Citation for President's Medal 2023
The Net Zero Strategy Directorate at the Department for Energy
Security and Net Zero, led by Adam Mackenzie-Jones (Net Zero Systems
Lead)
Net Zero Systems tool (NZST) for use in government departments.
The President’s Medal has been awarded for a Government project that
combined technical expertise in a tool that delivered a variety of
application. It has been seen through to implementation in supporting
planning and policy decision making. Tackling the complex challenge of
achieving Net Zero emissions targets requires collaborative efforts
across various government departments.
To help decision makers better understand and navigate this intricate
landscape, Adam, and his team collaborated with a number of other
government departments, including DfT, Defra, Cabinet Office, and DLUHC,
to design and create an innovative interactive visualisation tool using
systems approaches known as the Net Zero Systems Tool (NZST).
The NZST is helping decision makers to understand and navigate the
interconnected nature of this landscape, enabling identification of
opportunities, and driving further collaboration across government. It
complements other tools and models that are used by policy professionals
and analysts alike.
A mix of hard and soft OR techniques were used in the development of
the tool. The combination of excellence of process, technical challenge,
impressive impact and the longevity of the tool made this project a
worthy winner in the judges’ eyes, mirroring the sentiment of the
audience at the conference.
Gilbert Owusu, President of The OR Society, commented, “The
President’s medal is an annual opportunity to celebrate the remarkable
work of OR specialists and share how they are using OR techniques to
solve complex issues in government or industry. The Net-Zero Systems
tool captures the innovative spirit of operational research and its
potential to drive positive change.”
Seb Hargreaves, Executive Director of The OR Society, added, “We are
immensely proud to recognise the exceptional contribution of Adam and
his team to the field of operational research. His work exemplifies the
mission of The OR Society, which has been at the forefront of advancing
the discipline for 75 years.”