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College Industry Council on Material Handling Education

Academic Members Interests

The following list highlights the research, teaching and consulting expertise/interests of each of the CICMHE academic members:

Yossi Bukchin
Tel-Aviv University
Primary research interests are in optimizing the performance of production and logistics systems. In particular, focus on modeling and analysis of assembly systems, facility layout, warehousing and distribution and operational scheduling while considering single or multiple performance measures.

 

Kimberly Ellis
Virginia Tech
Primary research interests include operations planning and manufacturing logistics (for production, distribution, and material handling systems). Specific focus involves collaborating with industry to develop decision support tools to improve material flow for manufacturing and distribution systems.

 

Mike Ensby
Clarkson University
Primary research interests are in application of quality tools in the definition and planning stages of the Project Management life cycle. Background is mostly in applied research through Six Sigma consulting with a wide range of companies. Materials handling is a new area of focus. Other interests include team dynamics, strategic planning, and supply chain systems integration.

 

Kevin Gue
Auburn University
Primary research interests are in logistics modeling and optimization, including problems in distribution, production, warehousing, material handling, and storage systems design. Specific interests include interactions among workers in industrial settings and models of congestion, both among workers and machines.

 

Carter Kerk
South Dakota School of Mines
Primary research and teaching interests are in the areas of ergonomics, safety engineering, and occupational biomechanics with the goals of keeping workers safer and more productive. I have a great interest in manual material handling, use of assist devices, and how to optimize the system that includes the human both physically and cognitively.

 

Dr. Andrés L. Carrano
Rochester Institute of Technology
Manufacturing systems, production control, facilities planning, design for the environment, lifecycle assessment, and trad-off modeling in sustainability.

 

Dr. Donald E. Eisenstein
University of Chicago
Analysis of logistical systems including production, material handling, warehousing, distribution, order-picking, scheduling, routing, inventory, and e-commerce.

 

Dr. Leon F. McGinnis, P.E.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Complexity and design of manufacturing logistics systems, applied computation and optimization.

 

James A. Rumpf
Ferris State University
Throughput improvement, facilities planning and optimization using computer simulation, mechanical handling applications for automating manufacturing processes, green manufacturing and computer-based training applications.

 

Dr. Uday Venkatadri
Dalhousie University
Facilities design, supply chain management, production planning and control, software systems, demand management, ERP, group technology, cellular manufacturing, operations research and linear programming.

 

Dr. J. René Villalobos
Arizona State University
Logistics, automated quality systems, manufacturing systems and applied operations research.

 

Karl B. Manrodt
Georgia Southern University
Research and consulting interests include information technology and its impact on supply chain management, performance measurement, CEO perceptions of logistics and supply chain management, customer service and corporate strategy. The application of performance measures in a DC environment is of significant interest.

 

Dale Masel
Ohio University
Research efforts are primarily directed toward the modeling of warehousing and distribution operations for the purpose of optimizing performance, including operating cost and system throughput. Issues of concern include facility layout, equipment selection, worker assignment, and operation scheduling.

 

Russ Meller
University of Arkansas
Research and consulting falls broadly into the area of facilities logistics (facility layout, material handling system design, storage solution modeling, facility location, and supply chain design). In particular, enjoy working with companies to develop computer-based tools to improve the flow of goods in manufacturing and distribution facilities.

 

Lloyd Rinehart
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Research and consulting interests are designed to help managers understand the negotiation process and how that process is used in a variety of internal and value system business applications. Those applications can include the management of human resources in facilities, and the sales and / or purchasing of various goods including material handling equipment. Teaching responsibilities include logistics operations processes and concepts in addition to negotiation processes and applications.