ALUMNI
SPEAKER
SERIES
Supply
Chains
at
Times
of
Crisis:
The
COVID-19
Vaccine
Journey
Against all odds, hundreds of millions of effective COVID-19 vaccines are now being shipped worldwide. The next enormous challenge on par with the development of these vaccines is the supply chain logistics required to get the many millions of doses from the factory to the billions of people who need it – safely and in a timely manner.
Perhaps not since the time of WWII has Canada seen the need for the flawless delivery of essential goods – with the added caveat of extreme levels of safety -- for the fragile vaccines. Who will do what and how will be accomplished? A panel of Waterloo Engineering experts, from both industry and academia, share their expertise in the prioritization and delivery of this massive undertaking.
The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel of experts.
A Zoom link will be sent to those who register for this session.
Watch the full recording of the session:
Moderator:
Samir Elhedhli
Professor, Department of Management Science and Engineering, University of Waterloo
Samir Elhedhli is a Professor at the Department of Management Science and Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He has research interests in Large-scale Optimization, Logistics and Supply Chain Design, Healthcare Operations, Airline Scheduling, and Data Analytics. His work has appeared in scientific journals such as Management Science, Mathematical Programming, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, INFORMS journal on computing, Operations Research Letters, European Journal of Operational Research, Computers and Operations Research, Journal of Global Optimization among others. He held grants from NSERC, CFI, OCE and MITACS and collaborated with industries in aircraft manufacturing, airline scheduling, and warehouse management. He is served as president of the Canadian Operational Research Society in 2011-2012. He is currently the co-Editor-in-Chief of their flagship journal INFOR. He is the recipient of the CORS Service Award in 2013 and the University of Waterloo’s distinguished and outstanding performance awards in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2015.
Panel Speakers:
Hossein Abouee-Mehrizi
Associate Professor & Canada Research Chair in Healthcare Analytics, Department of Management Science and Engineering, University of Waterloo
Hossein Abouee Mehrizi is a professor of Management Science and Canada Research Chair at the University of Waterloo. His main area of expertise is data-driven modeling of complex systems. Over the years, he has worked with a number of organizations to help them leverage their operational and strategic data for improved performance. His recent engagements include Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), Hamilton Health Sciences (McMaster Centre for Transfusion), and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His research has also been recognized through prestigious awards such as the Canada Research Chair Award, Ontario Early Researcher Award, and UW Outstanding Performance Award.
Jim Estill
BASc 1980, Systems Design Engineering
CEO and President of Danby Appliances
CEO of ShipperBee
Jim Estill is currently CEO of both of Danby Appliances and ShipperBee, a new venture that is revamping outdated shipping channels into a system that is better for consumers, retailers and the environment.
Jim is a Canadian technology entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist. He started his first computer distribution business from the trunk of his car while in university and grew that business to $2 Billion in sales.
Jim has invested in, mentored and advised many technology companies including Blackberry. He joined their board before they went public and served for 13 years.
Jim is the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 Ontario winner.
Anne Robinson
MASc 1998, Management Sciences
Chief Strategy Officer at Kinaxis
Former Executive Director, Global Supply Chain Strategy, Analytics and Systems at Verizon
As Chief Strategy Officer, Anne Robinson is responsible for accelerating Kinaxis strategy development to add further value to customers. She and her team collaborate closely with customers, external stakeholders and the rest of the senior executive team to drive the strategic roadmap, thought leadership and identify emerging technologies and new industry opportunities.
A proven leader in analytics and digital transformation, with expertise in operations, supply chain, and strategy, Anne has extensive experience in managing supply chains for complex, global organizations. As Executive Director, Global Supply Chain Strategy, Analytics and Systems at Verizon, Anne was responsible for the strategic vision of the company’s global end-to-end supply chain, driving excellence through world-class data-analytics, process innovation and employee empowerment. Before Verizon, Anne spent several years at Cisco where she was responsible for managing advanced analytics, business intelligence and performance management teams.
Anne is a past president of INFORMS (the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences), a seasoned industry speaker and has served on several advisory boards. Originally from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Anne has a BScH from Acadia University, MASc from the University of Waterloo and an MSc and PhD in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University.
Next Session of the ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES:
"Reimagining Healthy Cities"
Date: February 25, 2021
Time: 1:00 pm ET