Detlof von Winterfeldt Award Announced

The National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE) has established the Detlof von Winterfeldt Excellence in Research Award in honor of the Center’s co-founder and long-term director. 

Professor von Winterfeldt co-founded CREATE in 2004 (with former USC Vice-Provost for Research Randy Hall) as the first university-based center of excellence funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate Office of University Programs. He served as the Center’s director from 2004 to 2008, and he was reappointed to this position from 2015 to 2019. 

“Detlof has contributed more than anyone else to CREATE’s success. Not only was it his vision to form CREATE, but he also managed it very effectively for two terms. Most importantly for the director of a major research institution, he led by example through his own high-quality research.” said Adam Rose, who has been affiliated with CREATE since 2005 and became the Center’s Director in 2019.  

 von Winterfeldt is the inaugural J.A. Tiberti Chair of Ethics and Decision Making and a Professor of Systems Engineering at the Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the Viterbi School of Engineering of the University of Southern California. He holds a joint appointment as Professor of Public Policy at the Price School of Public Policy at USC. 

An expert in decision analysis, risk analysis, and behavioral decision science, von Winterfeldt has served on fifteen committees of the U.S. National Academies of Science and Engineering and is the author or co-author of several books, edited volumes and more than 130 refereed publications. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards. 

“CREATE emerged from Detlof’s extraordinary vision to bring engineering, policy, and behavioral sciences to bear on complex problems of national importance. Detlof has set a very high bar for excellence in research related to risk and economic analysis of terrorism and extreme events.” said CREATE Associate Director of Research Richard John.

Since its inception CREATE has fostered a collaborative approach with leading experts in a diverse array of disciplines. The award will be presented every two years to a CREATE-affiliated scholar whose work exemplifies the Center’s commitment to cutting-edge research.

“I am honored that this research excellence award by CREATE will be associated with my name.  I hope the award will inspire other researchers to push the frontiers of risk, economic, and behavioral science to new heights while, at the same time, making an impact on society.” said von Winterfeldt.