SOMA Summer Schools 2024 - 2025

The Summer Schools in Humanitarian Operations Management (SOMA) will be hosted from December 9th to December 13th in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a second part hosted in the Spring of 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. This PhD and Masters level intensive course will dive into the operations surrounding humanitarian operations and disaster assistance with instruction from globally recognized leaders in the humanitarian operations research field. The summer school also serves as a forum for operations management students from all over the world to exchange research, concepts, and develop internetional networks.

SOMA is funded through the 2023 Team Finland knowledge programme ensuring free registration and participation. The course is being hosted collaboratively between the Humanitarian Assistance and Needs for Disasters lab (HANDS) at PUC-RIO in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the HUMLOG Institute at Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, Finland. 

Application Form for the Summer School in Rio: https://forms.office.com/e/7g6dXX3s3m 

Application period ends midnight GMT-3 November 6th, after which participation will be approved. 

Course Content Featured Educators
Humanitarian Operations & Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Adriana Leiras, PhD
Research methods to analyze the interlinkages between Humanitarian Operations & SDGs Diego Vega, PhD
Policies to explore synergies and avoid trade-offs betweenHumanitarian Operations & SDGs TBA

There will also be opportunities for students to present their research and discuss synergies and avenues for collaboration. 

 

Course Coordinators and Lead Educators

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Adriana Leirasadrianaleiras@puc-rio.br, has been a Professor on the Teaching and Research Board at the Department of Industrial Engineering since 2013. Her research interests focus on Humanitarian Operations and its interfaces with sustainable development, covering the intersection of engineering, management, and public policy. Her research adopts multi-method approaches (qualitative and quantitative) to design and evaluate policies and strategies to develop more efficient, effective, and equitable Humanitarian Operations.

She is the founder and Coordinator of the HANDs laboratory – Humanitarian Assistance and Needs for Disasters. She is the leader of the CNPq Research Group entitled Logistics and Humanitarian Operations. She is also the regional humanitarian logistics and disaster response operations project leader for the MIT SCALE Latin America Network and current Ex-officio advisor of the POMS Caribbean & Latin American Chapter. 

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Diego Vegadiego.vega@hanken.fi. Diego Vega is Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management and Social Responsibility, especially Humanitarian Logistics at Hanken School of Economics, Finland and Director of the HUMLOG Institute. He has over 13 years of experience in conducting research in humanitarian logistics with and for international humanitarian organizations, and is the recipient of the American Logistics Aid Network's (ALAN) research and academic contribution award. Some of Diego's recent research projects include the analysis of Swedish and Danish Red Cross supply chains, sustainable closed loop supply chains in the shelter sector, MSF's intersectional response to COVID-19 during ongoing operations, and the creation of a common data standard for humanitarian organizations. He is also Associate Editor of the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management and the creator of the first humanitarian logistics Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Diego's research interests include logistics services in humanitarian operations, temporary supply chains, modularity, and qualitative methods. 

What language is the course held in?

English, with a recommended C1 level minimum. 

Will this course provide academic credit?

No, however we can provide a certificate of attendance upon request. 

Is lodging, food, or transportation included in the course?

No, applicants are expected to cover costs themselves. 

Where in Rio de Janeiro is ths course hosted? 

At the PUC-Rio campus. 

 

With any further questions, please contact hands@puc-rio.br.