Omar Alhawari

Omar Alhawari is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology. He previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Operations Management at the College of Business (2019–2022). Prior to academia, he spent 19 years in the Jordanian military, holding roles such as Officer Engineer, Technical Detachment Commander, and Vehicle Chief of Branch, focusing on logistical, operational, and technical support in maintenance, supply chain management, and transport operations.

Alhawari holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and MBA from Mutah University (Jordan), and an MS and PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Ohio University. His research emphasizes mathematical optimization techniques for improving decision-making in manufacturing systems, supply chain management, and circular economy frameworks. Key areas include scheduling optimization, production-distribution planning under stochastic environments, and resilience in manufacturing-supply chain systems.

• Education:
  • PhD in Mechanical and Systems Engineering (Specialty: Industrial and Systems Engineering), Ohio University, USA
  • MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Ohio University, USA
  • MBA, Mutah University, Jordan
  • BS in Mechanical Engineering, Mutah University, Jordan

His research output includes over 15 peer-reviewed papers and conference presentations, with recent publications focusing on Industry 5.0, supply chain resilience, IoT applications in crisis management, and circular economy strategies. He received the Best-Emerging Researcher Award (2020–2021) from Ohio University's Department of Management.

Alhawari’s work integrates advanced optimization models (e.g., simulated annealing, genetic algorithms) to address complex issues in manufacturing systems and global supply chains, particularly under uncertain demand scenarios. His contributions span both theoretical advancements and practical applications in logistics, cellular manufacturing, and sustainable production practices.