Results for MS&E

Preference to sophomores. At least 20 countries have built or considered building nuclear weapons. However, the paths these countries took in realizing their nuclear ambitions vary immensely. Why is this the case? How do the histories, cultures, national identities, and leadership of these countries affect the trajectory and success of their nuclear programs? This seminar will address these and other questions about nuclear weapons and their proliferation. Students will learn the fundamentals of nuclear technology, including nuclear weapons and nuclear energy, and be expected to use this knowledge in individual research projects on the nuclear weapons programs of individual countries. Case studies will include France, UK, China, India, Israel, Pakistan, North Korea, South Africa, Libya, Iraq, and Iran, among others. Please note any language skills in your application. Recommended: 193 or 293.

Subject of mutual interest to student and faculty member. Prerequisite: faculty sponsor.

Subject of mutual interest to student and mentor.

Formulation and analysis of linear optimization problems. Solution using Excel solver. Polyhedral geometry and duality theory. Applications to contingent claims analysis, production scheduling, pattern recognition, two-player zero-sum games, and network flows. Prerequisite: CME 100 or MATH 51.

Stochastic processes and models in operations research. Discrete and continuous time parameter Markov chains. Queuing theory, inventory theory, simulation. Prerequisite: 120, 125, or equivalents.

This course provides an introduction to how networks underly our social, technological, and natural worlds, with an emphasis on developing intuitions for broadly applicable concepts in network analysis. The course will include: an introduction to graph theory and graph concepts; social networks; information networks; the aggregate behavior of markets and crowds; network dynamics; information diffusion; the implications of popular concepts such as "six degrees of separation", the "friendship paradox", and the "wisdom of crowds".

Introductory course in financial accounting. Accounting is referred to as the language of business. Developing students ability to read, understand, and use business financial statements. Understanding the mapping between the underlying economic events and financial statements, and how this mapping can affect inferences about future firm profitability. Introduction to measuring and reporting of the operating cycle; the process of preparing and presenting primary financial statements; the judgment involved and discretion allowed in making accounting choices; the effects of accounting discretion on the quality of the (reported) financial information; and the fundamentals of financial statement analysis. Class time will be allocated to a combination of lectures, cases and discussions of cases. Capstone project analyzing a company's financials at the end of the quarter. Enrollment limited. Admission by order of enrollment.

How to make good decisions in a complex, dynamic, and uncertain world. People often make decisions that on close examination they regard as wrong. Decision analysis uses a structured conversation based on actional thought to obtain clarity of action in a wide variety of domains. Topics: distinctions, possibilities and probabilities, relevance, value of information and experimentation, relevance and decision diagrams, risk attitude. Students seeking to fulfill the Writing in the Major requirement should register for MS&E 152W.

How to make good decisions in a complex, dynamic, and uncertain world. People often make decisions that on close examination they regard as wrong. Decision analysis uses a structured conversation based on actional thought to obtain clarity of action in a wide variety of domains. Topics: distinctions, possibilities and probabilities, relevance, value of information and experimentation, relevance and decision diagrams, risk attitude. Students seeking to fulfill the Writing in the Major requirement should register for MS&E 152W.

Is there more to entrepreneurship than inventing the better mouse trap? This course uses the speakers from the Entrepreneurial Thought Leader seminar (MS&E472) to drive research and discussion about what makes an entrepreneur successful. Topics include venture financing, business models, and interpersonal dynamics in the startup environment. Students meet before and after MS&E 472 to prepare for and debrief after the sessions. Enrollment limited to 50 students.

For undergraduates only; preference to MS&E majors. Classical and contemporary organization theory; the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations. Limited enrollment. Admission by application. Students must attend first session.

Issues, challenges, and opportunities facing workers, teams, and organizations working across national boundaries. Topics include geographic distance, time zones, language and cultural differences, technologies to support distant collaboration, team dynamics, and corporate strategy. Limited enrollment. Recommended: 180.

Guest lectures by departmental practitioners. Emphasis is on links among theory, application, and observation. Environmental, national security, and health policy; marketing, new technology, and new business strategy analyses. Comparisons between domains and methods.

Goal is to think dynamically in decision making, and recognize and analyze dynamic phenomena in diverse situations. Concepts: formulation and analysis; state-space formulation; solutions of linear dynamic systems, equilibria, dynamic diagrams; eigenvalues and eigenvectors of linear systems, the concept of feedback; nonlinear dynamics, phase plane analysis, linearized analysis, Liapunov functions, catastrophe theory. Examples: grabber-holder dynamics, technology innovation dynamics, creation of new game dynamics in business competition, ecosystem dynamics, social dynamics, and stochastic exchange dynamics. Prerequisite: CME 100 or MATH 51 or equivalent.

MS&E students obtain employment in a relevant industrial or research activity to enhance professional experience, consistent with the degree program they are pursuing. Students submit a statement showing relevance to degree program along with offer letter to the Student Services Office before the start of the quarter, and a 2-3 page final report documenting the work done and relevance to degree program at the conclusion of the quarter. Students may take each of A, B, and C once.

MS&E students obtain employment in a relevant industrial or research activity to enhance professional experience, consistent with the degree program they are pursuing. Students submit a statement showing relevance to degree program along with offer letter to the Student Services office before the start of the quarter, and a 2-3 page final report documenting the work done and relevance to degree program at the conclusion of the quarter. Students may take each of A, B, and C once.

MS&E students obtain employment in a relevant industrial or research activity to enhance professional experience, consistent with the degree program they are pursuing. Students submit a statement showing relevance to degree program along with offer letter to the Student Services office before the start of the quarter, and a 2-3 page final report documenting the work done and relevance to degree program at the conclusion of the quarter. Students may take each of A, B, and C once.

MS&E students obtain employment in a relevant industrial or research activity to enhance professional experience, consistent with the degree program they are pursuing. Students submit a one-page statement showing relevance to degree program along with offer letter before the start of the quarter, and a 2-3 page final report documenting the work done and relevance to degree program at the conclusion of the quarter. Students may take each of A, B, and C once, and may petition to take D.

Discrete-event systems, generation of uniform and non-uniform random numbers, Monte Carlo methods, programming techniques for simulation, statistical analysis of simulation output, efficiency-improvement techniques, decision making using simulation, applications to systems in computer science, engineering, finance, and operations research. Prerequisites: working knowledge of a programming language such as C, C++, Java, Python, or FORTRAN; calculus-base probability; and basic statistical methods.

The course explores the underlying network structure of our social, economic, and technological worlds and uses techniques from graph theory and economics to examine the structure & evolution of information networks, social contagion, the spread of social power and popularity, and information cascades. Prerequisites: basic graph and probability theory.

Concepts, methods, and applications. Energy/environmental policy issues such as automobile fuel economy regulation, global climate change, research and development policy, and environmental benefit assessment. Group project. Prerequisite: MS&E 241 or ECON 50, 51.

For graduate students and advanced undergraduates. The foundations of finance; applications in corporate finance and investment management. Financial decisions made by corporate managers and investors with focus on process valuation. Topics include criteria for investment decisions, valuation of financial assets and liabilities, relationships between risk and return, market efficiency, and the valuation of derivative securities. Corporate financial instruments including debt, equity, and convertible securities. Equivalent to core MBA finance course, FINANCE 220. Prerequisites:ECON 50, ECON 102A, or equivalents; ability to use spreadsheets, and basic probability and statistics concepts including random variables, expected value, variance, covariance, and simple estimation and regression.

Students, individually or in groups, choose, define, formulate, and resolve a real risk management problem, preferably from a local firm or institution. Oral presentation and report required. Scope of the project is adapted to the number of students involved. Three phases: risk assessment, communication, and management. Emphasis is on the use of probability for the treatment of uncertainties and sensitivity to problem boundaries. Limited enrollment. Prerequisites: MS&E 250A and consent of instructor.

Introduction to stochastic control, with applications taken from a variety of areas including supply-chain optimization, advertising, finance, dynamic resource allocation, caching, and traditional automatic control. Markov decision processes, optimal policy with full state information for finite-horizon case, infinite-horizon discounted, and average stage cost problems. Bellman value function, value iteration, and policy iteration. Approximate dynamic programming. Linear quadratic stochastic control. Formerly EE365. Prerequisites: EE 263, EE 178 or equivalent.

The ethical responsibility for consequences of professional analysts who use technical knowledge in support of any individual, organization, or government. The means to form ethical judgments; questioning the desirability of physical coercion and deception as a means to reach any end. Human action and relations in society in the light of previous thought, and research on the desired form of social interactions. Attitudes toward ethical dilemmas through an explicit personal code.

(Formerly 475.) Regulatory approval and reimbursement for new medical technologies as a key component of product commercialization. The regulatory and payer environment in the U.S. and abroad, and common methods of health technology assessment. Framework to identify factors relevant to adoption of new medical devices, and the management of those factors in the design and development phases. Case studies; guest speakers from government (FDA) and industry.

Regulatory approval and reimbursement for new medical technologies as a key component of product commercialization. The regulatory and payer environment in the U.S. and abroad, and common methods of health technology assessment. Framework to identify factors relevant to adoption of new medical devices, and the management of those factors in the design and development phases. Case studies; guest speakers from government (FDA) and industry.

Definition of a supply chain; coordination difficulties; pitfalls and opportunities in supply chain management; inventory/service tradeoffs; performance measurement and incentives. Global supply chain management; mass customization; supplier management. Design and redesign of products and processes for supply chain management; tools for analysis; industrial applications; current industry initiatives. Enrollment limited to 50. Admission determined in the first class meeting. Recommended: 260 or 261.

Introduction to Product Management (PM). PM's define a product's functional requirements and lead cross functional teams responsible for development, launch, and ongoing improvement. The course uses a learning-by-doing approach covering the following topics: changing role of a PM at different stages of the product life cycle; techniques to understand customer needs and validate demand; user experience design and testing; role of detailed product specifications; waterfall and agile methods of software development. Group projects involve the specification of a software technology product though the skills taught are useful for a variety of product roles. No prior knowledge of design, engineering, or computer science required.

Skills needed to market new technology-based products to customers around the world. Case method discussions. Cases include startups and global high tech firms. Course themes: marketing toolkit, targeting markets and customers, product marketing and management, partners and distribution, sales and negotiation, and outbound marketing. Team-based take-home final exam. Limited enrollment.

Explore the foundational and strategic elements needed for startups to be designed for "venture scale" at inception. Themes include controversial and disruptive insights, competitive analysis, network effects, organizational design, and capital deployment. Case studies, expert guests, and experiential learning projects will be used. Primarily for graduate students. Limited enrollment. Recommended: basic accounting.

Experiential course explores factors that promote and inhibit creativity and innovation in individuals, teams, and organizations. Teaches creativity tools using workshops, case studies, field trips, expert guests, and team design challenges. Enrollment limited to 40. Admission by application. See http://dschool.stanford.edu/classes.

This seminar explores a wide range of topics related to entrepreneurial leadership through class discussions, case studies, field trips, and guest speakers. It is part of the DFJ Entrepreneurial Leaders Fellowship, which requires an application during Fall quarter. Details can be found at: http://stvp.stanford.edu/dfj/.

The personal, team-based and organizational skills needed to become a transformative leader. Case method discussions and lectures. Themes include: personal transformation; the inside-out effect, group transformation; cross-functional teams; re-engineering; rapid - non-profit and for profit - organizational transformation; and social transformation. Course includes a group project that is defined and approved during the first two weeks of class. Limited enrollment. Graduate students only. Admission by application. Prerequisite: 180 or 280.

In a crisis, national security initiatives move at the speed of a startup yet in peacetime they default to decades-long acquisition and procurement cycles. Startups operate with continual speed and urgency 24/7. Over the last few years they¿ve learned how to be not only fast, but extremely efficient with resources and time using lean startup methodologies. In this class student teams will take actual national security problems and learn how to apply ¿lean startup¿ principles, ("business model canvas," "customer development," and "agile engineering¿) to discover and validate customer needs and to continually build iterative prototypes to test whether they understood the problem and solution. Teams take a hands-on approach requiring close engagement with actual military, Department of Defense and other government agency end-users. Team applications required in February. Limited enrollment. Course builds on concepts introduced in MS&E 477.

Restricted to Ph.D. students assigned tutorials as part of the MS&E Ph.D. qualifying process. Enrollment optional.

Prerequisite: doctoral candidacy.

The main algorithms and software for constrained optimization emphasizing the sparse-matrix methods needed for their implementation. Iterative methods for linear equations and least squares. The simplex method. Basis factorization and updates. Interior methods. The reduced-gradient method, augmented Lagrangian methods, and SQP methods. Prerequisites: Basic numerical linear algebra, including LU, QR, and SVD factorizations, and an interest in MATLAB, sparse-matrix methods, and gradient-based algorithms for constrained optimization. Recommended: MS&E 310, 311, 312, 314, or 315; CME 108, 200, 302, 304, 334, or 335.

Topics in stochastic processes, emphasizing applications. Markov chains in discrete and continuous time; Markov processes in general state space; Lyapunov functions; regenerative process theory; renewal theory; martingales, Brownian motion, and diffusion processes. Application to queueing theory, storage theory, reliability, and finance. Prerequisites: 221 or STATS 217; MATH 113, 115. (Glynn)

The concept of decision composite; probabilistic insurance and other challenges to the normative approach; the relationship of decision analysis to classical inference and data analysis procedures; the likelihood and exchangeability principles; inference, decision, and experimentation using conjugate distributions; developing a risk attitude based on general properties; alternative decision aiding practices such as analytic hierarchy and fuzzy approaches. Student presentations on current research. Goal is to prepare doctoral students for research. Prerequisite: 352.

Primarily for doctoral students. Focus on quantitative models dealing with sustainability and related to operations management. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

Classic and current research on entrepreneurship. Limited enrollment, restricted to PhD students. Prerequisites: SOC 363 or equivalent, and permission of instructor.

This is an advanced research seminar class that is restricted to students that had taken MS&E 274. Disruptive innovation is the realization of new value proposition through establishment of a new ecosystem. Value proposition depends on the culture and social value in a particular region; while the ability to establish the ecosystem to realize the value proposition is highly dependent on the firm¿s knowledge and skills to operate effectively under the political, social, and economic structure of that particular region. Therefore cross border and regional innovations in different regions will take different path. This course will examine cases that cover innovations in developing economy, cross border e-commerce, and international business groups.

For graduate students; upper-level undergraduates with consent of instructor. Interviewing and participant observation. Techniques for taking, managing, and analyzing field notes and other qualitative data. Methods texts and ethnographies offer examples of how to analyze and communicate ethnographic data. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Field research involves collecting original data (qualitative and/or quantitative) in field sites. This course combines informal lecture and discussion with practical exercises to build specific skills for conducting field research in organizations. Readings include books and papers about research methodology and articles that provide exemplars of field research. Specific topics covered include: the role of theory in field research, variance versus process models, collecting and analyzing different kinds of data (observation, interview, survey), levels of analysis, construct development and validity, blending qualitative and quantitative data (in a paper, a study, or a career), and writing up field research for publication. Students will develop intuition about the contingent relationship between the nature of the research question and the field research methods used to answer it as a foundation for conducting original field research.

Restricted to PhD students, or by consent of instructor. Doctoral research seminar covering current topics in health policy, health systems modeling, and health innovation. May be repeated for credit.

Restricted to PhD students, or by consent of instructor. Doctoral research seminar covering current topics in energy and environmental modeling and analysis. Current emphasis on approaches to incorporation of uncertainty and technology dynamics into complex systems models. May be repeated for credit.

Directed study and research on a subject of mutual interest to student and faculty member. Prerequisite: faculty sponsor.

Directed study and research on a subject of mutual interest to student and mentor.

Research in progress or contemplated in policy and economics areas. Emphasis depends on research interests of participants, but is likely to include energy, environment, transportation, or technology policy and analysis. May be repeated for credit.

Recent theory and standard practice in portfolio design for institutions, individuals, and funds. Student projects and case studies derived from the financial industry.

Project course emphasizing the connection between data, models, and reality. Vast amounts of high volume, high frequency observations of financial quotes, orders and transactions are now available, and poses a unique set of challenges. This type of data will be used as the empirical basis for modeling and testing various ideas within the umbrella of algorithmic trading and quantitative modeling related to the dynamics and micro-structure of financial markets. Due to the fact that it is near impossible to perform experiments in finance, there is a need for empirical inference and intuition, any model should also be justified in terms of plausibility that goes beyond pure econometric and data mining approaches. Introductory lectures, followed by real-world type projects to get a hands-on experience with realistic challenges and hone skills needed in the work place. Work in groups on selected projects that will entail obtaining and cleaning the raw data and becoming familiar with techniques and challenges in handling big data sets. Develop a framework for modeling and testing (in computer languages such as Python, C++ , Matlab and R) and prepare presentations to present to the class. Example projects include optimal order execution, developing a market making algorithm, design of an intra-day trading strategy, and modeling the dynamics of the bid and ask. Prerequisites: MS&E 211, 242, 342, or equivalents, some exposure to statistics and programming. Enrollment limited. Admission by application; details at first class.

Entrepreneurs, senior management consultants, and executives from Fortune 500 companies share real-world stories and insights from their experience in decision making.

A virtual consulting firm directed by professional decision analysts who offer advice and guidance as student teams help local organizations make a current business strategy or public policy decision. Projects for businesses, governments, or other institutions typically include start-up venture funding, R&D portfolio planning, new product or market entry, acquisition or partnering, cost reduction, program design, or regulatory policy decisions. Emphasis is on developing clarity of action and delivering insights to clients. Satisfies MS&E project course requirement. Prerequiste: 252. Recommended: 352.

Current research and related topics presented by doctoral students and invited speakers. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: 252.

Students work on projects to analyze and design various aspects of healthcare including hospital patient flow, physician networks, clinical outcomes, reimbursement incentives, and community health. Students work in small teams under the supervision of the course instructor and partners at the Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, the Stanford Hospital, and other regional healthcare providers. Prerequisite: 263.

Entrepreneurial leaders share lessons from real-world experiences across entrepreneurial settings. ETL speakers include entrepreneurs, leaders from global technology companies, venture capitalists, and best-selling authors. Half-hour talks followed by half hour of class interaction. Required web discussion. May be repeated for credit.

Explores changes in the venture capital industry: rise of SiliconnValley and Sand Hill Road, investing in the dot-com bubble, incubatorsnand accelerators, equity crowd funding platform, and different modelsnof venture capital. Explores how companies are funded, grown, andnscale by meeting with individuals who have been at the forefront ofnthis change. See www.lensofvc.com.

d.org will send outstanding, proven design thinkers into organizations tonjump-start ¿organizational R&D¿ experiments. Students will work directlynwith senior leaders to prototype ways to reinforce culture through policies,nrituals, and behavioral norms.

Interdisciplinary exploration of current energy challenges and opportunities, with talks by faculty, visitors, and students. May be repeated for credit.