Chilean Projects Win Top Honors at Global Operations Research Conference
The 24th Triennial Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS) was held in Vienna last week, focusing on "Decision Support for a Sustainable World." This significant global event showcases advancements in operations research, a field employing advanced mathematics and data science to tackle complex public and private sector challenges. At the conference, the IFORS Prize for OR in Development 2026 was awarded to initiatives addressing high-impact social issues through evidence-based decision-making. Notably, two projects developed in Chile secured first and second place, highlighting cutting-edge solutions for critical societal problems like public health and citizen security. The winning project, NIRSE-CL, focuses on designing, monitoring, and evaluating Chile's universal free immunization strategy against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). This initiative enabled Chile to become the first Southern Hemisphere nation to procure mass antibodies for RSV prevention, leading to a historic reduction in pediatric deaths from the virus in 2024 and 2025. The success of NIRSE-CL is prompting replication in other regional countries, demonstrating the power of integrating engineering, data analytics, economics, epidemiology, and medicine to optimize public policy and save lives. The second-place project, Fiscal HeredIA, is a technological ecosystem utilizing advanced analytics and AI to enhance criminal prosecution against organized crime. By processing text and audio data, it generates automatic summaries and identifies complex criminal networks, drastically reducing processing times by 99%. Currently operational in 15 regional prosecutor's offices with over 500 users, Fiscal HeredIA effectively combats sophisticated criminal organizations. Additionally, a Chilean academic was inducted into the IFORS Hall of Fame, recognizing global leaders in the field. These award-winning teams represent a collaborative effort between the University of Chile (Faculties of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Medicine) and the Institute for Complex Systems Engineering (ISCI), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Public Ministry, the University of the Andes, and the University of Bío-Bío. The author emphasizes that these achievements underscore the value of merit, rigor, and commitment to the common good, urging both the state and businesses to leverage Chile's world-class engineering talent to address complex national challenges and foster a prosperous, secure, and sustainable future.
The success of Chilean operational research projects at the IFORS conference demonstrates the global impact of advanced analytical techniques applied to societal challenges. The dual focus on public health (RSV immunization) and public safety (criminal prosecution) highlights the versatility of operations research in addressing systemic issues. The significant reduction in processing times for Fiscal HeredIA, a 99% improvement, suggests potential for enhanced efficiency in governmental and judicial systems. The widespread adoption and replication of NIRSE-CL indicate a scalable model for public health interventions. These outcomes present a compelling case for increased investment in academic and applied research within Chile, suggesting that robust data-driven methodologies can yield substantial societal benefits and economic advantages. The challenge lies in institutionalizing the integration of such advanced capabilities across public and private sectors to ensure sustained progress and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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