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Associate 2002-03

Sheldon Howard Jacobson

Mechanical Science and Engineering

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS IN AVIATION SECURITY

Professor Jacobson’s area of expertise is operations research, with particular interests in applied probability and applications of discrete optimization models. During his Center appointment he will study new directions for addressing aviation security problems of national concern.

The research he will pursue looks at how aviation security is conducted and identifies and analyzes opportunities for improvements that can benefit the nation’s commercial aviation system. Professor Jacobson has been working and interacting with personnel at the Federal Aviation Administration’s civil aviation security office since 1996. He aims to create a mathematical framework that (a) incorporates new performance measures to quantify the security provided, (b) formulates mathematical models that can be used to identify effective security-screening strategies, and (c) applies the results to existing and future U.S. airport-security systems. Results of this research will provide a systematic approach to compare and evaluate different strategies for aviation security. This, in turn, will provide a vehicle through which improved strategies can be designed and implemented.