Dear Logistics & Supply Chain (LSC) Division Members,
I hope this newsletter finds you healthy, safe, and accomplished as we close 2023 and begin thinking about 2024. The end of the year brings a convergence of activities in industry, academia, and within our homes, and the IISE LSC Division is no exception.
The 2024 Annual Conference (18-21 May) will be held in Montreal, Canada, and preparations began earlier this Fall. Currently, 13 volunteers from our division are reviewing 133 submitted abstracts between the LSC (107) and FDP (16) tracks, respectively. I am extremely grateful for their support and efforts during the review process. I especially want to thank Payam Parsa, Erin Gerber, and Tanveer Hossain Bhuiyan for serving with me as Track Chairs.
We are also planning special sessions and panel discussions that the LSC and FDP Divisions will sponsor at the Annual Conference. Of note are a panel discussion on Humanitarian and Health Supply Chains, a joint special session on Drone Deployment in Logistics, and a Professional Skills panel discussion for students. These are all in addition to our Annual Town Hall Meeting and presentations by our Best Paper finalists. Although delayed, we are also planning to announce the launch of our IISE LSC Micro-Credential Program officially.
On 15 December, the nomination period for the 2024 LSC Board of Directors election officially closed. Stay tuned for elections, which will occur from 12 -26 February. Thank you to all who submitted interest in joining or remaining on our Board for the coming year and serving with Sasha Dong, who will assume her role as LSC Division Board President at the 2024 Annual Conference.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you are interested in becoming more involved with IISE or the LSC Division and if you have any questions or ideas about how we can better serve our members.
Happy Holidays and New Year,
Mike Sherwin, Ph.D., P.E.
LSC Division President 2023-2024
Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers
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Spotlight: Leading the Charge in Supply Chain Excellence
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We are thrilled to feature a distinguished member of our IISE Logistics and Supply Chain (LSC) Division, Dr. Mingzhou Jin, who has played pivotal roles in advancing the division's mission and is currently spearheading groundbreaking initiatives in the realm of supply chain and logistics. Let's delve into Dr. Jin's journey and contributions.
Dr. Jin had the honor of serving as the President of the LSC Division during the 2016-2017 term, following his tenure on the board of directors from 2014 to 2016. During his presidency, the board initiated the LSC Division's case competition and introduced the Outstanding Industry Practitioner award. Additionally, he chaired the Logistics and Supply Chain Track at the IISE Annual Conference in 2015 and 2016.
Furthermore, Dr. Jin is currently at the helm of a multi-institutional University Transportation Center, made possible through a grant from the Department of Transportation (DOT). The Center for Freight Transportation for Efficient & Resilient Supply Chain (FERSC) stands as a DOT Tier 1 University Transportation Center consortium led by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), with Dr. Jin serving as its director. Expressing his enthusiasm, Dr. Jin states:
“The goal of FERSC is to maintain the U.S. economic competitiveness and security in the world through the supply chain-oriented freight research, workforce development, technology transfer, and outreach. Together with other five institutions (Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois Chicago, Oregon State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and California State University, Long Beach), UTK will develop innovative technologies and solutions that maximize the capacity of existing roadway infrastructure, ensure fast and reliable delivery of goods that support America’s retail and manufacturing economy, and by doing so enhance supply chain resiliency. FERSC plans to address the challenges in freight transportation system design, planning, operations, and innovations, in the context of national and global supply chains, through research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer activities.”
Dr. Jin, through his research endeavors, addresses relevant and timely problems with far-reaching impacts on society. Illustratively, one of the ongoing projects focuses on developing an integrated intermodal transportation and logistics network in the Southwest. The overarching goal is to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the American supply chain by mitigating disruptions and congestion around California ports. This intricate project involves the creation of decision-making models and algorithms designed to shape intermodal transportation networks and operations in the Southwest U.S. He states:
“The benefits of the proposed intermodal solution to environmental, economic, and social sustainability will be quantified for all stakeholders and involved communities. Specially, models and analyses will show railroads that they can make money for short-haul businesses in this intermodal system due to the lower loading costs, no need of classification, simple management, large volume, and good work-life balance for conductors and rail engineers.”
In addressing the ever-evolving landscape of supply chain and logistics, Dr. Jin elucidates on the most relevant emerging technologies and trends.
“The already congested transportation system faces fast-growing freight demands. Today’s supply chains are increasingly interconnected, both domestically and internationally. Supply chain disruptions such as lockouts due to COVID-19 and climatic disasters profoundly challenge the operational efficiency of the US freight system, particularly in coastal areas. Supply chain irregularities caused by natural disasters and political instabilities take a toll on the U.S. economy and even threaten national security. Making our supply chains and logistics more resilient requires systematic solutions and technological innovations.”
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Spotlight: Leading the Charge in Supply Chain Excellence
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Meet Haowei Yang, a dedicated Ph.D. candidate under the supervision of Dr. Sasha Dong in Industrial Engineering at the University of Houston (UH), whose commitment to advancing the logistics and supply chain sector is shaping the future of the industry. In his current role as the Student Leader for the 2023-2024 term within the IISE Logistics and Supply Chain Division, Haowei is at the forefront of initiatives and discussions critical to the field's progress.
In his capacity as the Student Leader, Haowei focuses on integrating innovative research findings into practical applications. This approach aims to facilitate the growth and learning of both students and professionals in the logistics and supply chain industry as it undergoes continuous evolution. His leadership underscores a commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Haowei's research is a beacon in addressing the complexities and uncertainties within the energy supply chain. With a focus on the challenges posed by fluctuating energy demands and supply disruptions, his work under an NSF-funded initiative involves developing a computational framework. This framework seamlessly merges machine learning techniques with optimization algorithms, enhancing the efficacy and efficiency of managing intricate issues in the energy supply chain. The overarching goal is to formulate robust and flexible strategies that improve decision-making processes in energy distribution and logistics.
Beyond energy supply chain complexities, Haowei's research extends to circular supply chains. Notably, his team achieved Third Place in the UH Energy Transition Institute Circular Plastics Challenge with their project, "Reverse Logistics for Recycling Packaging." Concentrating on optimizing reusable packaging materials, the project contributes significantly to waste reduction and environmental sustainability. This accomplishment highlights Haowei's dedication to developing sustainable solutions in supply chain management.
Haowei finds excitement in the current era of logistics and supply chain management, characterized by the integration of advanced technologies like machine learning into traditional methodologies. His research, which applies machine learning to enhance optimization algorithms, reflects this significant evolution. Positioned at the forefront of these advancements within the LSC division, Haowei is influencing and shaping future trends and practices in logistics and supply chain management.
Looking ahead, Haowei envisions a continued journey in the field of operations research. Whether in academia or industry, he aims to apply the insights and techniques developed through his research. His work on integrating machine learning with optimization algorithms holds profound implications for problem-solving across various sectors. Haowei is uniquely positioned to contribute to the evolution of operations research and its real-world applications. His goal is to shape how industries tackle complex logistical and supply chain challenges in the future, leaving an indelible
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Check out the 2024 LSC Division Awards
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This competition, open to graduate and undergraduate ISE students, honors outstanding papers in the field of logistics and supply chain.
This award recognizes excellence in industry practice of logistics and supply chain.
This competition recognizes teams who demonstrate innovative use of logistics and supply chain concepts in the analysis of a relevant LSC case.
This award recognizes excellence in teaching of logistics and supply chain courses.
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LSC Micro-Credential Certification Program
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In May, we provided an update on the IISE LSC Division Supply Chain Micro-Credential Certification Program and planned for it to be available in Summer 2023. While we are still progressing, the launch has been delayed somewhat due to resource constraints. The first module, Introduction to Supply Chain Management, is developed and vetted by IISE. The Forecasting and Inventory Management modules are currently being completed. We plan to launch the first three modules together and, thus, have been delayed somewhat. We aim to have the modules available no later than the end of the 2023 calendar year, if not sooner. To learn more about the Micro-Credential Certification Program, please get in touch with Mike Sherwin (sherwinm@duq.edu).
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Call for Volunteers and Student Board Members
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The Logistics & Supply Chain (LSC) Division welcomes volunteers for becoming board members and participate in the activities of the division. We especially encourage students to join the division and serve on the board to help us in representing the student perspective. Our goal is to provide the highest value proposition for the division members and the IISE community.
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Have you considered a corporate membership? If not, why? Companies large and small enjoy the benefits. Include your entire team and receive all the benefits of individual membership, plus lowest rates to attend the Conferences and much more.
Contact Doug Long IISE Global Director for Strategic Alliances for more details.
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