1. 2011 Mini-Conference of the POMS College of Sustainable Operations
The 2011 Mini-Conference of the POMS College of Sustainable Operations was held at the Peppermill Hotel in Reno, NV, on Thursday April 28, 2011, and focused on carbon footprint. It was co-chaired by Atalay Atasu (Georgia Tech), and Edgar Blanco (MIT).
The Mini-Conference commenced with Laura Draucker’s presentation about the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards. She elaborated on the process, merits and challenges of the recently developed two standards: Scope 3 (Value Chain Accounting and Reporting Standard) and Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard. Sujeesh Krishnan talked about the evolving product carbon footprinting space from the perspective of what it is, why it is important, what the emerging methodologies are, and what the Carbon Trust is doing in this space. Through a few case studies, his presentation also emphasized that product carbon footprint can drive changes in market behavior. Buddy Polovick talked about the EPA’s SmartWay program, a program that promotes environmentally cleaner and more fuel efficient transportation options through among others, R&D and product labeling. His presentation focused on benefits of the SmartWay and how the partnership works among the stakeholders in the traffic sector. Leonardo Bonanni’s presentation introduced Sourcemap.org, which is a social network platform for mapping and sharing supply chains to inform sustainable choices. He explained how the social network platform can estimate the carbon footprints of product and share this information across different media.
2. Announcement for the winner of the PhD Proposal Award, 2011 (chaired by Elif Akcali)
Winner: Ayse Selin Kocaman from Columbia University (advisor: Vijay Modi)
Dissertation title: Connecting People to Electricity: Single Level and Multi-level Grid Network Design for Rural Electrification
Runner Up: Nan Gao from Iowa State University (advisor: Sarah M. Ryan)
Dissertation title: Closed Loop Supply Chain Design for Uncertain Carbon Regulations and Random Product Flows
Runner Up: Mohammad Moshthari from University of Lugano (advisor: Paulo Goncalves)
Dissertation title: Inhibitors of Collaboration among Humanitarian Aid Organizations
3. Workshop on New Product Development, Innovation, and Sustainability
October 14-15, 2010
Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
The Operations & Decision Technologies Department at the Kelley School of Business of Indiana University sponsored a workshop on the interface between new product development, innovation, and sustainability. The workshop was held at the Kelley School on October 14-15, 2010. This workshop preceded the deadline for submission of papers to the special issue of Production and Operations Management on new product development, innovation, and sustainability, and had 20 presentations. Most presentations in the Workshop were later submitted to the special issue. Program committee members for the workshop included Kyle Cattani (Indiana University), Mark Ferguson (Georgia Tech), Glen Schmidt (University of Utah), and Gil Souza (Indiana University).
4. 2010 Mini-Conference of the POMS College of Sustainable Operations
The Mini-Conference of the POMS College of Sustainable Operations was successfully held at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel on May 6, 2010. The Mini-Conference brought together more than 30 researchers who shared the common interest in sustainability and sustainable operations.
The Mini-Conference commenced with Stelios Kavadias’s presentation about interaction between sustainability and product development from a thought-provoking viewpoint. He emphasized the importance of metrics for measuring sustainability and discussed driving factors of sustainability in the context of organization structures. Alfonso Pedraza Martinez talked about humanitarian logistics based on his pioneering field work. His presentation focused on fleet management in the fields. Industry keynote speaker, Burton Hammer, talked about sustainability using an example of a new hydropower technology that his company developed and its vivid business model. Shmuel Oren clearly explained complicated electricity markets using mathematical models that are actually used for the market. His presentation covered important issues of the market, including portfolio for electronic market risk and impact of carbon regulations. Andrew Hoffman analyzed the evolution of the concept of sustainability from his innovative cultural and social viewpoint.
5. Announcement for the winner of the PhD Proposal Award, 2010
Winner: Alfonso Pedraza Martinez from INSEAD (advisor, Luk N. Van Wassenhove, INSEAD)
Dissertation title: “Last Mile Vehicle Fleet Management in Humanitarian Operations”
Congratulations, Alfonso.
Award Committee: Vedat Verter (chair, McGill), Charles Corbett (UCLA), Mike Ketzenberg (Texas A&M), and Joe Blackburn (Vanderbilt)