Saurabh Bansal

Saurabh Bansal is a Professor of Supply Chain Management and Operations Research at the Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University. He has been affiliated with Penn State since 2010. His research focuses on decision-making under uncertainty, supply chain modeling, and the application of analytical methods to agribusiness and remanufacturing systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Risk Analysis from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.Tech in Industrial Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.

Bansal teaches courses such as SCM 570 and SCM 530, emphasizing model-driven approaches to supply chain challenges. His work bridges academic theory and industry practice, with notable collaborations involving firms like Corteva and AMD. He has won the INFORMS 2019 Case Competition for a teaching case and is recognized for his pedagogical innovations, including flipped classrooms and practical case studies.

His research examines how managers perceive uncertainties, develop descriptive models of their decision-making, and create prescriptive optimization strategies. Key areas include remanufacturing systems, sustainability in agribusiness, and the integration of expert judgments for accurate demand forecasting. Bansal’s publications span topics like closed-loop supply chains, servicizing business models, and inter-functional coordination.

Awards and recognitions include finalist positions in practice award competitions for agribusiness research. Colleagues praise his dedication to student engagement, accessibility, and ability to synthesize complex concepts for diverse audiences. His teaching philosophy emphasizes real-world application, often incorporating industry projects and software tools to enhance student learning.