James R. Perkins

James R. Perkins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Manufacturing Engineering at Boston University's College of Engineering. His primary affiliations span the Mechanical Engineering, Product Design & Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering departments as both primary and affiliated faculty within the university's academic structure.

Education:

• B.A. in Engineering Science from Harvard University (June 1986)
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (January 1990)
• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (October 1993)

Professor Perkins' research focuses on systems engineering with emphases on control, decision analysis, and scheduling theory. As a member of the Boston University Operations Research and Manufacturing Systems group, his work spans real-time scheduling and control of manufacturing systems, supply chain management, resource pricing and congestion control in communications networks, and scheduling human resources in transportation systems and product development. Current projects include synchronization and scheduling of manufacturing systems, data mining and clustering in genetic networks, and analytical solutions of controlled queueing networks. His manufacturing-related research is performed in the Production Control of Manufacturing Systems (PCMS) Laboratory at Boston University.

Analysis of Professor Perkins' publication record reveals strong trends in manufacturing systems optimization, with particular emphasis on scheduling algorithms, production control, and resource allocation. His work bridges theoretical operations research with practical applications across manufacturing, communications networks, and product development. Over the past two decades, his research has evolved from fundamental control theory in manufacturing systems to more complex applications involving wireless networks, supply chain management, and new product development, demonstrating remarkable adaptability and interdisciplinary reach.

Scientific Awards:

• NSF Research Initiation Award (1994-1998)
• IBM Manufacturing Research Graduate Fellowship (1989-1991)
• John Harvard Scholarship (1985-1986)
• Harvard College Scholarship (1984-1985)

Professor Perkins has served as Principal Investigator for several significant research projects, including "Efficient Control of Manufacturing Systems with Buffer Costs" (NSF Research Initiation Award, 1994-1998) and "Managing the New Product Development Portfolio and Pipeline: An Integrated Approach" (NSF, 1999-2001). He was also Principal Director of a Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Award from the Department of Education (1997-2000) and Co-Principal Investigator on projects with Nokia Research Center and NSF. His teaching portfolio includes advanced courses in scheduling models, engineering mathematics, production systems analysis, and statistics and quality engineering, where he has developed new curriculum for specialized topics.

Professor Perkins conducts his manufacturing-related research in the Production Control of Manufacturing Systems (PCMS) Laboratory at Boston University. His work often involves collaboration with colleagues such as Professor R. Srikant and Professor P. R. Kumar from the University of Illinois. His research group focuses on developing theoretical frameworks and practical solutions for complex scheduling and control problems across various domains including manufacturing, communications, and transportation systems, with an emphasis on mathematical rigor and real-world applicability.