Robert G. Sargent held appointments in different departments and interdisciplinary programs in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and was Director of the Simulation Research Group. Sargent received his education at The University of Michigan, earning a BSE(EE) in 1959, MS in Industrial Administration in 1963, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering in 1966.
Sargent’s current research interests include the methodology areas of modeling and discrete event simulation, model validation, and performance evaluation. Sargent has made numerous research contributions in his career. He was one of the first individuals to initiate the modeling of computer systems for performance evaluation and this work included the analysis of system data. Most of his research contributions have been in the methodology areas of simulation including the modeling area, computational speedup, statistical output analysis, verification and validation, visual interactive simulation systems, and the theory of simulation.
Sargent is especially well known for his work in validation of simulation models. He has developed numerous validation techniques, approaches, and methodologies and also graphical views of how Verification and Validation (V&V) relate to the modeling process. His paper “Verification and Validation of Simulation Models” received one of the Winter Simulation Conference 40th anniversary landmark paper awards in 2007. For over twenty-five years the U.S. Air Force supported Sargent’s academic research and applied work on military problems. Sargent has performed considerable professional service including being President of the INFORMS Simulation Society, General Chair of the 1977 Winter Simulation Conference, Chair of the Winter Simulation Conference Board of Directors, Founding President of the WSC Foundation, a Department Editor for the Communications of the ACM, and a member of Editorial Boards of professional journals. He has received several awards and honors for his professional contributions including the INFORMS Simulation Society Lifetime Professional Achievement Award, INFORMS Simulation Society Distinguished Service Award, service awards from ACM and IIE, and selection as a Fellow of INFORMS. Sargent is listed in Who’s Who in America and in Who’s Who in the World.