The OR Society Announces President’s Medal Winner 2023

The OR Society is pleased to announce that Adam Mackenzie-Jones, the Net Zero Systems lead within the Net Zero Strategy Directorate at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, has won the prestigious President’s Medal 2023 for creating a groundbreaking Net Zero Systems tool for use in government departments.

The President’s Medal is awarded annually for the most outstanding practical application of operational research (OR).

Tackling the complex challenge of achieving Net Zero emissions targets requires collaborative efforts across various government departments.

To help decision makers better understand and navigate this intricate landscape, Adam, and his team collaborated with a number of other government departments, including DfT, Defra, Cabinet Office, and DLUHC, to design and create an innovative interactive visualisation tool using systems approaches known as the Net Zero Systems Tool (NZST).

The NZST is helping decision makers to understand and navigate the interconnected nature of this landscape, enabling identification of opportunities, and driving further collaboration across government. It complements other tools and models that are used by policy professionals and analysts alike.

The President’s Medal was presented during OR65, The OR Society’s annual conference held at the University of Bath from 12th to 14th September 2023, following a competitive pitch from three finalists to a judging panel and audience of OR members tasked with selecting a winner.

Adam said “We’re absolutely delighted and immensely proud that the team’s work in developing and embedding the Net Zero Systems Tool across government has won this year’s OR Society President’s Medal. This award isn’t just for me, it’s for the whole team which includes Adam Stannard, Beth Green, Charlie Stewart from Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, Kate Gronow and Mary Mckee from the Department for Transport and Yaadwinder Sidhu at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Thanks so much to the judging panel and the audience members on the day.”

Gilbert Owusu, President of The OR Society, commented, “The President’s medal is an annual opportunity to celebrate the remarkable work of OR specialists and share how they are using OR techniques to solve complex issues in government or industry. The Net-Zero Systems tool captures the innovative spirit of operational research and its potential to drive positive change.”

Seb Hargreaves, Executive Director of The OR Society, added, “We are immensely proud to recognise the exceptional contribution of Adam and his team to the field of operational research. His work exemplifies the mission of The OR Society, which has been at the forefront of advancing the discipline for 75 years.”

In conjunction with this prestigious award, The OR Society is launching a new awareness campaign, “This is OR,” aimed at enhancing understanding of the transformative impact of OR and systems thinking in both business and society. The campaign also seeks to inspire a new generation of graduates and professionals to pursue careers in operational research.

Learn more about The OR Society and its 75th anniversary campaign at: www.theorsociety.com.