Honors and awards include recognition for quality research and applications in the fields of decision analysis, risk analysis, operations research, and systems engineering, and important contributions to decision-making including multiple objectives and to the welfare of society.

Ralph once quipped about the basis for outstanding expository writing, “From Howard Raiffa, I learned that you ought to figure out what it is you want to write, and then make sure you say that!”

Ramsey Medal awarded by the Decision Analysis Society of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences, (INFORMS) for distinguished contributions in decision analysis, 1989

Lanchester Prize from INFORMS for the best publication in Operations Research for the book Decisions with Multiple Objectives, co-authored with Howard Raiffa, 1976

The Decision Analysis Society Annual Publication Award for the best publication in 1999 for the book, Smart Choices, co-authored with John S. Hammond and Howard Raiffa, 2001

Philip McCord Morse Lectureship Award from INFORMS, awarded to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of Dr. Morse and is an outstanding spokesperson of the operations research profession, 1993

INFORMS President’s Award for important contributions to the welfare of society, 2009

International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS) Distinguished Lecturer at the INFORMS Annual Meeting, 2007

Distinguished lecturer for the 18th Annual E. Leonard Arnoff Memorial Lecture on the Practice of Management Science, sponsored by the Department of Quantitative Analysis and Operations Management, College of Business, University of Cincinnati, 2009

Hermes Award from the Faculty of Administrative Sciences of Laval University for exceptional contributions to multi-attribute utility theory, 1991

Selected Fellow of INFORMS Society, 2002

Annual Book Prize from the Institute for Dispute Resolution of the Center for Public Resources for Smart Choices, co-authored with John S. Hammond and Howard Raiffa, 1999

The Decision Analysis Society Annual Publication Award for the best publication in 1992 for the book Value-Focused Thinking, 1994

Elected a Member of The National Academy of Engineering, 1995

Honorary Doctorate of Engineering (honaris causa) from the University of Waterloo, Canada, 2014

Gold Medal of the International Society for Multiple Criteria Decision Making, the society’s highest honor, 1998

The Decision Analysis Society Annual Publication Award for the best publication in 2010 for the article “Improving the Generation of Decision Objectives”, co-authored with Samuel Bond and Kurt Carlson, 2012

INFORMS Expository Writing Award, 2002

Honorary Membership in Omega Rho, the International Operations Research and Management Science Honor Society, 1995

Elected Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis, 1995

Elected Fellow of the Society of Decision Professionals, 2010

Applications Award from the Decision Analysis Group of the INFORMS for the best application of decision analysis for “Evaluation of Alternative Sites for the Disposal of Nuclear Waste” with Lee Merkhofer, 1988

Franz Edelman Laureate for a significant contribution representing the best applications of analytical decision-making, 1972