Today marks the first day of the rest of the Spring semester after a refreshing Spring break here at UMass. Before the break, the Operations and Information Management (OIM) Department hosted an exceptional guest speaker, Dr. Yossi Sheffi, whose lecture left us both inspired and provoked to think deeply about sustainability in business. His talk, part of the OIM Distinguished Speaker Series, offered valuable insights that resonate with students, faculty, and professionals alike.
Dr. Yossi Sheffi is the Elisha Gray II Professor of Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a globally recognized expert in supply chain management and logistics. He is the founder and director of the renowned MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL), which houses the prestigious Supply Chain Management master’s program. Dr. Sheffi was named the #1 Influencer in Supply Chain Management by Supply Chain magazine, and his thought leadership continues to guide businesses in addressing sustainability, resilience, and risk management challenges. On Tuesday, March 11, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., he spoke to the Isenberg community in Campus Center Rooms 165-169 about a critical question: When to Embrace Sustainability in Business? His lecture, followed by a Q&A session, drew from his influential book, Balancing Green: When to Embrace Sustainability in a Business (and When Not To).
Dr. Sheffi challenged conventional wisdom, urging us to look beyond surface-level sustainability efforts and consider the complexities of supply chains. He illustrated this with the example of a banana’s life cycle, tracing its emissions from farm to port to consumer, highlighting how location and transportation can drastically alter its environmental footprint. His perspective sparked lively debate during the Q&A.
We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Professor Senay Solak, John F. Smith Memorial Professor and Department Chair of Operations & Information Management, for his support in making this event possible. A special thank you goes to Professor Arzum Akkas for inviting Dr. Sheffi, and, of course, we’re immensely grateful to Dr. Yossi Sheffi for sharing his expertise and sparking meaningful dialogue. You can also read an article on Professor Anna Nagurney’s website about her visit and talk at CTL, where she crossed paths with Dr. Sheffi.
https://annanagurney.blogspot.com/2024/03/it-was-great-to-be-back-at-mit-to-speak.html
The UMass INFORMS Student Chapter is excited about our upcoming events and news for the rest of the Spring semester. Stay tuned to our blog posts for more updates!