Zhili Tian

Dr. Zhili Tian is an Associate Professor at the General Business, Marketing and Supply Chain department of the Marilyn Davies College of Business at the University of Houston Downtown. He specializes in operations management, supply chain systems, and healthcare quality optimization. His teaching portfolio includes courses on project management, healthcare operations, business statistics, and supply chain tools.

Education

• Ph.D. in Supply Chain, Operations, and Technology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
• M.S. in Management, UCLA Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, CA
• M.S. in Transportation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
• B.E. in Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Dr. Tian’s research focuses on the application of advanced methodologies such as reinforcement learning, stochastic processes, and nonlinear programming to address challenges in pharmaceutical supply chains, clinical trial planning, and patient enrollment optimization. His work bridges operations management with healthcare outcomes and econometric modeling.

His publications include studies on resource allocation in drug development, adaptive learning models for clinical trials, and strategic marketing communication investments. These contributions have been featured in leading journals such as Manufacturing and Service Operations Management and Production & Operations Management Journal.

Scientific Awards

• Excellent research rewards by the Marilyn Davies College of Business (December 2022)

Dr. Tian has served on multiple university- and college-level committees, including the Faculty Senators and the MDCOB Strategic Planning Committee. He actively contributes to professional service as a reviewer for journals like Management Science and Production & Operations Management Journal.