Berkeley Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
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The Berkeley IEOR department is one of the finest schools in the world and is ranked 2nd in the U.S
The Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research combines two closely related professions concerned with the efficient operation of complex systems. The industrial engineering profession involves the design, organization, implementation, and economic operation of integrated production and service systems using people, materials, and equipment. Areas of application include not only the basic manufacturing and high technology production processes essential to our economy, but also service organizations such as banks, health care facilities, libraries, and government agencies. Operations research emphasizes the basic understanding of the functioning of complex systems of technology and management through mathematical models for the purpose of predicting system behavior or optimizing system performance under economic and technological constraints. Our Faculty are world-renowned experts in many application areas, from semiconductor manufacturing to the design and deregulation of energy markets to supply chain management to robotics to discrete event simulation, and have made important advancements in the theory of operations research, in areas such as algorithm design, integer programming, non-linear programming, and stochastic modeling.
10/08/2026
What does industrial engineering & operations research (IEOR) look like in action? Sometimes, it starts with origami! 📐✨
Berkeley IEOR Professor Candace Yano recently introduced high school students to the field of IEOR as part of the High School Engineering Program, organized by the Society of Women Engineers.
Current IEOR students Helen Chang, Hannah Nguyen and Ella Thompson shared their experiences in the major before helping lead a hands-on optimization challenge.
Working in four-person assembly lines, participants were tasked with making origami balls as efficiently as possible. The challenge? Divide responsibilities to minimize idle time and work-in-process inventory while maintaining quality and productivity. They also had to consider individual strengths, from the fine motor skills needed for folding to the lung power required to inflate the finished balls!
As one participant shared: “It helped me see how much thought goes into improving processes and making things work more efficiently.”
10/07/2026
🍕 FREE PIZZA + curious about graduate school at UC Berkeley?
Interested in using AI, data, math, and optimization to solve real-world problems and improve complex systems? Come learn what graduate study in Berkeley IEOR can offer.
At our MS & PhD Information Session, you’ll meet current graduate students, explore research in AI, optimization, analytics, and decision-making, get application tips, and learn about career paths across tech, healthcare, energy, finance, supply chains, and more.
Plus, enjoy free pizza + prizes.
Tuesday, October 20 | 4–5 p.m.
Blum Hall, Room 330
Registration required: bit.ly/IEOR-Pizza
10/06/2026
Meet Romain Maurel, MS IEOR ’27!
Originally from Montpellier, France, Romain came to Berkeley IEOR after studying applied mathematics at École Polytechnique. Inspired by an operations research lecturer during his undergraduate studies, he’s excited to dive deeper into optimization, stochastic modeling, algorithms, and healthcare systems at Berkeley.
Outside the classroom, Romain has an especially unique background: he spent six months working as a firefighter, where he developed valuable first-aid skills that he hopes to share with fellow students. 🚒
Welcome to Berkeley IEOR, Romain! 💙🐻
10/05/2026
Join fellow UC Berkeley IEOR alumni, friends and community members for an evening of connection and conversation at our UC Berkeley IEOR Alumni & Friends Reception during INFORMS 2026!
📅 Monday, Nov. 2
⏰ 8–10 p.m.
📍 Foothill G, Second Floor
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
Whether you’re attending INFORMS or are simply an alum who is based in the Bay Area, we’d love to see you there.
🔗 RSVP: bit.ly/IEOR-INFORMS2026
It was wonderful catching up with Herbert “Dick” Penny, MS IEOR ’64, at our Berkeley IEOR alumni mixer last spring. 💙💛
More than six decades after earning his master’s degree, Dick still remembers what made his UC Berkeley experience so special: the professors, the camaraderie and the connections between students and faculty.
His advice for today’s students: “Follow your dream … do what you want to do, and be honest with yourself.”
09/28/2026
Renewable energy is transforming the grid, but how do we keep it reliable without losing efficiency?
UC Berkeley IEOR & EECS researchers developed a new optimization method that helps address exactly this problem. Their research gives grid operators a sharper way to manage risk as they navigate the unreliable flow of wind and solar power…and it just earned an INFORMS Award for Power Systems Research!
Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4xMygll
09/24/2026
UC Berkeley IEOR Graduate Program Applications are now open for Fall 2027 admissions!
At Berkeley IEOR, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned faculty and develop skills to invent, analyze, and innovate tools and methods for optimizing complex systems. From supply chains and energy to healthcare and finance, IEOR graduates go on to work in diverse fields. What unites IEOR students, faculty, and alumni is a shared commitment to making the world more efficient, productive, and sustainable.
Curious which program is right for you? Follow each line below to explore →
Register for our upcoming admissions events at ieor.berkeley.edu/admissions-events/
09/23/2026
Thinking about pursuing a PhD or MS at UC Berkeley IEOR? Curious about the research shaping the future of the field?
On September 29, hear directly from our world-renowned faculty as they share insights into their research and the core theoretical areas advancing innovation across industry and academia.
Join us virtually for the IEOR Faculty Panel on September 29, from 3–4 p.m. PT.
Hear from:
-Professor Paul Grigas
-Professor Thibaut Mastrolia
-Professor Chiwei Yan
Learn more about our faculty’s current research, explore IEOR research groups, and get your questions answered during a live Q&A.
Register here: bit.ly/IEOR-FacultyPanel
09/22/2026
UC Berkeley’s undergraduate program in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research is ranked No. 4 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, maintaining its position from last year.
Berkeley Engineering also rose to No. 2 nationally and ranks No. 1 among public institutions, while Berkeley IEOR’s graduate program remains No. 2 in the nation.
Thank you to our faculty, students, alumni, staff and all the members of our community who contribute to our mission. Go Bears! 💙 💛
09/21/2026
Swipe to meet UC Berkeley IEOR’s newest graduate advisor, Claire Eccles →
Fun fact: Claire grew up right here in Berkeley — and as a local who also knows IEOR inside and out, she’s here to answer all your questions!
Claire supports IEOR graduate students with:
- Academic advising and degree requirements
- Enrollment questions
- Navigating campus resources
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
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