Roger Jean-Baptiste Robert Wets (born February 1937) is a "pioneer" in stochastic programming[2] and a leader in variational analysis who publishes as Roger J-B Wets. His research, expositions, graduate students, and his collaboration with R. Tyrrell Rockafellar have had a profound influence on optimization theory, computations, and applications.[2][3][4] Since 2009, Wets has been a distinguished research professor at the mathematics department of the University of California, Davis.[5][6]
He worked at Boeing Scientific Research Labs, 1964–1970 and was Ford Professor at the University of Chicago, 1970–1972 before being appointed Professor at the Mathematics Department of the University of Kentucky and then University Research Professor (1977–78).[5] While at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria, during 1980–1984,[5] he led research in decision-making in uncertainty, returning as an acting leader in 1985–1987; during that time, Wets and Rockafellar developed the progressive-hedging algorithm for stochastic programming.[2][4] The University of California, Davis named him Professor (1984–1997), Distinguished Professor, and Distinguished Research Professor of Mathematics (2009–).[5]
With Rockafellar, Wets proposed, studied, and implemented the progressive-hedging algorithm for stochastic programming. Besides his theoretical and computational contributions, Wets has worked with applications on lake ecology (IIASA), finance (Frank Russel investment system), and developmental economics (World Bank). He also consulted with the development of professional stochastic-optimization software (IBM).[4]
^John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (1981). Reports of the President and the Treasurer - John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
^ a b c dAnonymous (2004, p. 1)
^ a bAnonymous (1998, p. 1)
^ a b c d e fDantzig Prize Committee (1994, p. 5)
^ a b c dWets (2011)
^ a b cWets (2011b)
^Aardal (1995, p. 3)
^In an interview with Karen Aardal, Wets stated that he believed that he took the only course in operations research available (at that time) in Western Europe. The instructor was Jacques H. Drèze at the Université Catholique de Louvain. Because of Drèze's suggestion to study with Dantzig at Berkeley, Wets credits Drèze as being responsible for getting him into the field of optimization. (Aardal 1995, p. 3)
^Programming under uncertainty. (1965) Wets, Roger Jean-Baptiste Robert. Abstract Thesis (PhD in Engineering Science)--Univ. of California, Jan. 1965. Bibliography: l. 81-88. Publisher [Berkeley] Repository OCLC's Experimental Thesis Catalog (United States)
Anonymous, COSP (1 November 2004). Roger J-B Wets (PDF). Pioneers in Stochastic Programming. Committee on Stochastic Programming (COSP). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
Rockafellar, R. Tyrrell; Wets, Roger J-B (2005) [1996]. Variational Analysis (PDF). Grundlehren der mathematischen Wissenschaften (Fundamental Principles of Mathematical Sciences). Vol. 317 (third corrected printing ed.). Berlin: Springer-Verlag. pp. xiv+733. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-02431-3. ISBN 978-3-540-62772-2. MR 1491362. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
Dantzig Prize Committee (1994). "Citation of Roger Wets (for the George Dantzig Prize, 1994)" (PDF). Optima: Mathematical Programming Society Newsletter. 44. Mathematical Programming Society: 5. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
Wets, Roger J-B (31 December 2011). "ROGER J-B WETS (Curriculum Vitae)" (PDF). Department of Mathematics, University of California, Davis. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
Wets, Roger J-B (31 December 2011b). "ROGER J-B WETS : Biography-Summary" (PDF). Department of Mathematics, University of California, Davis. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
External links
Homepage of Roger J-B Wets at the Mathematics Department of the University of California, Davis. Contains biography, research overviews, lectures and presentations.