MS&E Professor Ron Howard pioneered the field of decision analysis starting in 1964. The Society & Algorithms Lab (SOAL) combines computer science and algorithms with social science and economics in response to two recent trends: the rise of more powerful information technology and algorithms, and an increase in networked social and economic interactions. The department has deep expertise in all facets of these and other problems of technology implementation and usage in the real world. One example is the concept of net neutrality, in which infrastructure providers seeking to recoup their investments by charging differently based on bandwidth consumption come into conflict with users who oppose making economic distinctions related to information content. The design and operation of networks requires technical concepts such as information theory, algorithms, and optimization, but also depends on economic, social, and even political factors.
