp. 337-344. (with W. Cooper, E. Thanassoulis, and S. Zanakis)
  • “A Response to Comments on Modeling Undesirable Factors in Efficiency Evaluation,” European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 161, Issue 2, (2005), pp. 579-581. (with Joe Zhu)
  • “Notes on Sensitivity and Stability of the Classifications of Returns to Scale in Data Envelopment Analysis: A Comment,” Journal of Productivity Analysis, Vol. 23, No. 3, 2005, pp. 315-316. (with Joe Zhu)
  • “Some Models and Measures for Evaluating Performances with DEA: Past Accomplishments and Future Prospects,” Journal of Productivity Analysis, Vol. 28, No. 3 (2007), pp. 151-163. (with W. Cooper. K. Tone, and Joe Zhu)
Non-Refereed Publications 
  • “A Review of PC-MATLAB,” OR/MS Today, Vol. 12, No. 6, 1985.
  • “MathCAD: The Engineer’s Scratchpad,” OR/MS Today, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1987.
  • “Multi-Criteria Multiple Constraint Levels Program [(M C 2 )],” in Multiple Criteria Decision Methods and Software: A User-Oriented Catalog, (Marc Despontin and Jaap Spronk, eds.), Springer Verlag, Berlin. (To appear.)
  • “Median Consensus Formation,” in Multiple Criteria Decision Methods and Software: A User-Oriented Catalog, (Marc Despontin and Jaap Spronk, eds.), Springer Verlag, Berlin. (To appear.)
  • “Minimum Variance Consensus Formation,” in Multiple Criteria Decision Methods and Software: A User-Oriented Catalog, (Marc Despontin and Jaap Spronk, eds.), Springer Verlag, Berlin. (To appear.)
  • “Capturing and Representing Decision Processes in the Design of an Information System,” Proceedings of the 35th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, September, 1991. (with B. Coury and S. Motte)
  • “Benchmarking and Performance Improvement Tools for Manufacturing and Service Processes,” Proceedings of the 1995 NSF Design and Manufacturing Grantees Conference, La Jolla, CA, January, 1995.
  • “Benchmarking and Performance Improvement Models for Manufacturing and Service Processes,” Proceedings of the 1996 NSF Design and Manufacturing Grantees Conference, Alberquerque, NM, January, 1996.
  • “Benchmarking and Performance Improvement Models for Manufacturing and Service Processes,” Proceedings of the 1997 NSF Design and Manufacturing Grantees Conference, Seattle, WA, January, 1997.
  • “Preface, ” in La Methode DEA: analyse des performances, P.-Y. Badillo and J.C. Paradi, editors, Hermes, Paris, 1999. (in French)
  • “IFORS’ Operational Research Hall of Fame: Abraham Charnes,” International Transactions in Operational Research, Vol. 13, No. 3, 2006, pp. 273-277. (with Fred Phillips)