Hong Wan

Hong Wan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at North Carolina State University (NC State). She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences from Northwestern University (2004), with earlier degrees in Chemistry (Peking University, 1998), Materials Science (Northwestern, 2001), and Industrial Engineering (Northwestern, 2002). Before joining NC State, she was an Associate Professor at Purdue University’s School of Industrial Engineering, where she directed the Purdue Blockchain Lab and co-directed the Smart Design Lab. She is also affiliated with the SEED Center for Data Farming at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Her research focuses on blockchain analysis, complex simulation modeling, healthcare systems simulation, and game theory applications in quality management. She leads NC State’s ISE Blockchain Lab, studying blockchain as a complex system using simulation, optimization, and statistical methods. Notable contributions include modeling Bitcoin network dynamics, developing sequential elimination procedures for optimization, and integrating machine learning with blockchain systems.

• Education:
  • B.S. in Chemistry (Peking University, 1998)
  • M.S. in Materials Science (Northwestern University, 2001)
  • M.S. in Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences (Northwestern University, 2002)
  • Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences (Northwestern University, 2004)
• Awards:
  • 2017 Featured Paper in IIE Transactions
  • 2014 Best Student Paper Finalist (QSR)
  • 2013 Military Application Society Koopman Prize (INFORMS)
• Labs/Teams:
  • ISE Blockchain Lab (NC State)
  • Purdue Blockchain Lab (former)
  • SEED Center for Data Farming (Naval Postgraduate School)

Her work bridges operations research and emerging technologies, emphasizing strategic decision-making in decentralized systems and healthcare applications. Recent projects explore generative AI for simulation and blockchain’s role in supply chain transparency.