Rajan Batta

Rajan Batta is a SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University at Buffalo and serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Recognition within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His roles include overseeing faculty recruitment, diversity initiatives, promotion processes, and awards recognition across the school.

He holds a PhD in Operations Research from MIT (1984) and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Delhi (1980). His research focuses on urban operations research, particularly in emergency response logistics, disaster management, and public safety. He has pioneered work on UAV search optimization, hazardous materials transportation, and police patrolling models.

Key achievements include the SUNY Distinguished Professorship (highest academic rank in SUNY), the Dr. David F. Baker Distinguished Research Award, and Fellowships from INFORMS and IIE. He has secured over $13M in research funding and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Socio-Economic Planning Sciences.

Dr. Batta’s advising has produced doctoral students now leading academic institutions globally. His grants emphasize disaster preparedness, transportation security, and humanitarian logistics. Current research explores UAV-based reconnaissance, equitable pharmaceutical distribution, and multi-INT fusion for situational awareness.