On Friday, September 19, 2025, the UMass Amherst INFORMS Student Chapter had the privilege of hosting Dr. Oleh Nivievskyi, Professor of Economics at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) and Siemens Research Fellow at the Free University of Berlin. Dr. Nivievskyi, a leading researcher in agri-food products, factor markets, and value chain analysis, delivered a timely and engaging presentation titled “Rebuilding Crossroads of Ukraine: Bridging the Gap Between Damage, Recovery, and European Aspirations.”
Pre-Talk Gathering
The day began with a warm pre-talk chat in Room N220 of the Business Innovation Hub from 9:00 to 10:15 AM. Dr. Nivievskyi met with our faculty advisor, Professor Anna Nagurney, along with PhD candidates Dana Hassani, Ismael Pour, and our chapter president, Samira Samadi. The discussion centered on global agri-food products, supply chains, and networks, allowing students to share their own research and gain valuable insights from Dr. Nivievskyi and Professor Anna Nagurney.
The Presentation
From 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Dr. Nivievskyi delivered his talk in Isenberg Room 111. Our new president, Samira, provided a brief introduction to Dr. Nivievskyi’s background, and then he was warmly welcomed by Professor Anna Nagurney. The audience also included Professor Senay Solak, Chair of the OIM Department, chapter officers, and three Ukrainian exchange students currently studying at UMass Amherst as part of the partnership between UMass Amherst and KSE: Oleksandra Horusieva, Viktoriia Baliuk, and Karyna Lutsenko.
In his presentation, Dr. Nivievskyi reflected on the immense impact of the ongoing war on housing and infrastructure. He noted that nearly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory remains under occupation, with the scale of economic and infrastructural damage already surpassing the country’s 2024 GDP. Despite these challenges, Ukraine has begun the process of rebuilding, with modest but meaningful progress made in restoring parts of its housing and infrastructure. He emphasized that moving forward with reconstruction and recovery will require close coordination between Ukraine, its partners, and donors, and above all, a careful balance between rapid recovery efforts and sustainability standards in accordance with EU legislation.
Q&A
The talk was followed by a lively discussion with the audience. Questions reflected the broad scope of issues facing Ukraine, including the scale and timeline of reconstruction, the long-term ecological impacts of war, and the academic landscape in Ukraine.
Refreshments were provided, including coffee and muffins, and the atmosphere was made even more special when one of our chapter officers, Yukti Kathuria, brought a tiramisu to celebrate her birthday.
Following the presentation, we, along with Professor Anna Nagurney and two of the Ukrainian exchange students, hosted Dr. Nivievskyi for lunch at the Commonwealth Restaurant at UMass Amherst. We were also joined by two colleagues from Amherst College, Professor Nataliia Bychkova and Professor Myroslav Kryven, making it a truly enjoyable and memorable gathering.
Thank You
We sincerely thank Dr. Nivievskyi for kindly accepting our invitation and sharing such timely and insightful perspectives during this critical period for Ukraine. We are also grateful to Professor Anna Nagurney, our faculty advisor, for her continued guidance and support in organizing the event. Finally, we thank the OIM faculty, chapter officers, and exchange students for making this event so memorable.
We invite you to join us for more exciting events at UMass Amherst, with our next event being the 2025 INFORMS Annual Meeting Tune-Up. We look forward to seeing you there!
