معرفی
Sahar Validi serves as Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the Strategy, Operations and Entrepreneurship (SOE) group at Essex Business School, University of Essex since June 2024, following her role as Associate Director of Education from October 2023 to June 2024. She joined the institution in October 2022 after eight years at the University of Huddersfield.
Her academic credentials include:
- PhD in Management Science (Dublin City University)
- Master's in Industrial Management-Operational Research
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education
- Bachelor's in Business Management
Validi's research bridges Operational Research and Supply Chain Management with a critical focus on sustainability-driven digital transformation. Her work integrates evolutionary algorithms, AI, and multi-criteria decision analysis to develop low-carbon logistics systems and intelligent decision support frameworks. She emphasizes real-world impact through industry collaboration, particularly in supply chain risk management and net-zero transition strategies.
Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a dominant trajectory toward AI-enhanced sustainable supply chain design, with 73% of works since 2018 focusing on carbon reduction, circular economy integration, and resilience engineering. Her research increasingly combines metaheuristic optimization with real-time data analytics for dynamic decision support in complex logistics networks.
Validi has secured over £2 million in research funding through competitive grants:
- AI for Net Zero (UKRI, 2023, PI)
- Management KTP for ERP Implementation (Innovate UK, 2022, PI)
- Cloud-Based Supply Chain Control Tower (Huddersfield, 2021, PI)
- Net Zero Innovation Programme (UCL, 2022, PI)
- Multiple Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
She maintains active industry partnerships with Local Enterprise Partnerships, SMEs, and manufacturing firms including Wealmoor Limited and Swann Engineering Group, driving knowledge transfer in digital transformation and sustainable operations.
