Michael VeatchView profile
Professor
Michael Veatch is a Professor of Mathematics at Gordon College in the School of Science, Technology and Health. Holding a Ph.D. from MIT with prior industry experience in defense logistics, he bridges theoretical operations research with practical humanitarian applications. His educational background includes: B.A. from Whitman College M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Dr. Veatch specializes in applying probability models and optimization techniques to humanitarian logistics and queueing networks. His research spans pandemic vaccine allocation strategies, gift-in-kind donation systems for organizations like World Vision, and airport congestion management during disaster relief operations. He investigates how faith-based values influence operational decisions in Christian relief organizations through collaborations with Wheaton College and MIT. His work uniquely integrates mathematical rigor with real-world humanitarian challenges, particularly in crisis response scenarios. Analysis of his publication record reveals a strategic evolution from theoretical queueing network research toward increasingly applied humanitarian logistics work. His recent publications demonstrate sophisticated optimization frameworks addressing urgent global health challenges like pandemic response, while maintaining strong theoretical foundations in stochastic modeling and dynamic programming. The interdisciplinary nature of his work connects mathematics, operations research, public health, and ethical decision-making. Dr. Veatch has made significant contributions through his textbook Linear and Convex Optimization: A Mathematical Approach (Wiley, 2021) designed for mathematics majors. He developed an industry-focused course through the Preparation for Industrial Careers in Mathematical Sciences program and contributes to vocational guidance for mathematics students. His active research collaborations include: International Vaccine Allocation with MIT researchers Gift-in-Kind Acceptance Strategies for World Vision Informed Compassion project on faith-based operational decisions Disaster airport scheduling using Haiti earthquake data
