Brenda L. Dietrich facts for kids

Brenda Lynn Jorgensen Dietrich is a smart American scientist who uses math and computers to solve big problems for businesses. She is a special professor at Cornell University. Before that, she was a top leader at IBM, a famous computer company, and also led a big group of scientists called INFORMS.

Becoming a Problem Solver

Brenda Dietrich loved math from a young age. She earned her first degree in math in 1980 from the University of North Carolina. She then went to Cornell University to study more math.

While studying, she worked for the United States Department of Energy. This experience made her realize she wanted to use math to solve real-world problems. So, she changed her focus to something called operations research. This field uses math and computer science to help organizations make better decisions. For example, it can help a company figure out the best way to deliver packages or how many products to make.

Brenda finished her Ph.D. (a very high-level degree) in 1986. Her research was about finding simple ways to understand complex math problems.

Working at IBM and Cornell

Brenda started working at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center even before she finished her Ph.D. She spent many years there, helping IBM use math to improve its business.

In 2006, she became the president of INFORMS. This is a large group for people who work in operations research. In 2008, she became a Vice President at IBM, which is a very important leadership role.

In 2017, Brenda moved to Cornell University. Now she teaches and shares her knowledge with new students as a professor.

Books She Has Written

Brenda Dietrich has also written books to share her knowledge:

• She co-wrote a book called Analytics Across the Enterprise. This book explains how IBM uses big data and analytics to make smart business choices.
• She also helped edit a book called Mathematics of the Internet. This book looks at how math is used in online auctions and markets.

Awards and Honors

Brenda Dietrich has received many important awards and honors for her work:

• In 2007, she was named an IBM Fellow. This is the highest technical honor at IBM, given to people who have made huge contributions.
• In 2010, she became a Fellow of INFORMS. This means she is recognized as a top expert in her field.
• She won the INFORMS WORMS Award in 2010. This award celebrates women who have helped advance the field of operations research.
• In 2021, she received the INFORMS President's Award for her leadership and impact.
• In 2014, she was chosen to be part of the National Academy of Engineering. This is a very big honor, meaning she is recognized as one of the best engineers in the United States. She was chosen for creating smart ways to solve difficult business problems using math and computers.

See also

In Spanish: Brenda L. Dietrich para niños