Chris McDermott

Chris McDermott is the Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Operations Management at the Lally School of Management, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He holds editorial roles at journals including the Journal of Operations Management and IEEE Engineering Management Review. Prior to academia, he worked as an engineer at Westinghouse Electric Company and Fairchild Space Company at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

His research focuses on three core areas: 1) Aligning operational decisions with organizational competitive priorities, 2) Operational decisions’ impact on innovation performance, and 3) Operations management in healthcare. He has authored over 100 publications in journals like Journal of Operations Management and Journal of Product Innovation Management.

His work often bridges strategic operational decisions and organizational success, with recent studies addressing healthcare efficiency, workforce flexibility, and venture survival strategies. His articles analyze topics such as ICU utilization practices, surgeon-level volume impacts, and lean methodologies in healthcare processes.

McDermott has received multiple teaching awards for his pedagogical contributions across undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs. His editorial service and industry experience highlight his dual focus on academic excellence and practical application of management principles.