Bahar Cavdar

Bahar Cavdar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), specializing in operations research applications for complex logistical systems. Her work bridges theoretical optimization with real-world infrastructure challenges, particularly in time-sensitive environments requiring rapid decision-making.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology
• M.S. in Operations Research from Georgia Institute of Technology
• B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Middle East Technical University

Dr. Cavdar's research centers on Supply Chain Management and Logistics, with deep expertise in stochastic optimization for dynamic systems. She develops mathematical models addressing multi-trip vehicle routing under uncertainty, capacity allocation with customer time preferences, and infrastructure network restoration. Her methodological approach integrates queueing theory, game theory, and heuristic algorithms to solve problems where timing constraints critically impact system performance.

Analysis of her 2022-2025 publications reveals three dominant thematic trajectories: (1) Infrastructure resilience in power grids and disaster response through crew routing and network fortification; (2) Behavioral operations examining word-of-mouth dynamics and wage theft in labor markets; and (3) Time-sensitive logistics optimization for delivery systems and predictive maintenance. These intersect at the nexus of computational operations research and practical implementation challenges.

No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Dr. Cavdar mentors graduate researchers in industrial engineering with focus areas spanning infrastructure restoration algorithms and behavioral supply chain models. While specific grant details remain unspecified, her publication topics indicate sustained funding for projects involving network optimization under uncertainty, disaster response logistics, and human-centric operations management. She teaches specialized courses including ISYE 4960: Game Theory and Applications in Supply Chain Management.