Esra Agca Aktunc

Esra Agca Aktunc serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), teaching core courses including Introduction to ISE, Production and Operations Management, Facilities Design, Operations Research Methods, and Engineering Data Analytics across undergraduate and graduate programs.

Her educational qualifications include:

• Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2013)
• M.Sc. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2011)
• B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University (2008)

Dr. Agca Aktunc's research integrates optimization, simulation, and data analytics across disaster management, healthcare systems, and energy systems. Her work addresses critical challenges including hospital evacuation logistics, pandemic impacts on energy infrastructure, and natural gas management under uncertainty, employing advanced analytical methods to solve resource-constrained real-world problems in dynamic environments.

Publication analysis reveals a strategic research evolution: early work (2013-2019) focused on disaster response logistics and healthcare operations, while recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate increased specialization in energy systems, particularly electricity and natural gas demand forecasting during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This progression highlights her adaptive application of operations research to emerging societal challenges.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.

Information regarding student advising and research grants was not included in the available materials, though her extensive teaching portfolio indicates significant educational contributions.