A conversation with Dr. Seth Guikema

Dr. Seth Guikema is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Industrial Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. He also holds an adjunct position at the University of Stavanger, Norway. Dr. Guikema’s research interests include community resilience, risk analysis, sustainability, and equity, with a focus on areas prone to significant natural hazards. He completed his BS at Cornell, MS at Stanford, MEng at the University of Canterbury, and PhD in Engineering Risk and Decision Analysis at Stanford. In this podcast episode, Dr. Guikema shares his journey into the world of Operations Research, starting from his initial training in Civil and Environmental Engineering to his current focus on community resilience, risk, sustainability, and equity. He discusses his early fascination with risk analysis and probabilistic estimation, which led him to pursue graduate studies and a prolific research career. He emphasizes the importance of integrating data-driven approaches with traditional methods to better prepare for and respond to natural hazards. Finally, Dr. Guikema offers valuable advice for students and early-career professionals interested in Operations Research and Analytics. He encourages trying research, embracing diverse experiences, and being open to new ideas. To learn more about Dr. Guikema, make sure to visit his personal website and Google Scholar page.