Samir Elhedhli is a Professor in the Department of Management Sciences at the University of Waterloo, within the Faculty of Engineering. His research focuses on Large-scale Optimization, Logistics, Supply Chain Design, Healthcare Operations, Airline Scheduling, and Data Analytics. He has held grants from NSERC, CFI, OCE, and MITACS, collaborating with industries in aircraft manufacturing, airline scheduling, and warehouse management. Education: PhD in Management Science, McGill University (2001) Master's in Industrial Engineering, Bilkent University (1996) Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering, Bilkent University (1994) Research Interests: Data Analytics & Data Science Large-scale Optimization (Interior-point methods, decomposition, column generation) Supply-chain Analytics (Logistics, warehousing, routing, scheduling) Environmental Sustainability in Supply Chains Key Awards: CORS Service Award (2013) University of Waterloo Distinguished and Outstanding Performance Awards (2005–2019) Grants & Advising: Active grants from NSERC, CFI, OCE, and MITACS Currently accepting graduate student applications Administration & Service: Chair, Department of Management Sciences (2014–2018) President, Canadian Operational Research Society (2011–2012) Co-Editor-in-Chief, INFOR Journal (2014–present) Labs & Teams: Leads the WanOpt research group focused on optimization methodologies and applications.
Thijs Defraeye is a Senior Scientist at Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and Adjunct Professor at Dalhousie University. He holds a PhD in Building Physics from KU Leuven (2011) and a Master's in Civil Engineering (2006). His work focuses on optimizing food supply chains through multiphysics simulations and digital twins, addressing challenges in refrigerated transport, postharvest quality preservation, and energy-efficient food processing. He leads the SimBioSys group, developing solutions for perishable goods logistics and electrohydrodynamic technologies. Research interests include: Biophysics of food systems Digital twin applications in agriculture Electrohydrodynamic drying Thermal management in cold chains Sustainable food technologies Recent work emphasizes reducing food loss through physics-based modeling of refrigerated containers, ventilated packaging optimization, and scalable evaporative cooling systems. His studies bridge engineering principles with biological processes, aiming to enhance global food security and environmental sustainability.
Prof. Maria Battarra is a Professor in the School of Management at the University of Bath, leading the MSc in Management suite as Director of Studies. She holds affiliations with the Made Smarter Innovation Centre for People-Led Digitalisation, IAAPS Climate Adaptation Research, and The Foundry’s Digital Manufacturing initiative. Her research focuses on developing exact and metaheuristic algorithms for real-world applications such as vehicle routing, scheduling, disaster relief, and maritime logistics. She holds a Doctor of Engineering (Università di Bologna, 2010) and Master of Engineering (Università di Bologna, 2005). Research Interests: Innovative optimization algorithms for logistics and operations Vehicle routing problems (VRP) and variants Scheduling and resource allocation under uncertainty Disaster relief management and emergency response systems Maritime and industrial logistics optimization Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in sustainable infrastructure and responsible consumption. Notable awards include election to the Verlog Board (2025). She has led/co-led projects like People-Led Net Zero (UKRI, 2025) and Made Smarter Innovation (EPSRC, 2021). Advising: Supervises doctoral researchers in Operational Research, requiring quantitative and programming skills. Active in editorial roles for journals like European Journal of Operational Research and as a conference organizer for Verolog (2024–2027). Labs/Teams: Core member of the Made Smarter Innovation Centre, focusing on digitalization and Industry 4.0 applications across manufacturing and service sectors.
Emmanouil Zachariadis serves as an Associate Professor at the Department of Management Science and Technology (DMST) within the School of Business at Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). He specializes in operational research and computational optimization, focusing on transportation logistics, supply chain systems, and environmental impact minimization. Education : BSc in Chemical Engineering from National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) MSc in Computing Science from Imperial College London PhD in Chemical Engineering from NTUA His research integrates mathematical programming with optimization algorithms for operational challenges in transportation and production systems. He has published 26 articles in top-tier journals, accumulating over 1200 Scopus citations by June 2024. Recent scholarly trends emphasize vehicle routing problems with complex constraints (cross-docking, loading, time windows) and optimization methods for logistics sustainability. His work spans production-routing integration, emergency evacuation planning (EVITA project), and hybrid metaheuristics. Scientific Awards : Teaching excellence award for undergraduate course 'Optimization Methods in Management Science', Dept. of Management Science & Technology AUEB (2021-22) Teaching excellence awards for postgraduate course 'Large Scale Optimization', MSc in Business Analytics AUEB (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23) He has participated in European and National research projects, applying his expertise in supply chain optimization and sustainability. His teaching portfolio covers quantitative methods, operational research, and supply chain optimization at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Teppo Vienamo is a Lecturer in the Department of Design, specializing in industrial design, materials, and prototyping. He teaches in the Aaltonaut minor program at Design Factory, focusing on multidisciplinary product development. His research emphasizes sustainable manufacturing technologies and innovative material applications. Recent work includes studies on rotational molding techniques for battery enclosures, circular economy solutions for plastics, and structural design of industrial components. Research interests span product development, materials science, and manufacturing processes with a focus on environmental sustainability and industrial applications. Key projects involve collaborations on battery covers, food industry pallets, and safety-critical components like reactors and pressure vessels. Publications highlight advancements in material innovation, aerodynamic design, and structural integrity across automotive, energy, and food sectors. Active involvement in Design Factory underscores his commitment to bridging academic research with industry-relevant solutions.
Robert Dell is the Chair Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University at Buffalo, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He also serves as Managing Director of the Collaborative Institute for Multisource Information Fusion. His research spans optimization, production scheduling, supply chain design, and professional sports analytics. Recent publications highlight his work in military logistics (aircraft maintenance planning, amphibious group routing), integer programming (web session reconstruction, pallet loading), and defense infrastructure optimization. His methodologies integrate machine learning, combinatorial optimization, and geospatial modeling. Scientific achievements include the IFORS Prize Finalist (2012) .
Batin Latif AYLAK serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Turkish-German University, Turkey. Previously, he held an Assistant Professor position at Hitit University starting in 2015. His academic career spans over a decade of research at the intersection of industrial engineering, logistics, and artificial intelligence. His educational foundation includes: Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from University of Duisburg-Essen (2010-2015) Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Duisburg-Essen (2008-2010) Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Istanbul Kültür University (2001-2006) with full scholarship Dr. AYLAK's research pioneers the integration of artificial intelligence in supply chain optimization, with particular emphasis on sustainable logistics systems. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in blockchain implementation for supply chain transparency, machine learning-driven energy forecasting, and intelligent warehouse management. He has developed novel frameworks like SustAI-SCM for agentic AI in sustainable supply chains and contributed significantly to understanding digital transformation in Turkey's logistics sector. His publication trajectory (2021-2025) reveals a strategic evolution from foundational logistics research toward cutting-edge AI applications. Early work focused on optimization algorithms and blockchain integration, while recent publications demonstrate leadership in agentic AI systems for sustainability, advanced predictive modeling for renewable energy, and pandemic-responsive supply chain solutions. This progression highlights his adaptation to emerging technological paradigms while maintaining core focus on supply chain resilience. No scientific awards or fellowships were documented in the provided materials. Dr. AYLAK has secured competitive research funding including project BAP TAÜ - 2018BM0028 for digital trend analysis in Turkey's logistics sector. While his publications indicate collaborative research with multiple co-authors across institutions, no formal graduate student advisement relationships were specified in the available documentation.
Luca ZANNI is a Full Professor at the Department of Physical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia. His academic career spans numerical analysis, machine learning, and optimization methods, with a focus on gradient projection algorithms, stochastic gradient techniques, and their applications in imaging and deep learning. His research includes developing adaptive steplength rules for gradient methods, variance control in stochastic optimization, and GPU-accelerated reconstruction techniques for medical imaging. He teaches courses such as Numerical Calculation with Python, Fundamentals of Machine Learning, and Mathematical Methods for Machine Learning, covering topics like numerical optimization, support vector machines, and deep learning. He has contributed to methodologies for hyperparameter-free training, active set identification in constrained optimization, and edge-preserving image reconstruction. His work bridges theoretical advancements in optimization with practical implementations in large-scale machine learning and medical imaging applications.
Urbano J. Nunes is a Full Professor at Coimbra University and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-UC) , where he coordinates the Human-Centered Mobile Robotics Lab . His career spans national and international funded projects in mobile robotics , intelligent vehicles , and human-machine interfaces , with over 160 publications in journals and conferences. He has supervised 13 completed PhD students and currently guides 4 more. Key Roles : IROS Advisory Committee (2013-), IEEE ITS Society Vice President (2011-2012), IEEE RAS Technical Committee Cochair (2006-2011) Editorial Leadership : Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles (2015-), former Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems (2007-2016) Research Interests focus on human-centered mobile robotics , including mobile service robotics , assistive robotics , autonomous vehicle navigation , pattern recognition , and machine learning . His recent work involves 3D LiDAR processing, multispectral imaging in agriculture, and brain-computer interface (BCI) reliability improvements. Scientific Awards : IEEE ITS Society Outstanding Service Award (2006) IEEE RAS Most Active Technical Committee Award (2006) NiSIS Competition Winner for Automotive Dataset Analysis (2007) Grant Leadership includes 33 funded projects from 2001 to 2025 across domains like digital agriculture (GreenBotics), green automotive innovation (GreenAuto), and telerehabilitation platforms (INPACT), with international collaborations spanning EU programs and Portugal’s FCT grants. Labs & Teams : Coordinates the Human-Centered Mobile Robotics Lab at ISR-UC, integrating cross-disciplinary teams in robotics, AI, and BCI research. His group partners with institutions like CERN and European Commission JRC in cybernetic transportation systems.
Elsa Silva serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Production and Systems at the School of Engineering, University of Minho, and holds a dual appointment as Senior Researcher and coordinator of the SEOR (Systems Engineering and Operational Research) group at the ALGORITMI research centre. Her academic foundation includes a PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering (2012) and a degree in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Minho. Her educational credentials comprise: PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Minho (2012) Degree in Applied Mathematics, University of Minho Dr. Silva's research centers on Operations Research with pioneering contributions to Cutting and Packing Problems , where she develops hybrid algorithms combining mathematical programming with heuristics for industrial applications. Her work spans combinatorial optimization in logistics (prisoner transportation, fishing fleet routing), retail operations (shelf-space management, grocery backroom layout), and manufacturing (textile cutting, plasma processing), often addressing uncertainty and real-world constraints. She emphasizes bridging theoretical advances with practical implementations across sectors. Her recent publications (2021-2025) reveal evolving trends toward integrating uncertainty modeling with cutting stock problems, advancing 3D guillotine cutting frameworks, and solving complex logistics challenges like cross-docking and container loading. A consistent theme is the development of flexible matheuristics that balance computational efficiency with solution quality, as demonstrated in her Floating-Cuts model and adaptive sequence-based approaches. These works appear in top journals including European Journal of Operational Research and Omega , reflecting her impact on both theoretical and applied operations research. Her scientific recognition includes: Finalist for the 2015 Daniel H. Wagner Prize (INFORMS) Runner-up for the 2019 ITOR Best Paper Prize Diploma of Recognition of Pedagogical Merit (2021) Dr. Silva has supervised one post-doctoral researcher, two PhD theses, ten MSc dissertations (as supervisor/co-supervisor), and mentored three PhD students. Her academic service encompasses: Organizing two international conferences and three EURO conference streams Serving on examination boards for 5 PhDs (2 abroad) and 51 MSc theses (2 abroad) Providing 50+ peer reviews for international journals Scientific committee membership for EURO/ROADEF 2018 challenge Editorial board service for Portuguese Association for Operational Research bulletin (2022-23) As SEOR group coordinator at ALGORITMI, she leads a dynamic team developing optimization solutions for industrial partners in manufacturing, logistics, and retail. The group focuses on translating cutting-edge research into practical tools for waste reduction, logistics efficiency, and operational decision-making, maintaining strong industry-academia collaboration channels.
Prof. Kai-Oliver Schocke is the President of Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (since 2023) and holds the rank of Professor of Logistics and Production Management in Faculty 3: Business and Law. He previously served as Dean of Faculty 3 (2019–2023) and has been a full member of the Ph.D. Center for Mobility and Logistics since 2021. His academic and administrative roles are complemented by leadership in research institutions such as the Center for Logistics, Mobility, and Sustainability (ZLMN) and the Research Lab for Urban Transport (ReLUT). Prof. Schocke’s research focuses on urban logistics, air freight, and digitalization, with projects funded by organizations like the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and the BMBF. Notable collaborations include work with Fraunhofer IML, TU Darmstadt, and the House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM) at Frankfurt Airport. His educational background includes a diploma in Industrial Engineering from TU Darmstadt and Université Louis Pasteur (Strasbourg), a doctorate in Economics from TU Darmstadt, and executive training at INSEAD. Research interests emphasize practical applications, such as optimizing urban delivery systems (e.g., LastMileTram, cargo bikes), analyzing air cargo logistics, and exploring Industry 4.0 technologies. His work bridges academia and industry, reflected in partnerships with companies like SAP and SALT Solutions. Awards include the GOR Science Award and recognition in national logistics competitions. Teaching spans bachelor’s and master’s programs in logistics, production management, and industrial engineering, with a focus on practice-oriented curricula. Over 95% of student theses are conducted in collaboration with businesses, fostering industry engagement. Key research outputs include monographs on Industry 4.0 and over 30 peer-reviewed articles in journals like OR Spektrum and the International Journal of Production Research. Prof. Schocke actively participates in conferences and advisory boards, contributing to initiatives like the European Summer University on Logistics, Mobility, and Sustainability. His leadership roles include membership in the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt and the German Association for Logistics (BVL).
Cecilia Berlin is an Associate Professor at Chalmers University of Technology's Department of Design & Human Factors, specializing in ergonomics and human factors engineering. Her research focuses on optimizing work environments to enhance both human well-being and system performance, particularly in manufacturing and production settings. Key areas include cognitive workload analysis, workplace design, and social sustainability in industrial contexts. University: Chalmers University of Technology School: School of Industrial and Materials Science Department: Design & Human Factors Her work emphasizes preventive occupational health strategies and the integration of ergonomics into Industry 4.0/5.0 transitions. Notable contributions include frameworks like ACD³ for ergonomic workplace design and Change Agent Infrastructure for stakeholder analysis in work system interventions. Cecilia has collaborated on projects such as the VirKA study on VR office environments and the PreKo model for cognitive workload assessment in manual assembly. Her research bridges human abilities, technology, and organizational practices to create sustainable and productive work systems.
Ali Saleh is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Technology Sydney. With a PhD from RWTH Aachen University, he specializes in structural mechanics, finite element analysis, and cold-formed steel systems. Dr.-Ing, RWTH Aachen University (1982) Dipl.-Ing, RWTH Aachen University (1978) His research focuses on: Composite flooring systems integrating cold-formed steel and timber Seismic performance of industrial racking structures Slender high-rise building stability Advanced global-local finite element analysis Cable-stayed bridge failure modes Key trends in his 15 most recent publications include composite systems optimization (2018-2022), connection behavior in steel structures (2013-2019), and educational innovations (2008-2011). His work has been cited over 150 times, with high-impact studies on vibration behavior and shear connector performance. As a supervisor, he has guided PhD student Ahmad Firouzianhaji (2012-2015) He has held leadership roles including Deputy Head of School (2015-2017) and contributed to 14 funded industry collaborations with Dexion (Australia) Pty Ltd since 2003. His work bridges academic research with practical applications in structural engineering.
Dario Lodi Rizzini is an Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, where he conducts research and teaching in robotics, computer vision, and autonomous systems. He has held academic positions including Research Assistant (2015–2020) and Assistant Professor (2021–2023) before becoming Associate Professor. His work spans industrial, agricultural, and underwater robotics applications. Research Interests: Localization, Mapping, and Navigation (SLAM) for mobile robots 3D perception and point cloud processing Robot manipulation and grasping Perception-aware control and pose estimation Applications in industrial automation, precision agriculture, and underwater intervention His recent publications show a strong trend in geometric algorithms for rotation and point cloud registration, particularly using the Angular Radon Spectrum, as well as practical deployments in warehouse automation and agricultural robotics. He has developed scalable systems for variable-rate irrigation and industrial depalletizing, demonstrating real-world impact. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Team leader of the University of Parma team that won Sick Robot Day in 2012 and 2014 Active IEEE member with publications in top-tier journals including IEEE Transactions on Robotics, IEEE RA-L, and IEEE ICRA/IROS Advising and Grants: Dario Lodi Rizzini has mentored numerous PhD students and postdocs, including Riccardo Monica, Ernesto Fontana, and Asad Ullah Khan. He has collaborated on multiple industrial and national research projects focusing on robotics in agriculture, warehouse automation, and underwater intervention, including the Italian MARIS project on underwater robotics. Labs and Teams: He is a key member of the Robotics and Intelligent Machines Lab (RIMLab) at the University of Parma, contributing to research in autonomous systems, perception, and manipulation. He has led teams in robotic competitions and collaborative industrial projects.
Stefano Caselli is a Full Professor of Computer Engineering at the School of Engineering , University of Parma , Italy. He teaches courses in operating systems, real-time systems, digital design, and robotics. His academic journey includes a Laurea in Electronic Engineering (1982) and a Ph.D. in Computer and Electronic Engineering (1987) from the University of Bologna, followed by a visiting scholar position at the University of Florida's Machine Intelligence Laboratory (1989-1990). Current Role: Full Professor, Department of Information Engineering Leadership: Former Chairman of Electronic, Computer, and Telecommunications Engineering degree programs (2000-2006), currently Vice-Chairman of the Ph.D. school in Information Technology and director of a French-Italian double-degree exchange program. Research Focus : His work spans autonomous robotic systems , real-time architectures , human-robot interaction , and edge-to-cloud computing . He has led EU-funded projects like VAALID (2015-2020) and regional initiatives such as AERTECH (2015-2020), emphasizing robotics in industrial automation and rehabilitation. Publications & Collaborations : With over 100 papers in top journals and conferences (e.g., IEEE ICRA, IROS), he explores robotics, precision agriculture, and sensor integration. His Robotics Laboratory (co-founded in 1992) collaborates with local companies on industrial automation solutions. Teaching & Administration : He has served on scientific committees for IEEE ICRA and IROS conferences and is a member of IEEE and ACM . Office hours are conducted via Teams during the pandemic, with physical meetings resuming in Building 1, University of Parma.
