Maria Besiou

Prof. Dr. Maria Besiou is a leading scholar in humanitarian logistics at Kühne Logistics University, where she serves as Professor and Academic Director of the Center for Humanitarian Logistics and Regional Development (CHORD). Her research bridges system dynamics methodology with sustainable supply chain management to address complex challenges in humanitarian operations, including stakeholder coordination, disaster response, and funding dynamics.

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Operations Management from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow at INSEAD Social Innovation Centre

Her work focuses on humanitarian supply chain performance under uncertainty, analyzing centralized vs. decentralized systems, pre-disaster preparedness, and humanitarian return-on-investment. She has pioneered research on search-and-rescue operations, volunteer management, and cross-sector partnerships, often employing system dynamics and agent-based modeling to simulate complex humanitarian systems.

Besiou’s publications in Production and Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, and European Journal of Operational Research explore topics like Covid-19 impacts on aid delivery, stakeholder media networks, and closed-loop supply chains for photovoltaic waste. She serves as Associate Editor for multiple journals and holds leadership roles in the Production and Operations Management Society.

• Recipient of the 2024 Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award
• Honored with ALAN’s Research and Academic Contribution Award (2022)
• Multiple POMS best paper awards (2020, 2015, 2012)

Her research has directly influenced United Nations cluster systems, humanitarian funding policies, and volunteer team strategies. Current projects examine anti-trafficking logistics, African supply chain capacity development, and humanitarian health supply chains.