Suchi Rajendran

Suchi Rajendran is an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the Department of Marketing at the University of Missouri, Trulaske College of Business. She is also the Director of Undergraduate Studies in ISE and actively leads research in prescriptive analytics, operations research, and data-driven decision-making across healthcare, transportation, and business systems.

Education:

• PhD in Industrial Engineering, Pennsylvania State University

Her research focuses on applying advanced analytics to solve complex real-world problems. Key areas include optimizing healthcare delivery systems, supply chain and logistics (notably blood supply chains and port operations), marketing data analytics, and emerging transportation systems such as air taxis and electric vehicle infrastructure. She leverages predictive and prescriptive artificial intelligence to forecast demand and recommend optimal operational strategies.

Her recent work, highlighted in university news up to 2025, demonstrates a strong trend toward interdisciplinary, AI-powered solutions in logistics, sustainability, and public service. She frequently collaborates with industry partners like Case New Holland and Schneider Electric, and has secured funding from agencies such as the Alaska Department of Transportation and the National Science Foundation.

Scientific Awards and Recognitions:

• Richard Wallace Faculty Incentive Grant
• Bob Bloss Faculty Enhancement Grant
• Winemiller Excellence Award in Data Analytics
• NSF CHOT Scholar (Penn State)
• Service Enterprise Engineering Fellow
• DAAD-WISE Fellowship (Germany)
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Dr. Rajendran is actively involved in mentoring students, having advised honors-winning graduate and undergraduate researchers. She leads an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program that brings 10 students annually to Mizzou to work on AI-enabled operations engineering. Her grants support hands-on, interdisciplinary research that prepares the next generation of engineers and data scientists.

She is affiliated with cutting-edge research initiatives involving simulation modeling, digital communication platforms, and AI integration in industrial systems. Her lab and team focus on developing practical, scalable solutions for logistics, healthcare, and sustainable transportation, often through collaborative, real-world projects with public and private stakeholders.